Conductor Timeline | Hallé Orchestra Conductor Timeline Principal Conductors of the Hallé * indicates permanent conductor Sir Charles Hallé * 1858-1895 Sir Charles Hallé dominated the musical life in Manchester for nearly 50 years. He is of course best remembered for his founding of the Orchestra that bears his name, but before that he conducted the Gentlemen’s Concerts, and the Royal Northern College of Music is another continuing part of his legacy. Karl Hallé was born into a musical family in Hagen, Westphalia, Germany in 1819. The young Halle was performing from the age of four, and aged 11 conducted Hagen’s annual opera season when his father was ill. Hallé went to Paris in 1836 and there met and made friends with Chopin & Berlioz and other musicians who frequented the salon society. The revolution of 1848 changed all thought of remaining in Paris however and with many other artistic refugees Hallé headed for England. It was at this point he anglicised his name, adding the accent to ensure it was pronounced correctly. Manchester in 1848 was a wealthy industrial city.

It had a thriving German community and a flourishing musical tradition in the Gentlemen’s Concerts. Hermann Leo was a Manchester calico printer who had met Hallé in Paris, it was he who suggested that Hallé ‘take Manchester in hand’. Hallé performed in a concert for the Gentlemen’s Concerts in 1848 and a year later was appointed their conductor. He was given wide powers to raise standards, and one of his first moves was to insist on more concerts that the general public were admitted to, rather than private subscribers. Hallé saw his role as much as an educator as anything, and his determination to make music accessible was one of his outstanding qualities. In 1857 Manchester staged an arts treasures exhibition and Hallé was engaged to provide daily concerts. For this he recruited players from the continent to enlarge his existing orchestra to sixty. As Hallé himself later wrote: “When the Exhibition closed its doors in October 1857, the orchestra which I had taken so much trouble to form and which had given such satisfaction, was on the point of being dispersed to the four points of the compass, never to be heard of again in Manchester.

This was excessively painful to me, and to prevent it I determined to give weekly concerts during the autumn and winter at my own risk and peril, and to engage the whole band, trusting to the now awakened taste for music for success…I felt that the whole musical education of the public had to be undertaken”. The first concert was, of course given at the Free Trade Hall on 30th January 1858, and they have continued uninterrupted ever since. Frederick Cowen 1896-1899 Richter was offered the conductorship of the Hallé in 1895, but was unable to accept at the time, making it clear however that he was keen to come at a later date. Cowen was appointed annually as conductor until the Hallé Concerts Society was formed.

His departure was bitterly resented by Cowen, who had certainly regarded himself as the Permanent Conductor, he recalled in his autobiography “it was very galling to me to think that there I had been for a couple of years striving to maintain the success of the concerts to the best of my ability, without the faintest notion that I was simply ‘keeping the place warm’ all the while for my celebrated colleague to step into whenever he felt so disposed.” At the time Cowen was angry enough to bring in the press, with letters to the Manchester Guardian about his grievances and a personal letter to Richter asking him not to accept the Hallé position. Hans Richter * 1899-1911 By a strange quirk of fate Hans Richter was conducting at the Free trade Hall on the day Hallé died. He was acknowledged at the time as being one of the world’s greatest conductors, if not the greatest. His enthusiasm for moving from the Vienna Philharmonic to Manchester in 1899 shows just how highly regarded Sir Charles’ ‘band’ was. A strong personality Richter could play every instrument in the orchestra and conducted entirely from memory.

He championed the work of Elgar, who dedicated his first symphony to Richter ‘True Artist & True Friend’ which was given its world premiere in Manchester on 3rd December 1908. He left one further lasting legacy in the Pension Fund. For many years there had been a tradition of a final concert in the series ‘for the benefit of the band’. The formation of the Hallé Concerts Society had provided for the endowment of a ‘sustentation fund’ for cases of need within the Orchestra and their families. At the end of the 1901 season Richter announced to the press his intention to give a special concert in aid of the fund at the end of each season. These concerts continued until 1961. Michael Balling * 1912-1914 A musical pioneer very much in the Charles Hallé mould, Balling’s tenure was cut short by the First World War, he was visiting his homeland when war broke out and therefore unable to return to England. A protégé of Richter’s at Bayreuth, he introduced many new composers and their works to Manchester including Mahler.

