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Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra

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

The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra in St. Louis, Missouri. Joseph Otten founded it in 1880 as the St. Louis Choral Society. It is the second-oldest professional symphony orchestra in the United States; only the New York Philharmonic is older. Its regular concert hall is Powell Hall. In the 1881/82 season an orchestra of thirty-one members was added to the choir, and in 1893 the Choral-Symphony was formally established.

Music and breakthrough

Its national reputation grew above all under the music director Leonard Slatkin, from 1979 to 1996. At that time the orchestra made many recordings for EMI and RCA Victor, toured Europe and the Far East and played at Carnegie Hall. Its finances could not keep up with that pace. After the departure of Hans Vonk, Itzhak Perlman was musical adviser from 2002 to 2004. From 2005 to 2018 David Robertson was music director. In 2005 a labour dispute led to two months without concerts. Under Robertson the orchestra went to the Proms in London for the first time in 2012, and since 2010 St. Louis Public Radio has broadcast the concerts live.

Influence

The orchestra recorded for labels including Columbia, RCA Victor, Telarc, Angel EMI and Nonesuch, and later for its own label, Arch Media. It received seven Grammys. It also sought a broader audience with popular-oriented series such as Live at Powell Hall.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to a recording of the orchestra under Slatkin or Robertson and notice the full strings and the brass. Can you hear how the group plays as one whole?

Discography

Studio albums

Categories: Artists