Grappa musikkforlag Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra

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Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra

Biography

The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra dates back to 1765 and is thus one of the world"s oldest orchestras. In 2015 its 250-years anniversary will be celebrated. Edvard Grieg had a close relationship with the orchestra and was its artistic director during the years 1880-82. Andrew Litton was appointed Chief Conductor in 2003 and is now the orchestra"s Music Director until 2015. The Spanish conductor Juanjo Mena is engaged as Principal Guest Conductor and Halldis Rønning Assistant Conductor. Under Litton"s direction the orchestra has been increasing its international activities by means of touring, commissions and recording projects.

The orchestra, one of two Norwegian National Orchestras, has 100 players and tours regularly. During the last few seasons the orchestra has played in the Concertgebouw, Royal Albert Hall (PROMS 2007), Musikverein and Konzerthaus in Vienna, Philharmonie Munich, Carnegie Hall, New York and die Philharmonie in Berlin. An 11-concert tour of Sweden, Germany and Austria, with concerts in cities like Berlin, Vienna, Munich and Frankfurt, was completed spring 2011. In 2012 the orchestra will visit the Concertgebouw and the Rheingau Festival in Germany, whereas an England-tour is scheduled for 2013.

The orchestra has an active recording-schedule and is currently recording for BIS, Hyperion, Chandos and Aurora. In 2007 it received a special award for its recording of all Grieg"s orchestral music from The Grieg Society of Great Britain. In 2008 the orchestra was awarded the prestigious Spellemannprisen, «the Norwegian Grammy», for its performance of Prokofiev"s Romeo and Juliet suites, conducted by Andrew Litton. Last year (2010) the recording of Prokofiev's Piano Concertos Nos. 2 and 3 (with Freddy Kempf) was nominated for the 2010 Gramophone Awards.

Since 2009 the orchestra has released 19 cds, including the Mendelssohn Symphonies Nos. 1 - 5 with Andrew Litton, Vol. I, II & III in the Johan Halvorsen Orchestral Works series with Neeme Järvi, Prokofiev Piano Concertos Nos. 2 and 3 with Freddy Kempf, works for cello and orchestra by Prokofiev with Alban Gerhardt, works for viola and orchestra by Bartók, Serly and Rosza with Lawrence Power, two cds for the Norwegian label Aurora with contemporary Norwegian works by Lasse Thoresen and Knut Vaage, Bruch Violin Concerto with Vadim Gluzman and Andrew Litton, Piano Concertos by Grieg and Liszt with Stephen Hough, and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, Petrushka and the Firebird with Andrew Litton.

December 2011

http://www.harmonien.no/

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra

Discography

Gardens of Hokkaido

01.11.2010

Knut Vaage is one of the contemporary composers who"s music reach out through a wide variety of channels. Projects for young, choir music, chamber music, operas and now: a portrait CD with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.
To the Brother Peoples

11.05.2009

The epic works of Lasse Thoresen emerge between traditional folk music and art music. Celebrating 60 years in 2009, Thoresen has many years of sublime reception of his work from audiences, musicians and reviewers alike. The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra give tribute to an exquisite orchestral composer with this powerful release.
Ludvig Irgens-Jensen: Japanisher Frühling

05.09.2002

The song cycle Japanischer Frühling captures both the young and the mature Irgens-Jensen. His op.2 in 1920, the piano version went through many stages before it reached the present final orchestral version from 1957, in may ways representing the music of afterthought. Ragnhild Heiland Sørensen"s soprano is wonderfully suited to this rich yet transparent music.

If there is one Nowegian orchestral piece that might be said to have a wide international audience and recognition, it has to be Irgens-Jensen"s Passacaglia from 1927. As a result of an enthusiastic Carl Nielsen the work became infamous before anyone had heard anything of it; even winning a prize in the big Schubert competition in 1928. After the première in 1929 the piece travelled fast in Europe and USA through two of the Oslo Philharmonic"s conductors: Grüner-Hegge and Dobrowen. The latter even perfomed the Passacaglia with Toscanini"s New York Philharmonic in a nation wide broadcast in 1932. The formal basis of the work is Introduction — Passacaglia I — Fuge — Passacaglia II — Coda. The mastery of the technical craftmanship makes the Passacaglia reach both the heart and the mind of the music lover.
Fartein Valen Complete Songs

28.04.2003

The work of Fartein Valen has a strange way of finding its way out to the audience. It is fair to say that his violin concerto and symphonic poems are quite well known around the world (and of course found in the Simax Classics catalogue, together with the symphonies). Arve Tellefsen"s recordings of the concerto has of course given this work a special significance in our times, but young composers also often refer to Valens approach as a model for their own compositional work.
Inside Out

04.05.2012

A fascinating double portrait of the young composer Ørjan Matre and the excellent clarinetist Rolf Borch. Matre and Borch explore the clarinet in a variety of settings: all alone, in small chamber settings and finally in a fully fledged concerto with Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra under Juanjo Mena's baton.