Dortmunder Philharmoniker
Encyclopedia
The Dortmunder Philharmoniker (Dortmund Philharmonic) are a German symphony orchestra
based in Dortmund
. The orchestra of the Theater Dortmund
performs both opera in the Opernhaus Dortmund
and concert in the Konzerthaus Dortmund. The orchestra was founded originally in 1887 and has been shaped by conductors such as Wilhelm Schüchter
, Marek Janowski
, Moshe Atzmon
and Jac van Steen
.
The names of orchestra changed with organisational and functional changes, Hüttner Kapelle, Städtisches Orchester (Orchestra of the City), Philharmonisches Orchester der Stadt Dortmund, Philharmonisches Orchester Dortmund, now Dortmunder Philharmoniker. The concert venue after World War II was the Kleine Westfalenhalle. In 1966 they opened the new opera house Opernhaus Dortmund
with a performance of Der Rosenkavalier
, conducted by Wilhelm Schüchter
. Its hall was also used for symphony concerts until 2002, when the Konzerthaus Dortmund opened as the orchestra's home.
As of 2010, the orchestra has grown to 102 musicians. The principal conductor has the title Generalmusikdirektor:
In October 2006 they toured in China
, in Shanghai
and Peking among others, conducted by Arthur Fagen.
In 2010 they participated in the Festival Klangvocal with music of Hans Werner Henze
and Richard Wagner
. Henze's Symphony No. 5
, Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder
in Henze's version, and the first act of Die Walküre
were performed with soloists Angela Denoke
and Stig Andersen, conducted by Jac van Steen. It is part of a project begun in 2009 to perform all symphonies of Henze, whose mother was born in nearby Witten
.
The Dortmunder Philharmoniker recorded their first CD in 2010, works of Dvořák, including his Symphony No. 6
and concert overtures.
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
based in Dortmund
Dortmund
Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....
. The orchestra of the Theater Dortmund
Theater Dortmund
Theater Dortmund is a theatrical organization that produces operas, musicals, ballets, plays, and concerts in Dortmund, Germany. It was founded as the Stadttheater Dortmund in 1904...
performs both opera in the Opernhaus Dortmund
Opernhaus Dortmund
Opernhaus Dortmund is the opera house of Dortmund, Germany, opened in 1966 and formally operated by the Theater Dortmund.-Architecture:...
and concert in the Konzerthaus Dortmund. The orchestra was founded originally in 1887 and has been shaped by conductors such as Wilhelm Schüchter
Wilhelm Schüchter
Wilhelm Schüchter was a German conductor. He was Generalmusikdirektor in Dortmund and left a legacy of opera recordings.-Professional career:...
, Marek Janowski
Marek Janowski
Marek Janowski is a Polish-born conductor.Janowski grew up in Wuppertal, Germany, near Cologne, after his mother traveled there at the start of World War II to be with her parents...
, Moshe Atzmon
Moshe Atzmon
Moshe Atzmon is a Hungarian-born Israeli conductor.He was born in Budapest, and at the age of thirteen he emigrated with his family to Tel Aviv, Israel. He started his musical career on the horn before going to London for further studies in conducting....
and Jac van Steen
Jac van Steen
Jac van Steen is a Dutch conductor. He studied music theory, as well as orchestral and choral conducting, at the Brabants Conservatory of Music....
.
History
The Dortmunder Philharmoniker were founded originally as Orchesterverein in 1887. They played at different locations until the Stadttheater was opened in 1904. Since then they played also opera.The names of orchestra changed with organisational and functional changes, Hüttner Kapelle, Städtisches Orchester (Orchestra of the City), Philharmonisches Orchester der Stadt Dortmund, Philharmonisches Orchester Dortmund, now Dortmunder Philharmoniker. The concert venue after World War II was the Kleine Westfalenhalle. In 1966 they opened the new opera house Opernhaus Dortmund
Opernhaus Dortmund
Opernhaus Dortmund is the opera house of Dortmund, Germany, opened in 1966 and formally operated by the Theater Dortmund.-Architecture:...
with a performance of Der Rosenkavalier
Der Rosenkavalier
Der Rosenkavalier is a comic opera in three acts by Richard Strauss to an original German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. It is loosely adapted from the novel Les amours du chevalier de Faublas by Louvet de Couvrai and Molière’s comedy Monsieur de Pourceaugnac...
, conducted by Wilhelm Schüchter
Wilhelm Schüchter
Wilhelm Schüchter was a German conductor. He was Generalmusikdirektor in Dortmund and left a legacy of opera recordings.-Professional career:...
