BBC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA The BBC Symphony Orchestra has played a central rôle at the heart of British musical life since it was founded in 1930. It provides the backbone of the BBC Proms, performing around a dozen concerts in the festival each year.
The BBC SO has a strong commitment to twentieth-century and contemporary music, with recent performances including commissions and premieres from Unsuk Chin, Brett Dean, Wolfgang Rihm, Christopher Rouse, Albert Schnelzer and Ryan Wigglesworth. It performs an annual season of concerts at the Barbican, where it is associate orchestra. The orchestra works regularly with Semyon Bychkov, who holds the Günter Wand Conducting Chair, and Conductors Laureate Sir Andrew Davis and Jiří Bělohlávek. Brett Dean is the orchestra’s Artist in Association.
Central to the orchestra’s life are studio recordings for BBC Radio 3 at its Maida Vale home, some of which are free for the public to attend and the BBC SO also performs throughout the world. The vast majority of concerts are broadcast on BBC Radio 3, streamed online and available for thirty days after broadcast via BBC iPlayer. The BBC SO is committed to innovative education work and ongoing projects include the BBC’s Ten Pieces, BBC SO Plus Family scheme, which introduces families to classical music with pre-concert workshops and discounted tickets, and the BBC SO Family Orchestra and Chorus.
Photo: Sim Canetty-Clark
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A TO Z OF CONDUCTORS |
Naxos Educational 8.558087-90 |
Orchestral
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ANDERSON, J.: Alhambra Fantasy / Khorovod / The Stations of the Sun / The Crazed Moon / Diptych (London Sinfonietta, BBC Symphony, Knussen) |
Ondine ODE1012-2 |
Orchestral
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ANDERSON, J.: Comedy of Change (The) / Heaven is Shy of Earth (Bickley, London Sinfonietta, BBC Symphony Chorus and Orchestra, Knussen) |
Ondine ODE1313-2 |
Choral - Sacred
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BBC LEGENDS - Great Recordings from the Archive, Vol. 1 (20 CD Box Set) |
ICA Classics ICAB5113 |
Orchestral, Choral - Sacred
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BBC LEGENDS - Great Recordings from the Archive, Vol. 2 (20 CD Box Set) |
ICA Classics ICAB5141 |
Orchestral, Concerto, Orchestral, Opera, Orchestral, Ballet, Concerto, Orchestral, Choral - Sacred, Orchestral, Vocal, Orchestral, Ballet, Vocal, Ballet, Vocal
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BEETHOVEN / BLISS: Piano Concertos (Solomon) (1943-1944) |
Naxos Historical 8.110682 |
Concerto
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BEETHOVEN, L. van: Piano Concertos Nos. 4 and 5 (R. Casadesus, BBC Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, Beecham, Sargent) (1952, 1956) |
ICA Classics ICAC5154 |
Concerto
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BEETHOVEN: Symphonies 1 and 4 (Toscanini) |
Naxos Historical 8.110854 |
Orchestral
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BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 6 / BRAHMS: Tragic Overture (Toscanini) (1937-1938) |
Naxos Historical 8.110877 |
Orchestral
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BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 6 / Overtures (VPO, BBC SO, LSO, Walter) (1930-1938) |
Naxos Historical 8.111032 |
Orchestral
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BOCCHERINI / HAYDN / ELGAR: Cello Concertos (Casals) (1938, 1945) |
Naxos Historical 8.110305 |
Concerto
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BRAHMS, J.: Piano Concerto No. 1 / CHOPIN, F.: Ballade No. 3 / LISZT, F.: Mephisto Waltz No. 1 (Katchen, Kempe) (1958-1967) |
ICA Classics ICAC5048 |
Concerto
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BRAHMS, J.: Piano Concerto No. 2 / CHOPIN, F.: Scherzo No. 1 / Polonaise No. 6 / LISZT, F.: Funerailles (Ohlsson) (NTSC) |
ICA Classics ICAD5013 |
Classical Concert
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BRAHMS, J.: Symphony No. 1 / ELGAR, E.: Enigma Variations (BBC Symphony, Boult) (1971, 1976) |
ICA Classics ICAC5019 |
Orchestral
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BRAHMS, J.: Symphony No. 3 / ELGAR, E.: Symphony No. 1 (BBC Symphony, Boult) |
ICA Classics ICAC5063 |
Orchestral
