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San Francisco Symphony

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

The San Francisco Symphony is an American orchestra from San Francisco. It was founded in 1911 and began with sixty musicians under the leadership of Henry Kimball Hadley. Since 1980 it has played in Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall. In 1926 the orchestra was the first to broadcast symphonic concerts on the radio, and those broadcasts continued for more than thirty years.

Music and breakthrough

In the 1930s the orchestra was almost bankrupted by the Depression. The 1934–35 season was cancelled and the residents of the city voted for public funding. Pierre Monteux then rebuilt the orchestra and in 1941 a new recording contract with RCA Victor followed. Josef Krips became music director in 1963 and brought strict discipline, especially in the German-Austrian repertoire. Seiji Ozawa followed in 1970 and had Deutsche Grammophon record the orchestra, among other things with the Symphonic Dances from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein. Later music directors were Edo de Waart, Herbert Blomstedt and Michael Tilson Thomas, who from 1995 became the longest-serving music director. After him came Esa-Pekka Salonen and Elim Chan.

Influence

The orchestra plays the classical-romantic repertoire, but also a great deal of American music, especially under Ozawa and Tilson Thomas. It recorded for labels including Deutsche Grammophon, Philips and RCA and later for its own label, SFS Media. The recordings show how an American orchestra developed into a world-class ensemble in the twentieth century.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to the Symphonic Dances from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein. Notice the Latin American rhythms and the fierce percussion, and how well the orchestra holds on to the swing of the dance.

Discography

Studio albums

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