. Its hall was also used for symphony concerts until 2002, when the Konzerthaus Dortmund opened as the orchestra's home.
As of 2010, the orchestra has grown to 102 musicians. The principal conductor has the title Generalmusikdirektor:
- 1887-1919 Georg Hüttner
- 1920-1951 Wilhelm Sieben
- 1952–1962 Rolf AgopRolf AgopRolf Agop was a German conductor and academic.-Professional career:After his studies of music in Munich Agop worked first for the Bayerische Landesbühne, a touring theatre, and then for three years as Kapellmeister and choir director at the Kärntner Grenzland-Theater in Klagenfurt...
- 1963–1974 Wilhelm SchüchterWilhelm SchüchterWilhelm Schüchter was a German conductor. He was Generalmusikdirektor in Dortmund and left a legacy of opera recordings.-Professional career:...
- 1975-1979 Marek JanowskiMarek JanowskiMarek Janowski is a Polish-born conductor.Janowski grew up in Wuppertal, Germany, near Cologne, after his mother traveled there at the start of World War II to be with her parents...
- 1980-1985 Hans Wallat
- 1985-1990 Klaus Weise
- 1991-1994 Moshe AtzmonMoshe AtzmonMoshe Atzmon is a Hungarian-born Israeli conductor.He was born in Budapest, and at the age of thirteen he emigrated with his family to Tel Aviv, Israel. He started his musical career on the horn before going to London for further studies in conducting....
- 1996-2000 Anton Marik
- 2002-2007 Arthur Fagen
- since 2008 Jac van SteenJac van SteenJac van Steen is a Dutch conductor. He studied music theory, as well as orchestral and choral conducting, at the Brabants Conservatory of Music....
Music
The Dortmunder Philharmiker perform regular concerts and also concerts for young listeners, "familienkonzerte" for people from five years up, and "konzerte für junge leute" (concerts for young people).In October 2006 they toured in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and Peking among others, conducted by Arthur Fagen.
In 2010 they participated in the Festival Klangvocal with music of Hans Werner Henze
Hans Werner Henze
Hans Werner Henze is a German composer of prodigious output best known for "his consistent cultivation of music for the theatre throughout his life"...
and Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
. Henze's Symphony No. 5
Symphony no. 5 (Henze)
Symphony No. 5 by Hans Werner Henze was written in 1962.Scored for large orchestra, it is in three movements, the first of which quotes directly from the aria My own, my own from Henze's opera Elegie für junge Liebende...
, Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder
Wesendonck Lieder
The Wesendonck Lieder is a song cycle composed by Richard Wagner while he was working on Die Walküre. This, and the Siegfried Idyll, are his only two non-operatic works that are still regularly performed....
in Henze's version, and the first act of Die Walküre
Die Walküre
Die Walküre , WWV 86B, is the second of the four operas that form the cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen , by Richard Wagner...
were performed with soloists Angela Denoke
Angela Denoke
Angela Denoke is a German opera singer .She studied at the University of Music and Drama of Hamburg. Her first contract was at the Theater Ulm , where she sang Fiordiligi , Donna Anna and Agathe in , among other roles...
and Stig Andersen, conducted by Jac van Steen. It is part of a project begun in 2009 to perform all symphonies of Henze, whose mother was born in nearby Witten
Witten
Witten is a university city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the home of the Witten/Herdecke University, the first private university in Germany.-Bordering municipalities:* Bochum* Dortmund* Herdecke* Wetter * Sprockhoevel* Hattingen...
.
The Dortmunder Philharmoniker recorded their first CD in 2010, works of Dvořák, including his Symphony No. 6
Symphony No. 6 (Dvorák)
Czech composer Antonín Dvořák composed his Symphony No. 6 in D major, Op. 60, B. 112, in 1880. It is dedicated to Hans Richter, who was the conductor of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. With a performance time of approximately 40 minutes, the four-movement piece was one of the first of...
and concert overtures.
Literature
- Bernhard Schaub: Sinfonie der Hundert. Porträt eines Orchesters, Harenberg Verlag, Dortmund 1997
External links
- Dortmunder Philharmoniker on the website of the Theater DortmundTheater DortmundTheater Dortmund is a theatrical organization that produces operas, musicals, ballets, plays, and concerts in Dortmund, Germany. It was founded as the Stadttheater Dortmund in 1904...
- Dortmunder Philharmoniker on the website of Vioworld (in German)