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BRAHMS, J.: Symphony No. 4 / MENDELSSOHN, Felix: Symphony No. 4, "Italian" (BBC Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, Boult) (1972, 1975) |
ICA Classics ICAC5093 |
Orchestral
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BRAHMS: Piano Concerto No. 1 (Backhaus) (1932) |
Naxos Historical 8.110699 |
Concerto, Instrumental
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BRAHMS: Piano Concerto No. 2 / SCHUMANN: Kinderszenen (Schnabel) (1935, 1947) |
Naxos Historical 8.110665 |
Concerto
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BRITISH CLASSICS - HOLST, G.: Planets (The) / ELGAR, E.: Enigma Variations (BBC Symphony, Atherton, A. Davis) (2-DVD Box Set) (NTSC) |
Opus Arte OA1266BD |
Classical Documentary
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CARTER, E.: Late Works (Aimard, Currie, I. Faust, Queyras, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, BBC Symphony, O. Knussen) |
Ondine ODE1296-2 |
Orchestral, Concerto, Orchestral
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CHAGRIN, F.: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2 (BBC Symphony, Brabbins) |
Naxos 8.571371 |
Orchestral
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CHOPIN, F.: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 (Cherkassky, Adey, Hickox) (1981, 1983) |
ICA Classics ICAC5085 |
Concerto
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CLASSIC BBC PROMS (5-DVD Box Set) (NTSC) |
ICA Classics ICAB5134 |
Classical Concert, Ballet DVD, Classical Concert
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DISCOVER OPERA |
Naxos Educational 8.558196-97 |
Opera
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ELGAR, E.: Enigma Variations (BBC Symphony, Bernstein) (NTSC) |
ICA Classics ICAD5098 |
Classical Concert
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ELGAR, E.: Enigma Variations (NTSC) |
Opus Arte OA0917D |
Classical Documentary
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ELGAR, E.: Symphony No. 2 / WAGNER, R.: Tannhauser (excerpts) (BBC Chorus and Symphony, Boult) (1968-1977) |
ICA Classics ICAC5106 |
Opera, Orchestral
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ELGAR: Cockaigne Overture / Enigma Variations / Pomp and Circumstance Marches (Elgar) (1926-1933) |
Naxos Historical 8.111022 |
Orchestral
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FURTWANGLER: Symphony No. 2 |
Marco Polo 8.223436 |
Orchestral
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GLINKA, M.: Ruslan and Lyudmilla: Overture / TCHAIKOVSKY, P.I.: Nutcracker: Act II (Rozhdestvensky) (BBC Proms, 1981) (NTSC) |
ICA Classics ICAD5027 |
Ballet DVD, Classical Concert
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GOEHR, A.: Marching to Carcassonne / When Adam Fell / Pastorals (P. Serkin, BBC Symphony, London Sinfonietta, Knussen) |
Naxos 8.573052 |
Orchestral
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GREAT CHORAL CLASSICS (5-CD Box Set) |
ICA Classics ICAB5127 |
Choral - Secular, Orchestral
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GREAT SOLOISTS FROM THE RICHARD ITTER ARCHIVE (D. Oistrakh, Haendel, De Vito, Campoli, Navarra, Nelsova, Bruchollerie, D. Brain) (1953-56) |
ICA Classics ICAC5159 |
Concerto
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GREAT SYMPHONIES - BEETHOVEN, L. van / BRAHMS, J. / MENDELSSOHN, Felix (Argenta, Boult, Cantelli, Furtwängler) (5-CD Box Set) (1953-1981) |
ICA Classics ICAB5132 |
Choral - Secular, Orchestral
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GUDMUNDSEN-HOLMGREEN, P.: Mirror II / Symfoni, Antifoni / Incontri (BBC Symphony, Dausgaard) |
Dacapo 8.226120 |
Orchestral
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HOLST, G.: Planets (The) / BRITTEN, B.: The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (BBC Symphony Orchestra, Rozhdestvensky) |
ICA Classics ICAC5053 |
Orchestral
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HOLST: Planets (The) (Holst) / VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Symphony No. 4 (Vaughan Williams) (1926, 1937) |
Naxos Historical 8.111048 |
Orchestral
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LISZT, F.: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 / Totentanz (Perl, BBC Symphony, Kreizberg) |
Oehms Classics OC316 |
Orchestral, Concerto