He increased rehearsal time, took the press into his confidence and pushed for civic aid for the Hallé Concerts. Sir Thomas Beecham 1914-1920 & 1933-1939 During the First World War Beecham took the title Musical Adviser, conducting many concerts and planning those he could not. He was instrumental in revitalising the Hallé programmes still further with works by Delius, Ravel, Debussy and Stravinksy amongst others. He took no fees throughout the war-time period and this generosity did much to help ensure the Hallé’s survival. He was strongly in favour of the appointment of Hamilton Harty as permanent conductor. After Harty’s departure in 1933 Sir Thomas again took a role in maintaining the concert programming and planning, sharing responsibility for a number of years with Sir Malcolm Sargent and various guest conductors. Sir Hamilton Harty * 1920-1933 Under Sir Hamilton Harty the Hallé made its first commercial recordings, with Columbia, and its first broadcasts. Harty secured a contract from Columbia that allowed him to increase rehearsal times, and he re-approached the issue of municipal aid.

He secured some financial support for a series of Municipal Concerts at Manchester’s Town Hall, which survived until 1940. His dismissal of the few women players who had joined the Orchestra during the First World War sparked controversy, as did his programming in the later years of his tenure. Sir Malcolm Sargent 1933-1942 Following Harty’s departure the Hallé relied on a succession of guest conductors as well as on regular appearances by Beecham and Sargent. Sargent’s work with the Hallé during the early part of the Second World War remains legendary, including a promise to conduct the Hallé ‘on the street corners if necessary’. Sir John Barbirolli * 1943-1970 Still remembered with great admiration and affection by many, Sir John arrived in a war-torn Manchester in June 1943. What happened next is the stuff of legend. He had a month to assemble and train an orchestra of 70 players who were required to follow a punishing schedule of concerts – 258 in 1944-45, only a third of which were in Manchester.

He took the Hallé on their first foreign tours, oversaw its first television appearance and left a legacy of great recordings that are still enjoyed today. Sir John presided over the Hallé’s Centenary season in 1957-58 and is the only conductor to have been presented with the Hallé’s gold medal for long service. He declined several lucrative offers to conduct other orchestras, remarking to his wife after one ovation at Belle Vue ‘I simply can’t leave that’. James Loughran CBE * 1971-1983 Loughran oversaw the remodelling of the Industrial Concerts as the Opus One series, conducted at the Hallé Promenade Concerts and introduced several contemporary works to Manchester. An impressive discography includes the complete Brahms symphonies. He developed the Hallé’s touring schedule throughout Europe, including Norway and Sweden as well as Hong Kong and Australia for the first time.

Stanislaw Skrowaczewski * 1982-1992 Under Skrowaczewski the Hallé toured to the United States for the first time in 1987, and in the same year made an emotional tour to Poland, the country of his birth. Memorable performances of Bruckner and Shostakovich stand alongside critically acclaimed recordings. Skrowaczewski continues to make regular visits to the Hallé. Kent Nagano * 1992-2000 Kent Nagano took the Hallé to its new home in Manchester, The Bridgewater Hall. Artistic highlights of his tenure included appearances at the Salzburg Festival, concert performances of Britten’s Billy Budd, Puccini’s Tosca and Mahler’s Das klagende Lied. The Orchestra also toured to Japan for the first time and played at the Hollywood Bowl. Sir Mark Elder CBE * appointed 2000 Sir Mark Elder, who was knighted for services to music in 2008, became Music Director in 2000.

Under his leadership the Hallé has won numerous awards, including the South Bank Award for collaborations with the BBC Philharmonic, Royal Northern College of Music and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Sir Mark was awarded Honorary Membership of the Royal Philharmonic Society in 2011. The Hallé today ranks among the UK’s top symphonic ensembles, with award winning recordings, radio broadcasts and educational outreach programmes, one of which, the Hallé ‘Roadshow’ is very much Sir Marks’ inspiration. Join the Newsletter Sign Up Download The 2016-17 Season Brochure Don’t want to view online? You can find all of our 2016-17 season concerts in one handy pdf brochure here. Box office: 0161 907 9000 Hallé Concerts Society The Hallé : Wikis (The Full Wiki) The Full Wiki More info on The Hallé Wikis Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles .

Related top topics From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Hallé orchestra Hallé Choir, Hallé Youth Orchestra, Hallé Youth Choir Website Sir Charles Hallé The Hallé is a symphony orchestra based in Manchester , England. It is the UK's oldest extant symphony orchestra (and the fourth oldest in the world), supports a choir and a youth orchestra, and releases its recordings on its own record label, though it has occasionally released recordings on Angel Records and EMI . Since 1996 the orchestra has been resident at the Bridgewater Hall . Contents History Official The Hallé logo In May 1857, the pianist and conductor Charles Hallé set up an orchestra to perform at the Manchester Art Treasures Exhibition , and the orchestra performed through October 1857. Hallé then decided to continue work with this orchestra as a formal organisation, and the orchestra gave its first concert under those auspices on 30 January 1858. The orchestra's home for the first part of its history was the Free Trade Hall . The orchestra was in financial trouble in 1861, when it performed only two concerts.

[1] [2] The Hallé's first programme (1858) Hans Richter served as music director from 1899 to 1911. During his tenure, the orchestra gave the first performance of the Symphony No. 1 of Sir Edward Elgar . In 1943, the orchestra was again in crisis, having diminished in size to 30 players. [1] Over the next 27 years, from 1943 to 1970, the orchestra's next music director, Sir John Barbirolli , restored the Hallé to national prominence. Together, they made many recordings, including the first recording of Ralph Vaughan Williams ' Symphony No. 8 , of which they also gave the first performance. During Barbirolli's tenure, one of the most notable orchestra members was concertmaster Martin Milner, who served in that capacity from 1958 to 1987.

Barbirolli regarded Milner as his "right-hand man" and once wrote in appreciation to him: "You are the finest leader I have ever had in my fairly long career." [3] Kent Nagano was principal conductor of the orchestra from 1992 to 1999. The orchestra moved from the Free Trade Hall to the Bridgewater Hall in 1996, as its primary concert venue. During his tenure, Nagano received criticism for his expensive and ambitious programming, as well as his conducting fees. [4] However, poor financial management at the orchestra separately contributed to the fiscal troubles of the orchestra. The orchestra faced major financial problems during the late 1990s, including a GB£ 1.3 million deficit in 1998, to the point where the existence of the orchestra was threatened with loss of funding from the Arts Council and ultimately bankruptcy. [5] During 1997, there was an eight-month period when the orchestra had no executive director. However, Leslie Robinson then served for two years as chief executive after that period. Robinson began to implement changes to the orchestra to start to bring under control the orchestra's financial troubles.

These included public fund-raising, which netted GB£2 million, cutting the number of people on the orchestra board in half, and reducing the number of musicians in the orchestra from 98 to 80. Since 1999, the orchestra's chief executive is John Summers, and he continued Robinson's fiscal practices to restore greater financial security to the orchestra. [6] In 2001, the Arts Council awarded the orchestra a GB£3.8 million grant to allow it to pay off accumulated debts and increase musician salaries, which had been frozen for 4 years. [7] In September 2000, Sir Mark Elder , CBE , took up the appointment of the orchestra's music director, having been appointed to the post in 1999. [8] His concerts with the orchestra have received consistently positive reviews, and he is generally regarded as having restored the orchestra to high critical and musical standards. [9] In 2004, Elder signed a contract to extend his tenure through 2010. [10] In May 2009, the orchestra announced the further extension of Elder's contract to 2015.

[11] One of the orchestra's recent ideas was to try to find alternative stage dress to the traditional "penguin suits", but this idea did not come to fruition. [12] The orchestra has also begun to issue new CD recordings under its own label. [13] In March 2006, the orchestra was forced to cancel a planned tour of the United States because of the cost and administrative difficulties in obtaining visas for the musicians, a result of the tougher visa regulations intended to combat potential terrorist attacks. [14] The orchestra appointed its first-ever principal guest conductor, Cristian Mandeal, in 2006. He served in this post until 2009. In February 2008, the orchestra announced the appointment of Markus Stenz as its next principal guest conductor, starting in 2009. Past assistant conductors have included Edward Gardner and Rory Macdonald. Ewa Strusińska is the current assistant conductor of the orchestra, as of 2008, the first female conductor named to a UK assistant conductorship. [15] The current leader of the orchestra is Lyn Fletcher. The orchestra's current head of artistic planning is Geoffrey Owen.

