Madrid Symphony Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The Madrid Symphony Orchestra , founded in 1903, is the oldest existing Spanish symphony orchestra
not linked to an opera house (as the Barcelona Teatre del Liceu Orchestra
is from 1847) in Spain.
, which had been founded in 1866 by Francisco Asenjo Barbieri
, was gripped by a crisis due to financial difficulties and irreconcilable disagreements between its section leaders. Some of the players decided to regroup in a new ensemble, which would assume the role of the Sociedad in organizing symphonic concerts and thus keep the classical music
scene alive in Madrid
. The idea of a new orchestra in the city was conceived initially at the house of the violin
ist José del Hierro, who enjoyed the support of the two companions with whom he regularly played chamber music
on tour, violist
Julio Francés and cellist
Victor Mirecki Larramat
. Their meeting was joined by two members of the Capilla Real
, flautist
Francisco González and clarinet
ist Miguel Yuste.
After a concerted campaign to win over their colleagues in the Sociedad, eighty per cent of the original orchestra joined the new ensemble proposed by Hierro. As a large number of the section leaders were also professors at the Madrid Conservatory
, the group managed to recruit young talents quickly to its vacant posts. The musicians held their first meeting in the rehearsal hall of the Teatro Real
in December 1903, during which they decided on the name Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid. The Orchestra was constituted as a private, autonomous company of musicians, which would rely initially on its members to supply the setup funds for its operations (including the purchase of furniture and hiring of rehearsal halls and scores
). Subsequently, however, the Orchestra would support itself solely with earnings from concerts and recordings. It would avoid any dependence on external agents, whether public or private, who might intervene in its operations and impose conditions on its members, a misfortune which had befallen the defunct Sociedad.
, Alonso Cordelás, to lead the ensemble. Cordelás resigned his post in Munich
and headed for Madrid, bringing with him the scores for the Orchestra's first concerts.
On February 7, 1904, under the direction of Cordelás, the Orchestra gave its first public concert at the Teatro Real and presented the following program:
At the beginning, Cordelás sought to impose a break with Madrid custom by performing each concert in two parts separated by one interval, rather than in three parts, and playing in the afternoon at 3 p.m., instead of at night. By the third concert, Cordelás was forced to restore the two intervals, and by the sixth, the night schedule (8:45 p.m.) also made its return. However, Cordelás' problems had only just begun: he had confrontations firstly with the section leaders about rehearsals and the organization of concerts, and then with the hall owners about concert times, and finally had to face bad reviews and the rejection of his artistic choices by the public. These compelled him to resign at the end of the season, together with the founding concertmaster
, José del Hierro.
The remaining concerts of the first season, which included the long-overdue Madrid premieres of Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony
and Brahms
' First Symphony
, nonetheless won the favor of the public and rescued the fledgling orchestra from financial failure.
, a violinist and conductor, took over the Orchestra. He was instrumental in totally restructuring the organization and presenting its new face in a major concert on April 16, 1905.
Arbós' leadership was uninterrupted for over thirty years. During his tenure, the orchestra determined its artistic priorities (above all, the promotion of Spanish composers and soloists), found its particular sonorous style, and established the principles of musical outreach which enabled it to give educational concerts and attract new listeners: lower ticket prices, more seats, and frequent tours. The Orchestra featured the work of almost all the Spanish composers who flourished during the first third of the 20th century. It succeeded in attracting some illustrious guest conductors from abroad, such as Igor Stravinsky
and Richard Strauss
, and gave two important world premieres: Falla
's Nights in the Gardens of Spain
with pianist
José Cubiles, at the Teatro Real, April 9, 1916; and Prokofiev
's Second Violin Concerto
with violinist Robert Soëtans and the composer himself in the audience at the hall of the Teatro Monumental
, December 1, 1935.
interrupted the Orchestra's activities. The Orchestra tried to stage concerts in besieged Madrid, but the number of available section leaders had shrunk drastically and those still in the city struggled to survive from day to day. The aftermath of the war marked the start of a long period of crisis for the Orchestra, which began with the death of Arbós in June 1939, following the first concerts that year. To this blow was added the absence of the section leaders who had died during the Civil War or fled into exile after the victory of General Francisco Franco
. Finally, in 1940, the Spanish National Orchestra
was formed with its seat in Madrid and drew away further players from the Symphony, since it offered them the generous salaries of civil servants. Those who refused to leave did so out of loyalty or because they were "suspects" in the eyes of Franco's regime. The effects of the departure were especially dire for the string
section, which could not fill vacancies easily for three reasons: the poor delivery of music education during the Second Spanish Republic
; the loss of a large number of string players to the Civil War or exile; and the impossibility of recruiting European professors after the outbreak of World War II. However, in 1940, the appointment of Enrique Jordá
provided the Orchestra with some musical direction at least until 1945.
and alternated its appearances between the pit
and the stage. Its engagements during the late 1950s and early 1960s were almost ceaseless, as it embarked on various tours throughout Spain and abroad, especially to Portugal and Latin America.