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MAHLER, G.: Klagende Lied (Das) / JANACEK, L.: The Fiddler's Child (BBC Symphony, Rozhdestvensky) |
ICA Classics ICAC5080 |
Choral - Secular, Orchestral
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MAHLER, G.: Symphony No. 4 / WAGNER, R.: Parsifal: Prelude / MENDELSSOHN, Felix: Ruy Blas Overture (BBC Symphony, London Symphony, Kempe) |
ICA Classics ICAC5117 |
Orchestral
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MOZART, W.A.: Symphony No. 25 / BEETHOVEN, L. van: Symphony No. 5 / BRAHMS, J.: Ein deutsches Requiem (Klemperer) (1955, 1958) |
ICA Classics ICAC5152 |
Orchestral, Choral - Sacred
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MOZART, W.A.: Violin Concertos Nos. 1-4 / Violin Concerto, K. 271a (Menuhin, BBC Symphony, London Mozart Players, Sargent, Wallenstein, Blech) (1956) |
ICA Classics ICAC5153 |
Concerto
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Orchestral Music - CHABRIER, E. / FRANCK, C. / BALAKIREV, M.A. / STRAUSS, R. / MÉHUL, É.-N. / DELIUS, F. (Royal Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, Beecham) |
ICA Classics ICAC5158 |
Orchestral
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Orchestral Music - DEBUSSY, C. / CHAUSSON, E. / BRAHMS, J. / FRANCK, C. / BERLIOZ, H. (BBC Symphony, Boston Symphony, Monteux) (1955-1961) |
ICA Classics ICAC5150 |
Orchestral, Concerto, Orchestral
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Orchestral Music - MAHLER, G. / WAGNER, R. / HAYDN, J. / BRAHMS, J. (Seefried, BBC Symphony Chorus and Orchestra, B. Walter) (1955) |
ICA Classics ICAC5151 |
Orchestral, Choral - Secular, Vocal, Orchestral
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Orchestral Music - MOZART, W.A. / BEETHOVEN, L. van / SCHUMANN, R. / BRAHMS, J. / BRUCKNER, A. / DEBUSSY, C. (Klemperer) (1955-1956) |
ICA Classics ICAC5145 |
Orchestral
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RACHMANINOV, S.: Bells (The) / PROKOFIEV, S.: Alexander Nevsky (Svetlanov) (1998, 2002) |
ICA Classics ICAC5069 |
Choral - Secular
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SCHUMANN, R.: Cello Concerto / DVOŘÁK, A.: Cello Concerto (Du Pré, Rostropovich, BBC Symphony, Philharmonia Orchestra, J. Martinon, Giulini) (1962) |
ICA Classics ICAC5149 |
Concerto
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SIBELIUS, J.: Symphonies Nos. 4, 6 and 7 (Premiere Recordings) (Stokowski, Schneevoigt, Koussevitzky) (1932-1934) |
Naxos Historical 8.111399 |
Orchestral
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SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 7 / Tapiola (Koussevitzky) (1933-1940) |
Naxos Historical 8.110168 |
Orchestral
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SORENSEN, B.: Piano Concerto, "La Notte" / Sieben Sehnsuchte / The Masque of the Red Death (Alberman, Hind, BBC Symphony, Schonwandt) |
Dacapo 8.226045 |
Concerto
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STRAUSS, R.: Heldenleben (Ein) / DVORAK, A.: Symphony No. 9 (Kempe) (NTSC) |
ICA Classics ICAD5009 |
Classical Concert
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TCHAIKOVSKY, P.I.: Symphony No. 1, "Winter Daydreams" / STRAVINSKY, I.: Firebird Suite (1945 verson) (BBC Symphony, Philharmonia Orchestra, Svetlanov) |
ICA Classics ICAC5007 |
Orchestral
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TCHAIKOVSKY, P.I.: Symphony No. 4 / PROKOFIEV, S.: The Love for Three Oranges Suite (Rozhdestvensky) (1979-1981) |
ICA Classics ICAC5035 |
Choral - Secular, Orchestral
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TCHAIKOVSKY, P.I.: Symphony No. 5 / JANÁČEK, L.: Taras Bulba (BBC Symphony, Rozhdestvensky) |
ICA Classics ICAC5116 |
Orchestral
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VIENNESE NIGHT AT THE PROMS (Furst, Loughran, Susskind) (NTSC) |
ICA Classics ICAD5026 |
Classical Concert
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WAGNER, R.: Der fliegende Holländer: Overture / STRAUSS, R.: Don Juan / BEETHOVEN, L. van: Symphony No. 5 (Solti) (NTSC) |
ICA Classics ICAD5024 |
Classical Concert
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WEILL, K.: Firebrand of Florence (The) [Opera] |
Capriccio C60091 |
Opera
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WEILL, K.: Royal Palace [Opera] |
Capriccio C60106 |
Opera, Vocal |
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