BBC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA The BBC Symphony Orchestra has played a central rôle at the heart of British musical life since its inception in 1930; and (as the flagship orchestra of the BBC) it provides the backbone of the BBC Proms with at least a dozen concerts each year including the First and Last Nights. The BBC SO has a strong commitment to 20th century and contemporary music—giving world premières of BBC commissions by leading composers such as John Adams, Elliott Carter, Brian Elias, Vic Hoyland, Matthias Pintscher, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Judith Weir. The 2009–10 season included commissions and premières from Ian McQueen, Bill Frisell/Mike Gibbs, Ryan Wigglesworth and Peter Eötvös.
Jiří Bělohlávek took up the post of Chief Conductor in 2006 and he and the BBC SO perform together frequently across the season both in the UK and internationally. The orchestra also works regularly with Principal Guest Conductor David Robertson, Oliver Knussen, recently appointed Artist in Association, and Conductor Laureate Sir Andrew Davis.
All concerts are broadcasted on BBC Radio 3, streamed (live) online and available for 7 days on the BBC iPlayer, and a number are televised, giving the BBC Symphony Orchestra the highest broadcast profile of any UK orchestra. Central to its life are studio recordings for BBC Radio 3 at the Orchestra’s Maida Vale home, some of which are free for the public to attend. In addition the orchestra records for several commercial labels. Performing throughout the world, the BBC SO has given concerts in the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, and Switzerland.
The orchestra is committed to innovative education work and recent projects have included a day of free music for communities across West London, as part of Proms Out+About. Among ongoing projects are the Family Music Intro scheme, introducing families to live classical music, BBC SO Student Zone and the highly successful BBC SO Family Orchestra. Total Immersion composer events also provide rich material for education work with wide audiences, and extensive plans are underway in partnership with the Barbican, Westminster and Hammersmith & Fulham music services, the Royal College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
For more information, please visit the orchestra’s website.
| A TO Z OF CONDUCTORS |
Naxos Educational
8.558087-90 |
Ballet, Orchestral, Choral - Sacred
|
| ANDERSON, J.: Alhambra Fantasy / Khorovod / The Stations of the Sun / The Crazed Moon / Diptych (London Sinfonietta, BBC Symphony, Knussen) |
Ondine
ODE1012-2 |
Orchestral, Chamber Music
|
| BEETHOVEN / BLISS: Piano Concertos (Solomon) (1943-1944) |
Naxos Historical
8.110682 |
Concertos
|
| BEETHOVEN, L. van: Leonore Overture No. 3 / PROKOFIEV, S.: The Love for Three Oranges Suite / DVORAK, A.: Symphony No. 9 (BBC Symphony, Kempe) (1975) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4056-2 |
Orchestral
|
| BEETHOVEN, L. van: Missa Solemnis / SCHUBERT, F.: Symphony No. 8, "Unfinished" (BBC Symphony, Horenstein) (1961-1972) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4150-2 |
Orchestral, Choral - Sacred
|
| BEETHOVEN, L. van: Piano Concerto No. 2 / SCHUMANN, R.: Piano Concerto (Hess, Gibson, Sargent) (1950-1960) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4178-2 |
Concertos, Instrumental
|
| BEETHOVEN, L. van: Piano Concerto No. 4 / SAINT-SAENS, C.: Piano Concerto No. 2 / CHOPIN, F.: Scherzo No. 2 (Rubinstein) (1957-1968) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4216-2 |
Concertos, Instrumental
|