In 1965, the formation of another new orchestra based in the capital, the Orquesta Sinfónica de RTVE
, came once more at a cost to the ranks of the Madrid Symphony. During the 1970s, the Symphony's activity was tied closely to the needs of the Teatro de la Zarzuela. It took advantage of this niche, however, when it contracted with the company Hispavox to record a large number of zarzuela
s and Spanish opera
s. The resulting recordings were invaluable not only for their quality but also because this was the first time that Spanish stage music had been welcomed without major inhibitions. The Orchestra participated in all the productions at the Teatro de la Zarzuela, most notably in the television series Antología de la Zarzuela (1971) directed by José Tamayo. In contrast, the number of symphonic concerts it offered during these years fell greatly, and took place, in the majority of cases, in second-rate venues. This situation influenced the decision of many aging, long-standing players, who were receiving low pay in comparison with their intense work, to retire. Filling the vacancies posed a major problem and consequently the musical quality of the orchestra suffered.
after Franco's death in 1975, the then Minister of Culture, Soledad Becerril
, offered the Orchestra a contract which would grant it exclusive rights to serve the Teatro de la Zarzuela in performances of operas, ballet
s, and zarzuelas. The Orchestra was recommended for this role by its institutional stability, experience, historical renown, and location in Madrid. The contract was signed in July 1981. To suit the interests of the Teatro de la Zarzuela, the Orchestra underwent gradual restructuring to regain its quality.
The opening of the Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid promised the Orchestra new prospects, especially in symphonic performance. This ideal was maintained after it signed a new contract, this time with the Community of Madrid, to provide annual cycles of concerts in the new Auditorium. In 1997, the Orchestra moved out of the Teatro de la Zarzuela to take up residence at the Teatro Real, which had been reopened recently by the Community. This contract will run until 2009.
In 1999, the Orchestra made several new appointments in the posts of principal conductor, Luis Antonio García Navarro
, honorary conductor, Kurt Sanderling
, and composer associate, Cristóbal Halffter
. At the instigation of the Fundación Teatro Lírico, a choir
attached to the Orchestra and conducted by Martin Merry, was also formed.
Assured of a special position among Madrid's cultural institutions, the Orchestra has now begun to develop an educational plan, with the creation of an "Orchestra School" under the direction of Andrés Zarzo.
From 2002, after the death of García Navarro, to 2010 the orchestra has been led by the musical conductor of the Teatro Real, Jesús López-Cobos
.
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...
not linked to an opera house (as the Barcelona Teatre del Liceu Orchestra
Orquestra Simfònica del Gran Teatre del Liceu
Titular symphony orchestra from the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona. Founded, as the theater, in 1847, it is the oldest orchestra still working in Barcelona, and the oldest in Spain...
is from 1847) in Spain.
History
In 1903, the orchestra of the Sociedad de Conciertos de MadridSociedad de Conciertos de Madrid
The Sociedad de Conciertos de Madrid was the first permanent symphony orchestra in Spain.-History:The private Society was founded in 1866 by Francisco Asenjo Barbieri and Joaquín Gaztambide, who assumed responsibility for its organization and artistic direction...
, which had been founded in 1866 by Francisco Asenjo Barbieri
Francisco Asenjo Barbieri
Francisco Asenjo Barbieri was a well-known composer of the popular Spanish opera form, zarzuela. His works include: El barberillo de Lavapiés, Jugar con fuego, Pan y toros, Don Quijote, Los diamantes de la corona, and El Diablo en el poder.He was born and died in Madrid, appropriately, since the...
