St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra was formed in 1882 and is Russia
's oldest symphony orchestra
.
It was initially known as the "Imperial Music Choir" and performed privately for the court of Alexander III of Russia
. By the 1900s it had started to give public performances at the Philharmonia
and elsewhere. Richard Strauss
conducted the orchestra in 1912.
After the Russian Revolution
the orchestra was taken over by its members, who changed the name to the "State Philharmonic Orchestra of Petrograd". In the 1920s the orchestra began receiving support from the state, and began to be known internationally as an excellent orchestra. Guest conductor appearances were made by Bruno Walter
, Ernest Ansermet
and Hans Knappertsbusch
at this time. Around this time the orchestra was renamed the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra.
The orchestra gained its most fame under the lengthy directorship of Evgeny Mravinsky
. The orchestra made few tours to the West, but the orchestra recorded a number of studio and live recordings under Mravinsky. Furthermore, it was under Mravinsky that the orchestra premiered seven of Shostakovich
's symphonies.
In 1991 the orchestra gained its current name after its home city returned to its original name of Saint Petersburg
. Today it is an internationally recognized symphony orchestra under the directorship of Yuri Temirkanov
.
SHOSTAKOVICH, D.: Symphony No. 10 (Leningrad Philharmonic, Mravinsky) (1954) Naxos Classical Archives 9.80578
SHOSTAKOVICH, D.: Symphony No. 7, "Leningrad" (Leningrad Philharmonic, Mravinsky) (1953) Naxos Classical Archives 9.80687
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 4 (Sanderling) (1956) Naxos Classical Archives 9.80057
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 5 (Mravinsky) (1956) Naxos Classical Archives 9.80069
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 6, "Pathetique" (Mravinsky) (1956) Naxos Classical Archives 9.80070
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
's oldest symphony orchestra
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...
.
It was initially known as the "Imperial Music Choir" and performed privately for the court of Alexander III of Russia
Alexander III of Russia
Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov , historically remembered as Alexander III or Alexander the Peacemaker reigned as Emperor of Russia from until his death on .-Disposition:...
. By the 1900s it had started to give public performances at the Philharmonia
Saint Petersburg Philharmonia
Saint Petersburg Philharmonia is a music society located in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and is the name of the building where it is housed. The Bolshoi Zal of this building is one of the best known music halls in Russia. Also there is another one building of Saint Petersburg Philarmonic Society:...
and elsewhere. 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...
conducted the orchestra in 1912.
After the Russian Revolution
Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
the orchestra was taken over by its members, who changed the name to the "State Philharmonic Orchestra of Petrograd". In the 1920s the orchestra began receiving support from the state, and began to be known internationally as an excellent orchestra. Guest conductor appearances were made by Bruno Walter
Bruno Walter
Bruno Walter was a German-born conductor. He is considered one of the best known conductors of the 20th century. Walter was born in Berlin, but is known to have lived in several countries between 1933 and 1939, before finally settling in the United States in 1939...
, Ernest Ansermet
Ernest Ansermet
Ernest Alexandre Ansermet was a Swiss conductor.- Biography :Ansermet was born in Vevey, Switzerland. Although he was a contemporary of Wilhelm Furtwängler and Otto Klemperer, Ansermet represents in most ways a very different tradition and approach from those two musicians. Originally he was a...
and Hans Knappertsbusch
Hans Knappertsbusch
Hans Knappertsbusch was a German conductor, best known for his performances of the music of Richard Wagner, Anton Bruckner and Richard Strauss....
at this time. Around this time the orchestra was renamed the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra.
The orchestra gained its most fame under the lengthy directorship of Evgeny Mravinsky
Evgeny Mravinsky
Yevgeny Aleksandrovich Mravinsky was a Russian/Soviet conductor.-Life and career:Mravinsky was born in Saint Petersburg. The soprano Yevgeniya Mravina was his aunt. His father died in 1918, and in that same year, he began to work backstage at the Mariinsky Theatre. He first studied biology at...
. The orchestra made few tours to the West, but the orchestra recorded a number of studio and live recordings under Mravinsky. Furthermore, it was under Mravinsky that the orchestra premiered seven of Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was a Soviet Russian composer and one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century....
