Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg
Encyclopedia
The Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra is the symphony orchestra
of the town and state
of Salzburg
, Austria. It was founded in 1841 and acquired its current name in 1908. It is a major participant at the Salzburg Festival
.
The Orchestra is one of Austria's leading symphony orchestras. Since 2004, Ivor Bolton
has been principal conductor
of the 91 musicians, and distinguished guest conductors have included Marc Minkowski
, Mark Elder
and Edo de Waart
.
The main focus is on the music of the Viennese Classical School, which the Orchestra – as Salzburg's musical ambassador – also performs on international tours, as well as in the Mozart Matinees at the Salzburg Festival and at the annual Salzburg Mozart Festival.
Apart from this core repertoire, the wide stylistic range includes large-scale opera productions at the Salzburg Festival. In 2007, Haydn's
Armida
was a triumphant success, and 2008 the young Canadian conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin
is to give his Salzburg début with the orchestra in Gounod's
Roméo et Juliette
.
In the Orchestra's own subscription concert series, the programme frequently includes new or rarely-performed works. The 2007/08 season offered a series focusing on Richard Strauss
and Hector Berlioz
, with the motto "Night's magic sphere". In 2008/2009, the concert cycle focuses on Ludwig van Beethoven
.
In the programme of the Salzburg Kulturvereinigung, the Orchestra performs works from the great symphonic repertoire, and in the Landestheater productions ranging from grand opera
to ballet
, operetta
, and musical. A further focus is on contemporary works; autumn 2008 brings a performance of the first composition commissioned from Kurt Schwertsik
for combined professional and youth orchestra.
Numerous recordings of the orchestra are available on CD, including many works by Mozart and a continuing series of Bruckner symphonies. Recent recordings (OehmsClassics) of Haydn's oratorios The Seasons
and The Creation, conducted by Ivor Bolton
, brought international acclaim.
The official main sponsor of the Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra is Mercedes Benz Austria.
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...
of the town and state
States of Austria
Austria is a federal republic made up of nine states, known in German as Länder . Since Land is also the German word for a country, the term Bundesländer is often used instead to avoid ambiguity. The Constitution of Austria uses both terms...
of Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
, Austria. It was founded in 1841 and acquired its current name in 1908. It is a major participant at the Salzburg Festival
Salzburg Festival
The Salzburg Festival is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer within the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
.
The Orchestra is one of Austria's leading symphony orchestras. Since 2004, Ivor Bolton
Ivor Bolton
Ivor Bolton is an English conductor and harpsichordist. He studied at Clare College and at the Royal College of Music...
has been principal conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
of the 91 musicians, and distinguished guest conductors have included Marc Minkowski
Marc Minkowski
Marc Minkowski is a French conductor of classical music, especially known for his interpretations of French Baroque works. His mother is American, and his father was Alexandre Minkowski, a Polish-French professor of pediatrics and one of the founders of neonatology...
, Mark Elder
Mark Elder
Sir Mark Philip Elder, CBE is a British conductor. He is the music director of the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester, England.-Biography:Elder was born in Hexham, Northumberland, England, the son of a dentist...
and Edo de Waart
Edo de Waart
Edo de Waart is a Dutch conductor, and the Music Director of both the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra....
.
The main focus is on the music of the Viennese Classical School, which the Orchestra – as Salzburg's musical ambassador – also performs on international tours, as well as in the Mozart Matinees at the Salzburg Festival and at the annual Salzburg Mozart Festival.
Apart from this core repertoire, the wide stylistic range includes large-scale opera productions at the Salzburg Festival. In 2007, Haydn's
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
Armida
Armida (Haydn)
Armida, Hob. 28/12, is an opera in three acts by Joseph Haydn, set to a libretto based upon Torquato Tasso's poem Gerusalemme liberata . The first performance was 26 February 1784 and it went on to receive 54 performances from 1784 to 1788 at the Esterháza Court Theatre...
was a triumphant success, and 2008 the young Canadian conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Yannick Nézet-Séguin is a French Canadian conductor. He is Music Director Designate of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and will become Music Director in 2012.-Biography:...
is to give his Salzburg début with the orchestra in Gounod's
Charles Gounod
Charles-François Gounod was a French composer, known for his Ave Maria as well as his operas Faust and Roméo et Juliette.-Biography:...
Roméo et Juliette
Roméo et Juliette
Roméo et Juliette is an opéra in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, based on The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. It was first performed at the Théâtre Lyrique , Paris on 27 April 1867...
.
In the Orchestra's own subscription concert series, the programme frequently includes new or rarely-performed works. The 2007/08 season offered a series focusing on Richard Strauss
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is known for his operas, which include Der Rosenkavalier and Salome; his Lieder, especially his Four Last Songs; and his tone poems and orchestral works, such as Death and Transfiguration, Till...
and Hector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz was a French Romantic composer, best known for his compositions Symphonie fantastique and Grande messe des morts . Berlioz made significant contributions to the modern orchestra with his Treatise on Instrumentation. He specified huge orchestral forces for some of his works; as a...
, with the motto "Night's magic sphere". In 2008/2009, the concert cycle focuses on Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
.
In the programme of the Salzburg Kulturvereinigung, the Orchestra performs works from the great symphonic repertoire, and in the Landestheater productions ranging from grand opera
Grand Opera
Grand opera is a genre of 19th-century opera generally in four or five acts, characterised by large-scale casts and orchestras, and lavish and spectacular design and stage effects, normally with plots based on or around dramatic historic events...
to ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
, operetta
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
, and musical. A further focus is on contemporary works; autumn 2008 brings a performance of the first composition commissioned from Kurt Schwertsik
Kurt Schwertsik
Kurt Schwertsik is an Austrian contemporary composer. He is famous for creating the “Third Viennese School” and spreading contemporary classical music....
for combined professional and youth orchestra.
Numerous recordings of the orchestra are available on CD, including many works by Mozart and a continuing series of Bruckner symphonies. Recent recordings (OehmsClassics) of Haydn's oratorios The Seasons
The Seasons (Haydn)
The Seasons is an oratorio by Joseph Haydn .-Composition, premiere, and reception:Haydn was led to write The Seasons by the great success of his previous oratorio The Creation , which had become very popular and was in the course of being performed all over Europe...
and The Creation, conducted by Ivor Bolton
Ivor Bolton
Ivor Bolton is an English conductor and harpsichordist. He studied at Clare College and at the Royal College of Music...
, brought international acclaim.
The official main sponsor of the Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra is Mercedes Benz Austria.
Principal conductors
- Ivor BoltonIvor BoltonIvor Bolton is an English conductor and harpsichordist. He studied at Clare College and at the Royal College of Music...
(2004–) - Hubert SoudantHubert SoudantHubert Soudant is a Dutch conductor. He played the French horn as a youth. He has won prizes in several conducting competitions, including the Besançon Young Conductor Competition and the Karajan International Conducting Competition.Soudant has held music directorships with the Utrecht Symphony...
(1995–2004) - Hans GrafHans GrafHans Graf is an Austrian conductor.As a child, Graf learned the violin and the piano. He studied at the Musikhochschule in Graz, Austria, and graduated with diplomas in piano and conducting. He also participated in conducting master classes with Franco Ferrara, Sergiu Celibidache and Arvīds Jansons...
(1984–1994) - Leopold HagerLeopold HagerLeopold Hager is an Austrian conductor , known for his interpretations of works from the First Viennese School ....
(1969–1981)