Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Indelibly linked to its founder, Sir Thomas Beecham, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) is considered one of the four major orchestras based in London. Established in 1946 in connection with the Royal Philharmonic Society, the orchestra's title was directly approved by King George VI. Although it has often had to fight for its survival, the RPO remains one of the busiest ensembles in Great Britain. The orchestra annually offers a set of concert series in three London venues (Royal Festival Hall, Barbican Hall and Croydon's Fairfield Hall), provides music for many films and tours extensively at home and abroad. It is more involved with the pop music industry than many of its peers and the ensemble's Hooked on Classics series of recordings has been a tremendous boon to the group's finances and international visibility. The series sold more than nine million copies world-wide. An appearance in the half-time show of the Orange Bowl football game in Miami, Florida during the mid-1980's brought the orchestra to the attention of millions of viewers. As it is with many of the world's first-ranked ensembles, the RPO relies heavily on its corporate sponsors for its funding. In an attempt to secure its financial future and have more control of its artistic direction, the orchestra began producing and marketing its own recordings under its exclusive RPO label.

With the horrors of World War II behind him, Sir Thomas Beecham was anxious to have an orchestra to direct. When the opportunity to lead the newly formed Philharmonia Orchestra was given to Herbert von Karajan, Beecham decided to assemble his own ensemble. He gathered many of Europe's top musicians, made an agreement with the Royal Philharmonic Society to play an exclusive season of concerts at the Davis Theater in Croydon and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was born. The orchestra was almost immediately successful attracting enthusiastic audiences and excellent critical reviews. In 1950, the RPO did its first international tour to the United States playing in forty five cities. Although American critics took issue with the fact that Beecham's programming was very conservative and included no contemporary English compositions, the tour was a huge commercial success and the RPO's future was secured.

During the 1950s, the orchestra continued to raise its already high musical standards, widen its repertoire and seek out lucrative recording contracts even though Beecham appeared less frequently on the podium. He claimed that the tax laws in place in England at the time did not allow him to live comfortably in London but ill health was probably the real reason for his absences.

When Beecham died in 1961, the orchestra sought out German conductor Rudolf Kempe as his successor. Under Kempe's leadership the RPO continued a full schedule of concerts and other projects but signs of trouble began to appear in 1963. In February of that year, it was proposed that the RPO merge with the orchestra of the Royal Opera at Covent Garden but an agreement was never reached. Then the Royal Philharmonic Society decided not to engage the orchestra for its upcoming season and finally the ensemble was excluded from a cooperative agreement with the Royal Festival Hall and the three other major London orchestras (London Philharmonic, London Symphony and the New Philharmonic). With their future hanging in the balance, the RPO players decided to reorganize the orchestra into an independent, self-governing entity run by a Board of Directors drawn primarily from within the membership. Kempe agreed to remain as music director and throughout the turbulent months of transition, the orchestra continued its rigorous performance schedule and even completed a fifty-two concert tour in North America.

More problems arose in 1964 when the orchestra was excluded from appearing at the Royal Festival Hall for another two years and the Royal Philharmonic Society threatened to withdraw the orchestra's "Royal" title. Upon hearing of this, Queen Elizabeth II conferred her blessing on the ensemble as "Royal....in its own right" which allowed the orchestra to retain its title.

The orchestra's future brightened in the mid-1960s when a report by Lord Goodman recommended that the RPO should be given government subsidies in order that it remain active. With the infusion of annual grants from the London Orchestral Concert Board, the orchestra survived and grew. Unfortunately Kempe, who remained as principal conductor and music director until 1975, was never able to develop a characteristic ensemble sound in the RPO although the standard of musicianship within the group was excellent.

When Antál Doráti succeeded Kempe in 1975 he attempted to bring his characteristic versatility of repertoire to the RPO. He was not entirely successful because of the orchestra's largely conservative attitude toward programming but some strides were made. His successor, Walter Weller, was even less successful in influencing the ensemble and during his tenure, the RPO slipped into a rather lack-luster role in London's musical circles. A series of successful tours and participation in many major international festivals kept the orchestra in the public eye and it enjoyed reasonable popularity with its audiences.

André Previn's arrival on the RPO podium in 1985 shook the orchestra to its core and energized its somewhat pedestrian musical quality. His dramatic resignation in protest of the overburdened schedule of the RPO must keep was also traumatic for the orchestra. Stability was returned to the ensemble when Vladimir Ashkenazy became the group's music director and principal conductor in 1986. Under his tutelage, the orchestra began to recover some of the sensitivity and grace of line that it had during Beecham's tenure. Ashkenazy was also instrumental in the development of the RPO exclusive record label which helped to secure the orchestra's financial and artistic future. After his departure in 1994, Daniele Gatti succeeded Ashkenazy as principal conductor. His youthful energy and expertise in Italian repertoire have given the RPO a new direction for the twenty-first century.