, was gripped by a crisis due to financial difficulties and irreconcilable disagreements between its section leaders. Some of the players decided to regroup in a new ensemble, which would assume the role of the Sociedad in organizing symphonic concerts and thus keep the classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
scene alive in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. The idea of a new orchestra in the city was conceived initially at the house of the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist José del Hierro, who enjoyed the support of the two companions with whom he regularly played chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
on tour, violist
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
Julio Francés and cellist
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
Victor Mirecki Larramat
Víctor Mirecki Larramat
Víctor Alexander Marie Mirecki Larramat was a Spanish cellist and music teacher of Franco-Polish origin. He was born in Tarbes, France and died in Madrid, Spain.-Introduction:...
. Their meeting was joined by two members of the Capilla Real
Capilla real
with small text capilla real:* One of the musical Chapel Royals serving the kings of Spainwith capitalized text Capilla Real:* Royal Chapel of Granada, a mausoleum...
, flautist
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
Francisco González and clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
ist Miguel Yuste.
After a concerted campaign to win over their colleagues in the Sociedad, eighty per cent of the original orchestra joined the new ensemble proposed by Hierro. As a large number of the section leaders were also professors at the Madrid Conservatory
Madrid Conservatory
-History:The Royal Conservatory of Music was founded on July 15, 1830, by royal decree, and was originally located in Mostenses Square, Madrid. In 1852 it was moved to the Royal Opera, where it remained until the building was condemned by royal order and classes ordered to halt in 1925. For the...
, the group managed to recruit young talents quickly to its vacant posts. The musicians held their first meeting in the rehearsal hall of the Teatro Real
Teatro Real
The Teatro Real or simply El Real , is a major opera house located in Madrid, Spain.-History:...
in December 1903, during which they decided on the name Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid. The Orchestra was constituted as a private, autonomous company of musicians, which would rely initially on its members to supply the setup funds for its operations (including the purchase of furniture and hiring of rehearsal halls and scores
Sheet music
Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
). Subsequently, however, the Orchestra would support itself solely with earnings from concerts and recordings. It would avoid any dependence on external agents, whether public or private, who might intervene in its operations and impose conditions on its members, a misfortune which had befallen the defunct Sociedad.
The first season
Through the contacts of Hierro and Mirecki, the Orchestra secured the agreement of the Spanish conductorConducting
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...
, Alonso Cordelás, to lead the ensemble. Cordelás resigned his post in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and headed for Madrid, bringing with him the scores for the Orchestra's first concerts.
On February 7, 1904, under the direction of Cordelás, the Orchestra gave its first public concert at the Teatro Real and presented the following program:
- Overture to Don GiovanniDon GiovanniDon Giovanni is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It was premiered by the Prague Italian opera at the Teatro di Praga on October 29, 1787...
, by MozartWolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
; - In the Steppes of Central AsiaIn the Steppes of Central AsiaOn the Steppes of Central Asia is the common English title for a "musical tableau" by Alexander Borodin, composed in 1880....
, by BorodinAlexander BorodinAlexander Porfiryevich Borodin was a Russian Romantic composer and chemist of Georgian–Russian parentage. He was a member of the group of composers called The Five , who were dedicated to producing a specifically Russian kind of art music...
; - Paraphrase on WagnerRichard WagnerWilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
's Prize Song of the Master SingersDie Meistersinger von NürnbergDie Meistersinger von Nürnberg is an opera in three acts, written and composed by Richard Wagner. It is among the longest operas still commonly performed today, usually taking around four and a half hours. It was first performed at the Königliches Hof- und National-Theater in Munich, on June 21,...
for violin and orchestra, by August WilhelmjAugust WilhelmjAugust Wilhelmj was a German violinist and teacher.Wilhelmj was a child prodigy. When Henriette Sontag heard him in 1852, when he was seven, she said "You will be the German Paganini"...
(soloist: José del Hierro); - Faust OvertureFaust OvertureThe Faust Overture is a concert overture composed by German composer Richard Wagner. Wagner originally composed it from 1839-40, intending it to be the first movement of a Faust Symphony based on the play Faust by German playwright Johann Wolfgang von Goethe...
, by Wagner; - Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet (Tchaikovsky)Romeo and Juliet is an orchestral work composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It is styled an Overture-Fantasy, and is based on Shakespeare's play of the same name. Like other composers such as Berlioz and Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky was deeply inspired by Shakespeare and wrote works based on The...
, by TchaikovskyPyotr Ilyich TchaikovskyPyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"...
; - Symphony No. 4 in D minorSymphony No. 4 (Schumann)The Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120, composed by Robert Schumann, was completed in 1841 . Schumann heavily revised the symphony in 1851, and it was this version that reached publication....
by SchumannRobert SchumannRobert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....
