Vienna Chamber Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The Vienna Chamber Orchestra (Das Wiener KammerOrchester, or WKO) is an Austria
n chamber orchestra based at the Vienna
Konzerthaus
.
The WKO was founded in 1946, and its first artistic directors were Franz Litschauer, Heinrich Hollreiser
, Paul Angerer
, and Carlo Zecchi
. When he took over the position from 1976 to 1991, Philippe Entremont
started a tradition of conductors playing a dual rôle, appearing as both conductor and soloist. Entremont has continued as the Orchestra's lifetime honorary conductor, leading it on tour and in its matinée subscription series at the Konzerthaus. In addition, the WKO has continued to invite dual-role artists, including Yehudi Menuhin
, Heinz Holliger
, Heinrich Schiff
, and Ola Rudner.
Heinrich Schiff
was chief conductor of the WKO from 2005 to 2008, when he stepped down from the post for health reasons. Stefan Vladar
was named the new chief conductor of the WKO in May 2008. Since 2003, the WKO's associate conductor is Joji Hattori
.
Ernst Märzendorfer
led the Vienna Chamber Orchestra in the first complete recording of the symphonies of Joseph Haydn
. This was given a very limited release and is little known. Hence, it is widely but erroneously believed that Antal Doráti
's edition of the Haydn symphonies with the Philharmonia Hungarica
was the first complete recording.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n chamber orchestra based at the Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
Konzerthaus
Konzerthaus, Vienna
The Konzerthaus in Vienna was opened 1913. It is situated in the third district just at the edge of the first district in Vienna. Since it was founded it has always tried to emphasise both tradition and innovative musical styles.In 1890 the first ideas for a Haus für Musikfeste came about...
.
The WKO was founded in 1946, and its first artistic directors were Franz Litschauer, Heinrich Hollreiser
Heinrich Hollreiser
Heinrich Hollreiser was a German conductor.Born in Munich, he attended the State Academy of Music there, and went on to serve as the conductor at the opera houses in Wiesbaden, Darmstadt, Mannheim, and Duisburg. From 1942-1945 he served as the principal conductor of the Bavarian State Opera, while...
, Paul Angerer
Paul Angerer
Paul Angerer is an Austrian violist, conductor and composer.- Life :Angerer studied music theory and composition with Friedrich Reidinger and Alfred Uhl, and conducting with Hans Swarowsky...
, and Carlo Zecchi
Carlo Zecchi
Carlo Zecchi was an Italian pianist, music teacher and conductor.Zecchi was born in Rome. He led pianistic courses in Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Rome, and in Salzburg. Highly acclaimed performer of Domenico Scarlatti, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Claude Debussy works, and of Romantic...
. When he took over the position from 1976 to 1991, Philippe Entremont
Philippe Entremont
Philippe Entremont is a French pianist and conductor. He has made many recordings during his career, notably one in 1961 of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1, with Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic....
started a tradition of conductors playing a dual rôle, appearing as both conductor and soloist. Entremont has continued as the Orchestra's lifetime honorary conductor, leading it on tour and in its matinée subscription series at the Konzerthaus. In addition, the WKO has continued to invite dual-role artists, including Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE was a Russian Jewish American violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. He was born to Russian Jewish parents in the United States, but became a citizen of Switzerland in 1970, and of the United Kingdom in 1985...
, Heinz Holliger
Heinz Holliger
Heinz Holliger Heinz Holliger Heinz Holliger (born 21 May 1939 is a Swiss oboist, composer and conductor.-Biography:He was born in Langenthal, Switzerland, and began his musical education at the conservatories of Bern and Basel. He studied composition with Sándor Veress and Pierre Boulez...
, Heinrich Schiff
Heinrich Schiff
Heinrich Schiff is an Austrian cellist and conductor. He studied cello with Tobias Kühne and André Navarra and made his solo debut in Vienna and London in 1971...
, and Ola Rudner.