| BEETHOVEN, L. van: Piano Concerto No. 5, "Emperor" / GERSHWIN, G.: Piano Concerto (Cherkassky, Zollman, Handley) (1985, 1992) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4231-2 |
Concertos
|
| BEETHOVEN, L. van: Piano Concerto No. 5, "Emperor" / MOZART, W.A.: Piano Concerto No. 26, "Coronation" (Curzon, BBC Symphony, Boulez) (1971, 1974) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4020-2 |
Concertos
|
| BEETHOVEN, L. van: Symphony No. 7 / BRITTEN, B.: The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra / FALLA, M. de: El amor brujo (Stokowski) (1963, 1964) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4005-2 |
Ballet, Orchestral
|
| BEETHOVEN, L. van: Violin Concerto / DVORAK, A.: Violin Concerto (Suk, BBC Symphony, Sargent) (1964, 1965) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4257-2 |
Concertos
|
| BEETHOVEN: Symphonies 1 and 4 (Toscanini) |
Naxos Historical
8.110854 |
Orchestral
|
| BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 6 / BRAHMS: Tragic Overture (Toscanini) (1937-1938) |
Naxos Historical
8.110877 |
Orchestral
|
| BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 6 / Overtures (VPO, BBC SO, LSO, Walter) (1930-1938) |
Naxos Historical
8.111032 |
Orchestral
|
| BERLIOZ, H.: Harold en Italie / Le Corsaire / Le roi Lear Overture (Royal Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, Beecham) (1951, 1954, 1956) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4065-2 |
Orchestral
|
| BERLIOZ, H.: Symphonie fantastique / BEETHOVEN, L. van: Symphony No. 7 / SCRIABIN, A.: The Poem of Ecstasy (Stokowski) (1963-1968) |
BBC Legends
BBCS4402-2 |
Ballet, Orchestral, Spoken Commentary
|
| BOCCHERINI / HAYDN / ELGAR: Cello Concertos (Casals) (1938, 1945) |
Naxos Historical
8.110305 |
Concertos, Orchestral
|
| BRAHMS, J.: Piano Concerto No. 1 / CHOPIN, F.: Ballade No. 3 / LISZT, F.: Mephisto Waltz No. 1 (Katchen, Kempe) (1958-1967) |
ICA Classics
ICAC5048 |
Concertos, Instrumental, Spoken Commentary
|
| BRAHMS, J.: Piano Concerto No. 1 / MOZART, W.A.: Piano Concerto No. 23 (Rubinstein, C. Davis) (1962, 1968) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4187-2 |
Concertos
|
| BRAHMS, J.: Piano Concerto No. 2 / CHOPIN, F.: Scherzo No. 1 / Polonaise No. 6 / LISZT, F.: Funerailles (Ohlsson) (NTSC) |
ICA Classics
ICAD5013 |
Classical Concert
|
| BRAHMS, J.: Symphony No. 1 / ELGAR, E.: Enigma Variations (BBC Symphony, Boult) (1971, 1976) |
ICA Classics
ICAC5019 |
Orchestral, Spoken Commentary
|
| BRAHMS, J.: Symphony No. 3 / SCHUMANN, R.: Symphony No. 4 (BBC Northern Symphony, BBC Symphony, Monteux) (1961, 1962) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4058-2 |
Orchestral, Spoken Commentary
|
| BRAHMS, J.: Symphony No. 4 / TIPPETT, M.: Fantasia Concertante on a Theme of Corelli (BBC Symphony, Schmidt-Isserstedt) (1971) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4235-2 |
Orchestral
|
| BRAHMS: Piano Concerto No. 1 (Backhaus) (1932) |
Naxos Historical
8.110699 |
Concertos, Instrumental
|
| BRAHMS: Piano Concerto No. 2 / SCHUMANN: Kinderszenen (Schnabel) (1935, 1947) |
Naxos Historical
8.110665 |
Concertos, Instrumental
|
| BRUCKNER, A.: Symphony No. 5 (BBC Symphony, Horenstein) (1971) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4033-2 |
Orchestral
|
| BRUCKNER, A.: Symphony No. 5 (Wand) (BBC Proms, 1990) (NTSC) |
ICA Classics
ICAD5049 |
Classical Concert
|
| BRUCKNER, A.: Symphony No. 7 / WAGNER, R.: Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Prelude (BBC Symphony, English National Opera, Goodall) (1971, 1974) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4147-2 |