.
At the beginning, Cordelás sought to impose a break with Madrid custom by performing each concert in two parts separated by one interval, rather than in three parts, and playing in the afternoon at 3 p.m., instead of at night. By the third concert, Cordelás was forced to restore the two intervals, and by the sixth, the night schedule (8:45 p.m.) also made its return. However, Cordelás' problems had only just begun: he had confrontations firstly with the section leaders about rehearsals and the organization of concerts, and then with the hall owners about concert times, and finally had to face bad reviews and the rejection of his artistic choices by the public. These compelled him to resign at the end of the season, together with the founding concertmaster
Concertmaster
The concertmaster/mistress is the spalla or leader, of the first violin section of an orchestra. In the UK, the term commonly used is leader...
, José del Hierro.
The remaining concerts of the first season, which included the long-overdue Madrid premieres of Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony
Symphony No. 4 (Tchaikovsky)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36, was written between 1877 and 1878. The symphony's first performance was at a Russian Musical Society concert in Saint Petersburg on February 10 /February 22 1878, with Nikolai Rubinstein as conductor.- Form :The symphony is in four...
and Brahms
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
' First Symphony
Symphony No. 1 (Brahms)
The Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68, is a symphony written by Johannes Brahms. Brahms spent at least fourteen years completing this work, whose sketches date from 1854. Brahms himself declared that the symphony, from sketches to finishing touches, took 21 years, from 1855 to 1876...
, nonetheless won the favor of the public and rescued the fledgling orchestra from financial failure.
The Arbós era
After the departure of Cordelás, Enrique Fernández ArbósEnrique Fernandez Arbos
Enrique Fernández Arbós was a Spanish violinist, composer and conductor who divided much of his career between Madrid and London. He originally made his name as a virtuoso violinist and later as one of Spain’s greatest conductors.Fernández Arbós was born in Madrid...
, a violinist and conductor, took over the Orchestra. He was instrumental in totally restructuring the organization and presenting its new face in a major concert on April 16, 1905.
Arbós' leadership was uninterrupted for over thirty years. During his tenure, the orchestra determined its artistic priorities (above all, the promotion of Spanish composers and soloists), found its particular sonorous style, and established the principles of musical outreach which enabled it to give educational concerts and attract new listeners: lower ticket prices, more seats, and frequent tours. The Orchestra featured the work of almost all the Spanish composers who flourished during the first third of the 20th century. It succeeded in attracting some illustrious guest conductors from abroad, such as Igor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
and 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 gave two important world premieres: Falla
Manuel de Falla
Manuel de Falla y Matheu was a Spanish Andalusian composer of classical music. With Isaac Albéniz, Enrique Granados and Joaquín Turina he is one of Spain's most important musicians of the first half of the 20th century....
's Nights in the Gardens of Spain
Nights in the Gardens of Spain
Nights in the Gardens of Spain is a piece of music by the Spanish composer Manuel de Falla...
with pianist
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
José Cubiles, at the Teatro Real, April 9, 1916; and Prokofiev
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century...
's Second Violin Concerto
Violin Concerto No. 2 (Prokofiev)
The Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63, written in 1935 by Sergei Prokofiev, is a work in three movements:#Allegro moderato#Andante assai#Allegro, ben marcato...
with violinist Robert Soëtans and the composer himself in the audience at the hall of the Teatro Monumental
Teatro Monumental
The Teatro Monumental is a concert hall in Madrid. The theatre, designed by Teodoro Anasagasti Algan, was built between 1922 and 1923 as a movie theatre and later was transformed to house symphonic concerts....
, December 1, 1935.
Period of crisis
The Spanish Civil WarSpanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
interrupted the Orchestra's activities. The Orchestra tried to stage concerts in besieged Madrid, but the number of available section leaders had shrunk drastically and those still in the city struggled to survive from day to day. The aftermath of the war marked the start of a long period of crisis for the Orchestra, which began with the death of Arbós in June 1939, following the first concerts that year. To this blow was added the absence of the section leaders who had died during the Civil War or fled into exile after the victory of General Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
. Finally, in 1940, the Spanish National Orchestra
Orquesta Nacional de España
The Orquesta Nacional de España is a symphonic orchestra based in Madrid, Spain.-History:Although working since in 1937 during the Spanish civil war, the orchestra was legally founded in 1940, by the merging of the Perez Casas' Filarmónica and the Orquesta Sinfónica of Arbós...
