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Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

The Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, known in English as the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, is a German symphony orchestra. It was founded in 1923 as a radio orchestra and is regarded as the second-oldest radio orchestra, with 114 musicians. It plays in Berlin at the Konzerthaus and the Philharmonie, and in other German cities as well.

Music and breakthrough

In its early years the orchestra was known for its work with contemporary composers. Guest conductors included Paul Hindemith, Arthur Honegger, Darius Milhaud, Sergei Prokofiev, Richard Strauss, Arnold Schönberg and Igor Stravinsky. The first principal conductor was Bruno Seidler-Winkler, from 1926 to 1932. The first concert after the war took place on 18 May 1945. After the division of Germany in 1949 the orchestra came under the radio service of the GDR. Since 1994 it has belonged to a joint organisation of four Berlin radio ensembles.

Influence

Later principal conductors included Sergiu Celibidache, Heinz Rögner, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos and Marek Janowski. With Janowski the orchestra recorded ten operas by Richard Wagner for Pentatone. Since 2017 Vladimir Jurowski has been principal conductor, and his contract runs until 2027. From the 1950s to the 1980s the orchestra made recordings for Eterna, and later worked for labels including Hyperion and CPO. It remains an important home for new and lesser-known music.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to a recording of the orchestra playing twentieth-century music, for instance Bartók or Lutosławski. Notice how clearly the instrumental groups sound.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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Categories: Artists