Staatsorchester Braunschweig
Encyclopedia
The Staatsorchester Braunschweig is a German orchestra. It was founded in 1587 by Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel as his court orchestra. It worked with Franz Liszt
and Richard Strauss
. It lost its independence as a court orchestra in 1918 and became the orchestra of the Braunschweiger Landestheaters. It retained this status until the end of the Second World War, which saw the abolishment of the Free State of Brunswick
, on which it took the name Braunschweiger Staatsorchester then its present name.
In the past 40 years its music directors have included Heribert Esser, Stefan Soltesz, Philippe Auguin, Jonas Alber and Alexander Joel. Carl Melles
was its conductor laureate until his death in 2004.
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
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...
. It lost its independence as a court orchestra in 1918 and became the orchestra of the Braunschweiger Landestheaters. It retained this status until the end of the Second World War, which saw the abolishment of the Free State of Brunswick
Free State of Brunswick
The Free State of Brunswick was the republic formed after the abolition of the Duchy of Brunswick in the course of the German Revolution of 1918–19. It was a state of the German Reich in the time of the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany.-History:...
, on which it took the name Braunschweiger Staatsorchester then its present name.
Kapellmeisters and conductors
These have included several notable musicians:- Michael PraetoriusMichael PraetoriusMichael Praetorius was a German composer, organist, and music theorist. He was one of the most versatile composers of his age, being particularly significant in the development of musical forms based on Protestant hymns, many of which reflect an effort to make better the relationship between...
- Heinrich SchützHeinrich SchützHeinrich Schütz was a German composer and organist, generally regarded as the most important German composer before Johann Sebastian Bach and often considered to be one of the most important composers of the 17th century along with Claudio Monteverdi...
- Karl Heinrich Graun
- Louis SpohrLouis SpohrLouis Spohr was a German composer, violinist and conductor. Born Ludewig Spohr, he is usually known by the French form of his name. Described by Dorothy Mayer as "The Forgotten Master", Spohr was once as famous as Beethoven. As a violinist, his virtuoso playing was admired by Queen Victoria...
- Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
- Hector BerliozHector BerliozHector Berlioz was a French Romantic composer, best known for his compositions Symphonie fantastique and Grande messe des morts . Berlioz made significant contributions to the modern orchestra with his Treatise on Instrumentation. He specified huge orchestral forces for some of his works; as a...
- Franz LisztFranz LisztFranz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
- Richard StraussRichard StraussRichard 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...
In the past 40 years its music directors have included Heribert Esser, Stefan Soltesz, Philippe Auguin, Jonas Alber and Alexander Joel. Carl Melles
Carl Melles
Carl Melles was an Austrian orchestral conductor of Hungarian descent....
was its conductor laureate until his death in 2004.