was formed with its seat in Madrid and drew away further players from the Symphony, since it offered them the generous salaries of civil servants. Those who refused to leave did so out of loyalty or because they were "suspects" in the eyes of Franco's regime. The effects of the departure were especially dire for the string
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
section, which could not fill vacancies easily for three reasons: the poor delivery of music education during the Second Spanish Republic
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
; the loss of a large number of string players to the Civil War or exile; and the impossibility of recruiting European professors after the outbreak of World War II. However, in 1940, the appointment of Enrique Jordá
Enrique Jordá
Enrique Jordá was a Spanish-American conductor. Born in San Sebastián , later on he was a naturalized US citizen....
provided the Orchestra with some musical direction at least until 1945.
The Orchestra in the pit
The activity of the Orchestra changed radically in 1958, when it became the tenured orchestra of the Teatro de la ZarzuelaTeatro de la Zarzuela
The Teatro de la Zarzuela is a theatre in Madrid, Spain. The theatre is today mainly devoted to zarzuela , as well as operetta and recitals. In the past, in the city's long absence of an opera theatre , this was Madrid's theatre where most major opera performances were shown...
and alternated its appearances between the pit
Orchestra pit
An orchestra pit is the area in a theater in which musicians perform. Orchestral pits are utilized in forms of theatre that require music or in cases when incidental music is required...
and the stage. Its engagements during the late 1950s and early 1960s were almost ceaseless, as it embarked on various tours throughout Spain and abroad, especially to Portugal and Latin America.
In 1965, the formation of another new orchestra based in the capital, the Orquesta Sinfónica de RTVE
RTVE Symphony Orchestra
The RTVE Symphony Orchestra , also known as the Spanish Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra is a Spanish radio orchestra servicing RTVE, the Spanish national broadcasting network....
, came once more at a cost to the ranks of the Madrid Symphony. During the 1970s, the Symphony's activity was tied closely to the needs of the Teatro de la Zarzuela. It took advantage of this niche, however, when it contracted with the company Hispavox to record a large number of zarzuela
Zarzuela
Zarzuela is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular song, as well as dance...
s and Spanish opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
s. The resulting recordings were invaluable not only for their quality but also because this was the first time that Spanish stage music had been welcomed without major inhibitions. The Orchestra participated in all the productions at the Teatro de la Zarzuela, most notably in the television series Antología de la Zarzuela (1971) directed by José Tamayo. In contrast, the number of symphonic concerts it offered during these years fell greatly, and took place, in the majority of cases, in second-rate venues. This situation influenced the decision of many aging, long-standing players, who were receiving low pay in comparison with their intense work, to retire. Filling the vacancies posed a major problem and consequently the musical quality of the orchestra suffered.
Renaissance
During the Spanish transition to democracySpanish transition to democracy
The Spanish transition to democracy was the era when Spain moved from the dictatorship of Francisco Franco to a liberal democratic state. The transition is usually said to have begun with Franco’s death on 20 November 1975, while its completion has been variously said to be marked by the Spanish...
after Franco's death in 1975, the then Minister of Culture, Soledad Becerril
Soledad Becerril
Doña María de la Soledad Becerril y Bustamante, Marquise of Salvatierra is a Spanish noble, politician and long serving member of the Spanish Congress of Deputies who belongs to the People's Party . In 1981 she served as the first female Government Minister in almost 50 years and later became the...
, offered the Orchestra a contract which would grant it exclusive rights to serve the Teatro de la Zarzuela in performances of operas, 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...
s, and zarzuelas. The Orchestra was recommended for this role by its institutional stability, experience, historical renown, and location in Madrid. The contract was signed in July 1981. To suit the interests of the Teatro de la Zarzuela, the Orchestra underwent gradual restructuring to regain its quality.
The opening of the Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid promised the Orchestra new prospects, especially in symphonic performance. This ideal was maintained after it signed a new contract, this time with the Community of Madrid, to provide annual cycles of concerts in the new Auditorium. In 1997, the Orchestra moved out of the Teatro de la Zarzuela to take up residence at the Teatro Real, which had been reopened recently by the Community. This contract will run until 2009.
In 1999, the Orchestra made several new appointments in the posts of principal conductor, Luis Antonio García Navarro
Luis Antonio García Navarro
Luis Antonio García Navarro , was a Spanish conductor.-Biography:García Navarro was born in Chiva, Valencia , and studied in Valencia and the Madrid Royal Conservatory before moving to Vienna to study at the University of Music and Performing Arts with Hans Swarowsky, Karl Oesterreicher, and...