Throughout its rather turbulent history, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra has been able to retain its place in London's competitive musical circles. With its leanings toward the pop music industry and its extensive recording and touring schedules, the Royal Philharmonic is likely to remain one of the busiest and most popular orchestras in the United Kingdom.

from Wikipedia:

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) is a British orchestra based in London. It tours widely, and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's national orchestra". The British Hit Singles & Albums noted that it was "formed in 1946 by Sir Thomas Beecham, who wanted a first rate ensemble that would attract the country's top musicians." Since his death, it has come under various music maestros including André Previn and Louis Clark (who was behind its biggest sellers).

History

In 1946, Sir Thomas Beecham founded the RPO, which played its first concert in Croydon on 15 September of that year. Beecham was the RPO's music director until his death in 1961. Rudolf Kempe, who became assistant conductor in 1960, became principal conductor in 1961 and music director in 1962. The RPO gave him the title of Conductor for Life in 1970, and he stepped down from the orchestra in 1975. Subsequent music directors and principal conductors have been Antal Doráti, Walter Weller, André Previn, Vladimir Ashkenazy, and Yuri Temirkanov. Daniele Gatti was music director from 1996 to 2009. Both Temirkanov and Gatti currently hold the title of RPO conductor laureate. In 2009, Charles Dutoit became artistic director and principal conductor of the RPO.

The orchestra toured the United States in 1950, thus becoming the first British orchestra to visit America since the London Symphony Orchestra in 1912.

A review of the orchestral scene of 1950 said of the RPO:

Leader David McCallum … Royal Philharmonic Society concerts (Beecham 4, Celibidache, Sargent). Number of concerts: 32 (approx)…. The Philharmonia and Royal Philharmonic share a very serious disability: that neither is a permanently constituted orchestra. Both assemble and disperse more or less at random…there is no style which is distinctively RPO or Philharmonia.

Later the orchestra began to develop its own character, particularly in the woodwind section, led by Jack Brymer (clarinet), Gwydion Brooke (bassoon), Terence McDonagh (oboe), and Gerald Jackson (flute), sometimes referred to as ‘The Royal Family’.

After Beecham's death, the orchestra reorganised itself as a self-governing limited company. and soon encountered difficulties. The Royal Philharmonic Society decided not to engage the RPO for its concerts in 1963, Glyndebourne engaged the London Philharmonic instead of the RPO from 1964 onwards and the management of the Royal Festival Hall also severed its connections with the orchestra. Some senior players left, and Kempe resigned as chief conductor, though he returned shortly afterwards. Helped by strong support from Sir Malcolm Sargent, the orchestra successfully mounted its own concerts at a cinema in the London inner suburb, Swiss Cottage.

A further threat to the orchestra's existence came in 1984, when a review carried out on behalf of the Arts Council by the journalist William Rees-Mogg opined that England lacked 'a great eastern symphony orchestra': the suggestion was that the RPO should move to Nottingham. However, another Arts Council report of the same period recommended that the RPO should supplement the London Symphony Orchestra as resident orchestra at the Barbican Centre; neither proposal came to fruition.

In 1987, the RPO performed the theme to "The Chipmunk Adventure" for both the movie and its soundtrack.

In 1992 the orchestra appointed Peter Maxwell Davies as associate conductor and composer. The same year, UEFA commissioned the orchestra to sing the UEFA Champions League Hymn. In July 2008, the RPO announced that it would continue its residency in Lowestoft for a fifth year, bringing four concerts a year to England's most easterly town.In the autumn of 2009 it was announced that the residency would continue for a record sixth year.

On April 7, 1994, the Royal Philharmonic under the direction of Sir Gilbert Levine performed at the Vatican in the historic "Papal Concert to Commemorate the Holocaust", with cellist Lynn Harrell and Academy Award-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss as narrator.

Recordings

From its earliest days to the end of Beecham's life, the RPO made numerous recordings for Columbia Records, RCA Victor, and EMI under his baton. Among their first stereophonic recordings was the 1955 performance of the symphonic poem Tapiola by Sibelius, recorded by EMI. Some of the more memorable recordings included:

Beethoven Ruins of Athens, Symphony No. 2, Symphony No. 3, Symphony no. 5, Symphony No. 6, Symphony No. 7, Symphony No. 8Berlioz Harold in Italy, King Lear Overture, Le Corsaire Overture, Les Francs-Juges Overture, Les Troyens Overture, Roman Carnival Overture, Symphonie Fantastique, Trojan March, Waverley OvertureBernstein Candide, Symphony no. 1-3, West Side StoryBizet Symphony "Roma", La Jolie Fille de Perth suite, L'Arlésienne Suites 1 & 2, Patrie Overture, Boccherini Overture in DBorodin Polovtsian DancesChabrier España, Joyeuse MarcheDebussy Cortège & Air de danse, Prélude à l'après midiDelibes Le Roi s'amuseDelius Brigg Fair, Dance Rhapsody No. 2, Fennimore & Gerda Intermezzo, Florida Suite Daybreak & Dance, Irmelin Prelude, On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring, Sleighride, Song Before Sunrise, Summer Evening, Summer Night on the RiverDvořák Legend in G minor, Symphony No. 8Goldmark Rustic Wedding SymphonyGounod Faust ballet music, Le sommeil de JulietteGrétry Zémire et Azore ballet musicGrieg Symphonic dance in A, Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 (Rene Liebowitz)Handel Amaryllis, Love in Bath, Messiah, Solomon, The Faithful Shepherd, The Gods Go A'BeggingHaydn Symphonies 93–104, The SeasonsHolst The Planets Suite + St. Paul's SuiteIllayaraja aka Gnanadesikan, the first Asian composer to score a symphony for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.Pachelbel aka Yusuf Calvin Pachelbel's CanonMahler Symphony no. 1-10Massenet Last sleep of the Virgin, Waltz from CendrillonMendelssohn Fair Melusine Overture, Symphony No 4, ItalianMozart Clarinet Concerto, Die Zauberflöte Overture, Flute & Harp Concerto, German Dance K. 605, Haffner March K. 249, Haffner March K. 249, Minuet from Divertimento in D K. 131, Symphony No 41, Thamos Entr'acte, The Seraglio.Mussorgsky Khovantschina Dance of the Persian Slaves, Pictures at an Exhibition (Ravel)Offenbach Les Contes des Hoffman suiteRachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Op. 43 (Yuri Temirkanov)Rimsky-Korsakov ScheherazadeRossini, La Gazza Ladra Overture, Le Cambiale di Matrimonio Overture, Semiramide OvertureSaint-Saëns Rouet d'Omphale, Samson & Dalila Dance of the Priestesses/ BacchanaleSchubert Symphony No 1, Symphony No 2, Symphony No 3, Symphony No 5, Symphony No 6, Symphony No 8Sibelius Valse Triste, Symphonies 6 and 7Smetana Die Moldau, Bartered Bride Overture & PolkaJohann Strauss Die Fledermaus, Emperor WaltzRichard Strauss Ein HeldenlebenFranz von Suppé Morning Noon & Night in Vienna, Poet & Peasant OvertureTchaikovsky Eugene Onegin - waltz, Symphony No 4, The NutcrackerWagner Die Meistersinger Suite, Flying Dutchman Overture, Götterdämmerung Funeral March and Rhine Journey, Lohengrin Prelude, Parsifal Karfreitagszauber, Die Meistersinger Prelude, Ride of the ValkriesVerdi La traviata, E-Strano

In 1964, Igor Stravinsky recorded his opera The Rake's Progress with the RPO. From 1964 to 1979 the RPO was engaged by Decca Records to record the Gilbert and Sullivan operas with the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company.

In 1986, the orchestra launched RPO Records, claimed to be 'the world's first record label to be owned by a symphony orchestra.

As well as performing works from the classical repertoire, the RPO has recorded a number of film scores, including those for Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's The Red Shoes and The Tales of Hoffmann.

An extensive collection of budget-priced CDs recorded by the RPO has been released by The International Music Company AG in Germany. These CDs are mainly available on the European market.

Music directors and principal conductors

Thomas Beecham (1946–1961, Music Director)Rudolf Kempe (1961–1962, Principal Conductor; 1963–1975, Music Director)Antal Doráti (1975–1978, Principal Conductor)Walter Weller (1980–1985, Principal Conductor)André Previn (1985–1988, Music Director; 1988–1992, Principal Conductor)Vladimir Ashkenazy (1987–1994, Music Director)Yuri Temirkanov (1992–1998, Principal Conductor)Daniele Gatti (1996–2009, Music Director)Charles Dutoit (2009–present, Principal Conductor)

Non-classical work

Associated with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, currently managed by Elli Appleby, which is devoted to playing lighter classics. It was formed in 1987, in succession to the Royal Philharmonic Pops Orchestra.

RPO players have been involved with many performances away from the classical repertory, including Yanni Live at the Acropolis, a concert held in Greece in 1993, conducted by Shardad Rohani; the Hooked on Classics series of records; orchestral arrangements of rock music by the likes of Pink Floyd, Elkie Brooks (on the album Amazing), Oasis, Queen, George Michael, R.E.M., U2, and ABBA; the song/album, Art of Life by Japanese rock band X Japan, composed by Yoshiki Hayashi; the official theme music of the UEFA Champions League (UEFA Champions League Anthem), tracks on the British folk metal band Skyclad's 2004 album A Semblance of Normality the Symphonic Rock: A Symphony of Hits 2004 album; and the BBC Grandstand Theme in 1982; Seotaiji Symphony, a concert held in Seoul in 2008, with South Korean rock star Seo Taiji, conducted by Tolga Kashif. The orchestra also recorded in 1998 the CD "Material Girl, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra plays the music of Madonna". In 2011, the RPO recorded the score for Fantasmic! at Tokyo DisneySea. In November 2011, the orchestra will be playing Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy, a concert based on the music of the Final Fantasy series at the Royal Albert Hall

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra scored a #10 hit single in the United States in early 1982 with the track, "Hooked On Classics", a medley derived from the album series of the same name.

The orchestra recorded the theme for Radio Mercury, who were also patrons of a number of concerts.