's symphonies.
In 1991 the orchestra gained its current name after its home city returned to its original name of Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
. Today it is an internationally recognized symphony orchestra under the directorship of Yuri Temirkanov
Yuri Temirkanov
Yuri Khatuevich Temirkanov is a Russian conductor of Circassian origin.Yuri Temirkanov has been the Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic since 1988.-Early life:...
.
Chief conductors
- Yuri TemirkanovYuri TemirkanovYuri Khatuevich Temirkanov is a Russian conductor of Circassian origin.Yuri Temirkanov has been the Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic since 1988.-Early life:...
(1988–) - Evgeny MravinskyEvgeny MravinskyYevgeny Aleksandrovich Mravinsky was a Russian/Soviet conductor.-Life and career:Mravinsky was born in Saint Petersburg. The soprano Yevgeniya Mravina was his aunt. His father died in 1918, and in that same year, he began to work backstage at the Mariinsky Theatre. He first studied biology at...
(1938–1988) - Fritz StiedryFritz StiedryFritz Stiedry was an Austrian conductor and composer.-Biography:While studying law at the University of Vienna, Stiedry's musical abilities were noticed by Gustav Mahler who appointed him his assistant at the Vienna Court Opera in 1907...
(1934–1937) - Aleksandr GaukAleksandr GaukAleksandr Vassilievich Gauk was a Russian/Soviet conductor and composer.Aleksandr Gauk was born in Odessa in 1893. He recalled his first experience as hearing army bands and his mother singing and accompanying herself at the piano...
(1930–1934) - Nikolai MalkoNikolai Malko-Biography:Malko was born in Semaky, Ukraine. His father was Ukrainian, his mother Russian. He studied philology at St Petersburg University. He published articles on music criticism in the Russian press and performed as a pianist and later a conductor. In 1906 he completed his studies in history...
(1926–1930) - Valery Berdyaev (1924–1926)
- Emil CooperEmil CooperEmil Albertovich Cooper, also known as Emil Kuper was a Russian conductor and violinist, of English ancestry....
(1920–1923) - Alexander Khessin (1920)
- Serge KoussevitzkySerge KoussevitzkySerge Koussevitzky , was a Russian-born Jewish conductor, composer and double-bassist, known for his long tenure as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1924 to 1949.-Early career:...
(1917–1920) - Hugo Varlikh (1907–1917)
- Hermann FliegeHermann FliegeHermann Fliege was a German composer and conductor. In 1882 he was appointed the first director of what would later become the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra when he was named leader of a band of 100 musicians at the court of Tsar Alexander III...
(1882–1907)
See also
- Saint Petersburg Academic Symphony OrchestraSaint Petersburg Academic Symphony OrchestraThe Saint Petersburg Academic Symphony Orchestra , founded in 1931, is one of the two symphony orchetras belonging to the Saint Petersburg Philharmonia society, the other being the more famous Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, founded in the 19th century.The Saint Petersburg Academic...
- Moscow Academic Symphony OrchestraState Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Russian FederationThe State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Russian Federation is a Russian orchestra based in Moscow...
- Saint Petersburg PhilharmoniaSaint Petersburg PhilharmoniaSaint Petersburg Philharmonia is a music society located in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and is the name of the building where it is housed. The Bolshoi Zal of this building is one of the best known music halls in Russia. Also there is another one building of Saint Petersburg Philarmonic Society:...
Discographys
By Leningrad Philharmonic OrchestraSHOSTAKOVICH, D.: Symphony No. 10 (Leningrad Philharmonic, Mravinsky) (1954) Naxos Classical Archives 9.80578
SHOSTAKOVICH, D.: Symphony No. 7, "Leningrad" (Leningrad Philharmonic, Mravinsky) (1953) Naxos Classical Archives 9.80687
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 4 (Sanderling) (1956) Naxos Classical Archives 9.80057
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 5 (Mravinsky) (1956) Naxos Classical Archives 9.80069
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 6, "Pathetique" (Mravinsky) (1956) Naxos Classical Archives 9.80070