, honorary conductor, Kurt Sanderling
Kurt Sanderling
Kurt Sanderling, CBE was a German conductor.-Biography:Kurt Sanderling was born in Arys, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire to Jewish parents. After early work at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, he left for the Soviet Union in 1936, where he worked with the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra...
, and composer associate, Cristóbal Halffter
Cristóbal Halffter
Cristóbal Halffter Jiménez-Encina is a Spanish composer. He is the nephew of two other composers, Rodolfo and Ernesto Halffter.-Life:...
. At the instigation of the Fundación Teatro Lírico, a choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
attached to the Orchestra and conducted by Martin Merry, was also formed.
Assured of a special position among Madrid's cultural institutions, the Orchestra has now begun to develop an educational plan, with the creation of an "Orchestra School" under the direction of Andrés Zarzo.
From 2002, after the death of García Navarro, to 2010 the orchestra has been led by the musical conductor of the Teatro Real, Jesús López-Cobos
Jesús López-Cobos
Jesús López-Cobos is a Spanish conductor.López-Cobos was born in Toro, Zamora, Castile-León, Spain. He studied at Complutense University of Madrid and graduated with a degree in philosophy...
.
Principal conductors
- Alonso Cordelás 1903–1904
- Enrique Fernández ArbósEnrique Fernandez ArbosEnrique Fernández Arbós was a Spanish violinist, composer and conductor who divided much of his career between Madrid and London. He originally made his name as a virtuoso violinist and later as one of Spain’s greatest conductors.Fernández Arbós was born in Madrid...
1905–1939 - Enrique JordáEnrique JordáEnrique Jordá was a Spanish-American conductor. Born in San Sebastián , later on he was a naturalized US citizen....
1940–1945 - Conrado del CampoConrado del CampoConrado del Campo was a composer, violinist and professor at the Real Conservatorio de Música in Madrid, who was the principal conductor of the Madrid Symphony Orchestra.His was works played in the Theathre Real of Madrid for José María Alvira. His opera Lola la Piconera made its debut at the Gran...
1946–1950 - José María Franco 1951–1958
- Vicente SpiteriVicente SpiteriVicente Spiteri was a Spanish conductor....
1958–1977 - Luis Antonio García NavarroLuis Antonio García NavarroLuis Antonio García Navarro , was a Spanish conductor.-Biography:García Navarro was born in Chiva, Valencia , and studied in Valencia and the Madrid Royal Conservatory before moving to Vienna to study at the University of Music and Performing Arts with Hans Swarowsky, Karl Oesterreicher, and...
1999–2001 - Jesús López-CobosJesús López-CobosJesús López-Cobos is a Spanish conductor.López-Cobos was born in Toro, Zamora, Castile-León, Spain. He studied at Complutense University of Madrid and graduated with a degree in philosophy...
2002–2010
See also
- Community of Madrid OrchestraCommunity of Madrid OrchestraThe Community of Madrid Orchestra , founded in 1987, is a symphony orchestra in Madrid, Spain. The orchestra is the resident orchestra at the Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid and performs its concert programs at the Auditorio Nacional de Música....
- Spanish National Orchestra
- RTVE Symphony OrchestraRTVE Symphony OrchestraThe RTVE Symphony Orchestra , also known as the Spanish Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra is a Spanish radio orchestra servicing RTVE, the Spanish national broadcasting network....
- Queen Sofía Chamber OrchestraQueen Sofía Chamber OrchestraThe Queen Sofía Chamber Orchestra , founded in 1984, is a professional chamber orchestra based in Madrid, Spain.- History :...
- Teatro RealTeatro RealThe Teatro Real or simply El Real , is a major opera house located in Madrid, Spain.-History:...
- National Auditorium of MusicNational Auditorium of MusicThe Auditorio Nacional de Música is a complex of concert venues located in Madrid, Spain and the main concert hall in the Madrid metropolitan area...
- Teatro MonumentalTeatro MonumentalThe Teatro Monumental is a concert hall in Madrid. The theatre, designed by Teodoro Anasagasti Algan, was built between 1922 and 1923 as a movie theatre and later was transformed to house symphonic concerts....
- ZarzuelaZarzuelaZarzuela is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular song, as well as dance...