Orchestral
|
| BRUCKNER, A.: Symphony No. 8 / WAGNER, R.: Tristan und Isolde: Prelude / Wesendonck Lieder (Baker, BBC Symphony, Goodall) (1969, 1971) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4086-2 |
Orchestral, Vocal
|
| BRUCKNER, A.: Symphony No. 9 (BBC Symphony, Goodall) (1974) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4174-2 |
Orchestral
|
| CHERUBINI, L.: Overture to Anacreon / MOZART, W.A.: Symphony No. 35 / BEETHOVEN, L. van: Symphony No. 7 (Toscanini) (1935, 1939) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4016-2 |
Orchestral, Choral - Sacred
|
| CLASSIC ARCHIVE: Itzhak Perlman (NTSC) |
EuroArts
3085228 |
Classical Concert
|
| DELIUS, F.: Piano Concerto / MOZART, W.A.: Piano Concerto No. 24 / BEETHOVEN, L. van: Choral Fantasy (Curzon, Pritchard, Haitink) (1970-1981) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4181-2 |
Concertos, Choral - Sacred
|
| DISCOVER OPERA |
Naxos Educational
8.558196-97 |
Orchestral, Choral - Secular, Opera
|
| DVORAK, A.: Cello Concerto / BRAHMS, J.: Double Concerto (Francescatti, Fournier, BBC Symphony, C. Davis, Sargent) (1955, 1973) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4149-2 |
Concertos
|
| ELGAR, E.: Cello Concerto / BRAHMS, J.: Double Concerto / DEBUSSY, C.: Cello Sonata (P. and Y.P. Tortelier, Lush, Boult, Pritchard) (1959-1974) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4236-2 |
Concertos, Chamber Music
|
| ELGAR, E.: Cello Concerto / RAINIER, P.: Cello Concerto / RUBBRA, E.: Cello Sonata (J. and I. Du Pre, Sargent, Del Mar) (1962, 1964) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4244-2 |
Concertos, Chamber Music
|
| ELGAR, E.: Enigma Variations (NTSC) |
Opus Arte
OA0917D |
Classical Documentary
|
| ELGAR, E.: Violin Concerto / Introduction and Allegro / Grania and Diarmid: Funeral March (Menuhin, Boult) (1965-1975) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4170-2 |
Concertos, Orchestral
|
| ELGAR: Cockaigne Overture / Enigma Variations / Pomp and Circumstance Marches (Elgar) (1926-1933) |
Naxos Historical
8.111022 |
Orchestral
|
| FAURE, G.: Requiem / BOULANGER, L.: Pie Jesu / Psalms 24 and 130 (BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, N. Boulanger) (1968) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4026-2 |
Chamber Music, Choral - Sacred
|
| FURTWANGLER: Symphony No. 2 |
Marco Polo
8.223436 |
Orchestral
|
| GLINKA, M.: Ruslan and Lyudmilla: Overture / TCHAIKOVSKY, P.I.: Nutcracker: Act II (Rozhdestvensky) (BBC Proms, 1981) (NTSC) |
ICA Classics
ICAD5027 |
Ballet DVD, Classical Concert
|
| GRIEG, E.: Piano Concerto / SCHUMANN, R.: Piano Concerto (Kovacevich, BBC Symphony, C. Davis) |
Newton Classics
NC8802019 |
Concertos
|
| HAYDN, J.: Symphony No. 104, "London" / BRITTEN, B.: 4 Sea Interludes / SHOSTAKOVICH, D.: Symphony No. 1 (BBC Symphony, Kempe) (1965, 1975) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4188-2 |
Orchestral
|
| HAYDN, J.: Symphony No. 85 / DEBUSSY, C.: Nocturnes / Iberia / BEETHOVEN, L. van: Symphony No. 4 (Ansermet) (1958, 1964) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4202-2 |
Orchestral, Spoken Commentary
|
| HOLST, G.: Planets (The) / BRITTEN, B.: The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (BBC Symphony Orchestra, Rozhdestvensky) |
ICA Classics
ICAC5053 |
Orchestral
|
| HOLST: Planets (The) (Holst) / VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Symphony No. 4 (Vaughan Williams) (1926, 1937) |
Naxos Historical
8.111048 |
Orchestral
|
| KHACHATURIAN, A.I.: Concerto-Rhapsody / SHOSTAKOVICH, D.: Cello Concerto No. 2 / TCHAIKOVSKY, P.I.: Rococo Variations (Rostropovich) (1963-1966) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4073-2 |
