Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg
Encyclopedia
The Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg (Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra) is a French orchestra based in Strasbourg
. It is one of the two permanent orchestras of the Opéra national du Rhin
. The orchestra's current principal venue is the Palais de la musique et des congrès « Pierre Pflimlin » ("PMC Pierre-Pflimlin", or "PMC").
The orchestra was founded in 1855. Between 1871 and 1918, and 1940 and 1944, the orchestra had been a German
one, resulting from conflicts between France and Germany over the Alsace
region. In 1997, the orchestra acquired the official title of Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg – orchestre national. The orchestra currently holds 110 permanent musicians.
The french composer Jean-Louis Agobet was composer-in-residence from 2001 to 2004.
Past music directors and chief conductors have included Hans Pfitzner
, George Szell
, Hans Rosbaud
, Ernest Bour
, Charles Bruck
and Alain Lombard
. Marc Albrecht
became artistic advisor of the orchestra in 2005, and music director in 2008. Albrecht and the orchestra have recorded commercially for the Pentatone label, including orchestral lieder of Alban Berg
, and piano concertos by Robert Schumann
and Antonín Dvořák
. Albrecht concluded his tenure in 2011. In January 2011, the orchestra announced the appointment of Marko Letonja as its next music director, effective with the 2012-2013 season.
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
. It is one of the two permanent orchestras of the Opéra national du Rhin
Opéra national du Rhin
LOpéra national du Rhin is an opera company which performs in Alsace, eastern France, and which includes the Opéra in Strasbourg, the company's ballet in Mulhouse , and the "Opéra Studio" , a training centre for young singers, in Colmar...
. The orchestra's current principal venue is the Palais de la musique et des congrès « Pierre Pflimlin » ("PMC Pierre-Pflimlin", or "PMC").
The orchestra was founded in 1855. Between 1871 and 1918, and 1940 and 1944, the orchestra had been a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
one, resulting from conflicts between France and Germany over the Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
region. In 1997, the orchestra acquired the official title of Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg – orchestre national. The orchestra currently holds 110 permanent musicians.
The french composer Jean-Louis Agobet was composer-in-residence from 2001 to 2004.
Past music directors and chief conductors have included Hans Pfitzner
Hans Pfitzner
Hans Erich Pfitzner was a German composer and self-described anti-modernist. His best known work is the post-Romantic opera Palestrina, loosely based on the life of the great sixteenth-century composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina.-Biography:Pfitzner was born in Moscow, Russia, where his...
, George Szell
George Szell
George Szell , originally György Széll, György Endre Szél, or Georg Szell, was a Hungarian-born American conductor and composer...
, Hans Rosbaud
Hans Rosbaud
Hans Rosbaud , was an Austrian conductor, particularly associated with the music of the twentieth century....
, Ernest Bour
Ernest Bour
Ernest Bour was a French conductor. Born in Thionville, Moselle, Bour studied at both the University and the Conservatoire of Strasbourg...
, Charles Bruck
Charles Bruck
Charles Bruck was a Hungarian-French conductor.Bruck was born in Temesvár, Kingdom of Hungary, Austro-Hungarian Empire, since 1920 Timişoara, since 1920 in Romania....
and Alain Lombard
Alain Lombard
Alain Lombard is a French conductor.-Career:Lombard attended the Conservatoire de Paris, where his studied violin with Line Talleul and conducting with Gaston Poulet. He subsequently secured an appointment at the Opéra National de Lyon in 1961, and later became principal conductor from 1961 to 1965...
. Marc Albrecht
Marc Albrecht
Marc Albrecht is a German conductor. He is the son of the conductor George Alexander Albrecht and Corinne Albrecht, formerly a ballet dancer who became a physiotherapist. Albrecht studied music with his father...
became artistic advisor of the orchestra in 2005, and music director in 2008. Albrecht and the orchestra have recorded commercially for the Pentatone label, including orchestral lieder of Alban Berg
Alban Berg
Alban Maria Johannes Berg was an Austrian composer. He was a member of the Second Viennese School with Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern, and produced compositions that combined Mahlerian Romanticism with a personal adaptation of Schoenberg's twelve-tone technique.-Early life:Berg was born in...
, and piano concertos by Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann
Robert 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....
and Antonín Dvořák
Antonín Dvorák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of late Romantic music, who employed the idioms of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Dvořák’s own style is sometimes called "romantic-classicist synthesis". His works include symphonic, choral and chamber music, concerti, operas and many...
. Albrecht concluded his tenure in 2011. In January 2011, the orchestra announced the appointment of Marko Letonja as its next music director, effective with the 2012-2013 season.
Music directors
- Josef Hasselmans (1855–1871)
- Franz StockhausenFranz StockhausenFranz Stockhausen was a German choral conductor, and a member of a celebrated German musical family....
(1871–1907) - Hans PfitznerHans PfitznerHans Erich Pfitzner was a German composer and self-described anti-modernist. His best known work is the post-Romantic opera Palestrina, loosely based on the life of the great sixteenth-century composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina.-Biography:Pfitzner was born in Moscow, Russia, where his...
(1907–1915) - Otto KlempererOtto KlempererOtto Klemperer was a German conductor and composer. He is widely regarded as one of the leading conductors of the 20th century.-Biography:Otto Klemperer was born in Breslau, Silesia Province, then in Germany...
(1915–1918) - Hans Pfitzner (1918–1919)
- Guy Ropartz (1919–1929)
- Paul ParayPaul ParayPaul Paray was a French conductor, organist and composer. He is best remembered in the United States for being the resident conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra for more than a decade. He married Yolande Falck on 25 August 1944.-Biography:Paray's father, Auguste, was a sculptor and organist...
(1929–1940) - Hans RosbaudHans RosbaudHans Rosbaud , was an Austrian conductor, particularly associated with the music of the twentieth century....
(1940–1945) - Paul BastidePaul BastidePaul Adrien Bastide, born Quimper 6 April 1879, died Vichy 18 August 1962, was a French conductor and composer.-Career:Paul Bastide studied at the University of Aix-en-Provence and the Paris Conservatoire , winning a first prize in harmony...
(1945–1950) - Ernest BourErnest BourErnest Bour was a French conductor. Born in Thionville, Moselle, Bour studied at both the University and the Conservatoire of Strasbourg...
(1950–1964) - Alceo GallieraAlceo GallieraAlceo Galliera was a distinguished Italian conductor and composer. He was the son of Arnaldo Galliera who taught in organ class at the Parma Conservatory....
(1964–1971) - Alain LombardAlain LombardAlain Lombard is a French conductor.-Career:Lombard attended the Conservatoire de Paris, where his studied violin with Line Talleul and conducting with Gaston Poulet. He subsequently secured an appointment at the Opéra National de Lyon in 1961, and later became principal conductor from 1961 to 1965...
(1971–1983) - Theodor GuschlbauerTheodor GuschlbauerTheodor Guschlbauer is an Austrian conductor.-External links:*...
(1983–1997) - Jan Latham KoenigJan Latham KoenigJan Latham-Koenig is a conductor. He was born in England and educated at the Royal College of Music in London. He attended Highgate School from 1966 before he founded the Koenig Ensemble in 1976 and began his career as a concert conductor with the BBC, in 1981...
(1997–2003) - Marc AlbrechtMarc AlbrechtMarc Albrecht is a German conductor. He is the son of the conductor George Alexander Albrecht and Corinne Albrecht, formerly a ballet dancer who became a physiotherapist. Albrecht studied music with his father...
(2008–2011)