Heinrich Schiff
Heinrich Schiff
Heinrich Schiff is an Austrian cellist and conductor. He studied cello with Tobias Kühne and André Navarra and made his solo debut in Vienna and London in 1971...
was chief conductor of the WKO from 2005 to 2008, when he stepped down from the post for health reasons. Stefan Vladar
Stefan Vladar
-Biography:In 1985 Vladar won Vienna's VII Ludwig van Beethoven piano competition. In addition to his concert career he's been the Grosses Orchester Graz principal conductor since 2002 and since 2008 principal conductor of the Vienna Chamber Orchestra.-References:...
was named the new chief conductor of the WKO in May 2008. Since 2003, the WKO's associate conductor is Joji Hattori
Joji Hattori
is a Japanese violinist and conductor.-Biography:Born in Japan but raised in Vienna, Joji Hattori studied violin at the Vienna Academy of Music and sociology at Oxford University, and furthered his violin studies with violinists Yehudi Menuhin and Vladimir Spivakov. Joji Hattori's international...
.
Ernst Märzendorfer
Ernst Märzendorfer
Ernst Märzendorfer was an Austrian conductor. He was the first conductor to make a complete recording of the 107 symphonies of Joseph Haydn, and conducted a number of important opera premieres.-Biography:...
led the Vienna Chamber Orchestra in the first complete recording of the symphonies of Joseph Haydn
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...
. This was given a very limited release and is little known. Hence, it is widely but erroneously believed that Antal Doráti
Antal Doráti
Antal Doráti, KBE was a Hungarian-born conductor and composer who became a naturalized American citizen in 1947.-Biography:...
's edition of the Haydn symphonies with the Philharmonia Hungarica
Philharmonia Hungarica
The Philharmonia Hungarica was a symphony orchestra, based in Germany, which existed from 1956 to 2001.It was first established in Baden bei Wien near Vienna by Hungarian musicians who had fled their homeland after it was invaded by Soviet troops...
was the first complete recording.
Chief conductors
- Franz Litschauer
- Heinrich HollreiserHeinrich HollreiserHeinrich Hollreiser was a German conductor.Born in Munich, he attended the State Academy of Music there, and went on to serve as the conductor at the opera houses in Wiesbaden, Darmstadt, Mannheim, and Duisburg. From 1942-1945 he served as the principal conductor of the Bavarian State Opera, while...
- Paul AngererPaul AngererPaul Angerer is an Austrian violist, conductor and composer.- Life :Angerer studied music theory and composition with Friedrich Reidinger and Alfred Uhl, and conducting with Hans Swarowsky...
(1956–1963) - Carlo ZecchiCarlo ZecchiCarlo Zecchi was an Italian pianist, music teacher and conductor.Zecchi was born in Rome. He led pianistic courses in Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Rome, and in Salzburg. Highly acclaimed performer of Domenico Scarlatti, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Claude Debussy works, and of Romantic...
(1966–1976) - Philippe EntremontPhilippe EntremontPhilippe Entremont is a French pianist and conductor. He has made many recordings during his career, notably one in 1961 of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1, with Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic....
(1976–1991) - Ernst Kovacic (artistic leader, 1996–1998)
- Christoph Eberle (1999–2004)
- Heinrich SchiffHeinrich SchiffHeinrich Schiff is an Austrian cellist and conductor. He studied cello with Tobias Kühne and André Navarra and made his solo debut in Vienna and London in 1971...
(2005–2008) - Stefan VladarStefan Vladar-Biography:In 1985 Vladar won Vienna's VII Ludwig van Beethoven piano competition. In addition to his concert career he's been the Grosses Orchester Graz principal conductor since 2002 and since 2008 principal conductor of the Vienna Chamber Orchestra.-References:...
(2008–present)
External links
- Orchestra Home Page
- "Wiener Kammerorchester" — Bach Cantatas Website
See also
- Vienna Philharmonic OrchestraVienna Philharmonic OrchestraThe Vienna Philharmonic is an orchestra in Austria, regularly considered one of the finest in the world....
- Vienna Symphony OrchestraVienna Symphony Orchestra-History:In 1900, Ferdinand Löwe founded the orchestra as the Wiener Concertverein . In 1913 it moved into the Konzerthaus, Vienna. In 1919 it merged with the Tonkünstler Orchestra. In 1933 it acquired its current name...