Concertos, Orchestral
|
| LISZT, F.: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 / Totentanz (Perl, BBC Symphony, Kreizberg) |
Oehms Classics
OC316 |
Concertos, Orchestral
|
| MAHLER, G.: Lied von der Erde (Das) (Baker, Spiess, BBC Symphony, Kempe) (1975) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4129-2 |
Vocal, Spoken Commentary
|
| MAHLER, G.: Symphony No. 4 / BERLIOZ, H.: Le Corsaire / ELGAR, E.: In the South / WALTON, W.: Partita (Barbirolli) (1967-1970) |
BBC Legends
BBCS4401-2 |
Orchestral
|
| MAHLER, G.: Symphony No. 9 (BBC Symphony, Maderna) (1971) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4179-2 |
Orchestral
|
| MOZART, W.A.: Horn Concerto No. 3 / BRITTEN, B.: Serenade / SCHUMANN, R.: Adagio and Allegro (Brain, Sargent, Pears, Britten) (1953-1957) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4192-2 |
Concertos, Chamber Music, Vocal
|
| MOZART, W.A: Piano Concertos Nos. 16 and 17 / BARTOK, B.: Piano Concerto No. 2 (Anda, English Chamber Orchestra, BBC Symphony, Boulez) (1968-1975) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4247-2 |
Concertos
|
| Orchestral Music - CHERUBINI, L. / SCHUBERT, F. / CORNELIUS, P. (Boult) (1954-1969) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4072-2 |
Orchestral
|
| RACHMANINOV, S.: Piano Concerto No. 2 / BEETHOVEN, L. van: Piano Concerto No. 5 (Moiseiwitsch, BBC Symphpony, Sargent) (1956, 1963) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4074-2 |
Concertos
|
| RACHMANINOV, S.: Piano Concerto No. 3 / PROKOFIEV, S.: Piano Concerto No. 2 (Cherkassky, BBC Symphony, R. Schwarz, Nagano) (1957, 1991) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4092-2 |
Concertos
|
| RIMSKY-KORSAKOV, N.A.: Russian Easter Festival / RACHMANINOV, S.: Symphony No. 1 (Rozhdestvensky) (1978-1979) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4233-2 |
Orchestral
|
| ROSSINI, G.: Semiramide: Overture / MAHLER, G.: Symphony No. 6 / NIELSEN, C.: Symphony No. 5 (Horenstein) (1957-1971) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4191-2 |
Orchestral, Spoken Commentary
|
| SCHUMANN, R.: Cello Concerto / HINDEMITH, P.: Cello Concerto (Tortelier, Dorati, Downes) (1962, 1967) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4133-2 |
Concertos, Spoken Commentary
|
| SHOSTAKOVICH, D.: Symphonies Nos. 6 and 12 / Excursion Train Polka / Tahiti Trot / STRAUSS II, J.: Nichevo Polka (Rozhdestvensky) (1962-1981) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4242-2 |
Orchestral
|
| SHOSTAKOVICH, D.: Symphony No. 5 / VAUGHAN WILLIAMS, R.: Symphony No. 8 (London Symphony, BBC Symphony, Stokowski) (1964) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4165-2 |
Orchestral
|
| SIBELIUS, J.: Symphony No. 2 / DVORAK, A.: Symphony No. 8 (BBC Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, Beecham) (1954, 1959) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4154-2 |
Orchestral
|
| SIBELIUS, J.: Symphony No. 2 / TCHAIKOVSKY, P.I.: Sleeping Beauty (excerpts) (BBC Symphony, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Stokowski) (1964-1973) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4115-2 |
Ballet, Orchestral
|
| SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 7 / Tapiola (Koussevitzky) (1933-1940) |
Naxos Historical
8.110168 |
Orchestral
|
| SKALKOTTAS: 36 Greek Dances / The Return of Ulysses |
BIS
BIS-CD-1333-34 |
Orchestral
|
| SKALKOTTAS: Piano Concerto No. 2 / Tema Con Variazioni / Little Suite for Strings / 4 Images |
BIS
BIS-SACD-1484 |
Concertos, Orchestral
|
| STRAUSS, R.: 4 Last Songs / RAVEL, M.: Sheherazade / MOZART, W.A.: Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) (excerpts) (Soderstrom) (1971-1976) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4153-2 |
Vocal, Opera
|
| STRAUSS, R.: Don Quixote / HAYDN, J.: Cello Concerto No. 2 (Rostropovich, BBC Symphony, London Symphony, Sargent) (1964, 1965) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4240-2 |
Concertos, Orchestral
|
| STRAUSS, R.: Heldenleben (Ein) / DVORAK, A.: Symphony No. 9 (Kempe) (NTSC) |
ICA Classics
ICAD5009 |
Classical Concert
|
| STRAVINSKY, I.: Agon / Symphony in 3 Movements / Apollo / Tableau II from L'oiseau de feu (The Firebird) (Stravinsky) (1958) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4253-2 |
Ballet, Orchestral
|
| TCHAIKOVSKY, P.I.: Nutcracker (The) / SHOSTAKOVICH, D.: The Bolt / STRAVINSKY, I.: Scenes de ballet (excerpts) (Rozhdestvensky) (1981, 1987) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4204-2 |
Ballet, Orchestral
|
| TCHAIKOVSKY, P.I.: Piano Concerto No. 1 / SCHUMANN, R.: Piano Concerto (Rubinstein, Glulini, R. Schwarz) (1957, 1961) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4152-2 |
Concertos, Spoken Commentary
|
| TCHAIKOVSKY, P.I.: Symphony No. 1, "Winter Daydreams" / STRAVINSKY, I.: Firebird Suite (1945 verson) (BBC Symphony, Philharmonia Orchestra, Svetlanov) |
ICA Classics
ICAC5007 |
Orchestral
|
| TCHAIKOVSKY, P.I.: Symphony No. 4 / PROKOFIEV, S.: The Love for Three Oranges Suite (Rozhdestvensky) (1979-1981) |
ICA Classics
ICAC5035 |
Orchestral, Choral - Secular
|
| TIPPETT, M.: Concerto for Double String Orchestra / BERG, A.: Violin Concerto / JANACEK, L.: Sinfonietta (Peinemann, Kempe) (1975, 1976) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4215-2 |
Concertos, Orchestral
|
| VAUGHAN WILLIAMS, R.: Symphony No. 4 / SIBELIUS, J.: Symphony No. 4 (BBC Symphony, Sargent) (1963, 1965) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4237-2 |
Orchestral
|
| VAUGHAN WILLIAMS, R.: Symphony No. 6 / HADLEY, P.: One Morning in Spring / BERG, A.: 3 Pieces from Lyric Suite (Boult) (1966-1972) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4256-2 |
Orchestral
|
| VIENNESE NIGHT AT THE PROMS (Furst, Loughran, Susskind) (NTSC) |
ICA Classics
ICAD5026 |
Opera DVD, Classical Concert
|
| Vocal Recital: De los Angeles, Victoria - SCARLATTI, D. / HANDEL, G.F. / SCHUBERT, F. / SCHUMANN, R. / STRAVINSKY, I. / RAVEL, M. / DUPARC, H. (1957) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4101-2 |
Vocal
|
| Vocal Recital: Flagstad, Kirsten - GRIEG, E. / WAGNER, R. (1953-1972) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4190-2 |
Vocal, Spoken Commentary, Opera
|
| Vocal Recital: Jurinac, Sena - STRAUSS, R. / MAHLER, G. / BRAHMS, J. (1957-1968) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4107-2 |
Vocal
|
| WAGNER, R.: Der fliegende Hollander: Overture / STRAUSS, R.: Don Juan / BEETHOVEN, L. van: Symphony No. 5 (Solti) (NTSC) |
ICA Classics
ICAD5024 |
Classical Concert
|
| WALTON, W.: Cello Concerto / Variations on a Theme by Hindemith / Facade (excerpts) (Walton) (1959-1968) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4098-2 |
Concertos, Orchestral, Choral - Sacred
|
| WEBER, C.M. von: Jubel-Overture / RAVEL, M.: Le tombeau de Couperin / PIJPER, W.: Symphony No. 3 / ELGAR, E.: Enigma Variations (Monteux) (1961-1963) |
BBC Legends
BBCL4172-2 |
Orchestral
|
| WEILL, K.: Firebrand of Florence (The) [Opera] |
Capriccio
C60091 |
Opera
|
| WEILL, K.: Royal Palace [Opera] |
Capriccio
C60106 |
Vocal, Opera |
|
|
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