Notable premieres Colin Matthews , 'Pluto,' an addition to Holst 's The Planets (2000) Hallé Choir The Hallé Choir was founded with the Orchestra in 1858 by Sir Charles Hallé. The choir gives around twenty concerts a year with the Hallé at The Bridgewater Hall and other venues across the UK. Appearing with many international conductors and soloists in concert and recordings, the choir performs an exciting and varied repertoire of major choral and operatic works rangin from mainstream pieces to more esoteric pieces and brand new commissions. James Burton was choral director from April 2002 to July 2009. Recent guest choral directors have included Tom Seligman, David Lawrence and Frances Cooke. Ralph Allwood will be guest choral director for the remaining part of the 2009–2010 season. The choir's activities include individual vocal coaching, sectional and full choir rehearsals as well as social events. Margaret McDonald is the choir's vocal coach.

The Hallé Choir has received outstanding critical acclaim for many performances with Elder, including a memorable Verdi centenary programme at the BBC Proms and performances of Joseph Haydn 's The Creation , J.S. Bach 's St. John Passion and Leoš Janáček 's Glagolitic Mass . The Hallé's CD label features the choir on its releases, English Rhapsody, Hallé Christmas Classics and Elgar: A Self-Portrait. More recently, the choir took a central part in the highly-acclaimed Hallé 2008 recording of Elgar's Dream of Gerontius with Bryn Terfel, Alice Coote, Paul Groves, Hallé Choir and the Hallé Youth Choir, which won a Gramophone Award. Principal conductors Orchestra - Classical Music Classical Music Mappa del sito 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.

The orchestra grew by accretion throughout the eighteenth and 19th centuries, but changed very little in composition during the course of the 20th century. A smaller-sized orchestra for this time period (of about fifty players or fewer) is called a chamber orchestra. A full-size orchestra (about 100 players) may sometimes be called a "symphony orchestra" or "philharmonic orchestra"; these modifiers do not necessarily indicate any strict difference in either the instrumental constitution or role of the orchestra, but can be useful to distinguish different ensembles based in the same city (for instance, the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra). A symphony orchestra will usually have over eighty musicians on its roster, in some cases over a hundred, but the actual number of musicians employed in a particular performance may vary according to the work being played and the size of the venue. A leading chamber orchestra might employ as many as fifty musicians; some are much smaller than that. Instrumentation The typical symphony orchestra consists of four proportionate groups of similar musical instruments called the woodwinds, brass, percussion, and strings. The orchestra, depending on the size, contains almost all of the standard instruments in each group.

In the history of the orchestra, its instrumentation has been expanded over time, often agreed to have been standardized by the classical period and Beethoven's influence on the classical model. Beethoven's influence The so-called "standard complement" of double winds and brass in the orchestra from the first half of the 19th century is generally attributed to the forces called for by Ludwig van Beethoven. The exceptions to this are his Symphony No. 4, Violin Concerto, and Piano Concerto No. 4, which each specify a single flute. The composer's instrumentation almost always included paired flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns and trumpets. Beethoven carefully calculated the expansion of this particular timbral "palette" in Symphonies 3, 5, 6, and 9 for an innovative effect. The third horn in the "Eroica" Symphony arrives to provide not only some harmonic flexibility, but also the effect of "choral" brass in the Trio. Piccolo, contrabassoon, and trombones add to the triumphal finale of his Symphony No. 5. A piccolo and a pair of trombones help deliver storm and sunshine in the Sixth.

The Ninth asks for a second pair of horns, for reasons similar to the "Eroica" (four horns has since become standard); Beethoven's use of piccolo, contrabassoon, trombones, and untuned percussion – plus chorus and vocal soloists – in his finale, are his earliest suggestion that the timbral boundaries of "symphony" might be expanded for good. But for several decades after his departure, symphonic instrumentation was faithful to Beethoven's well-established model, with few exceptions. Expanded instrumentation Apart from the core orchestral complement, various other instruments are called for occasionally. These include the classical guitar, heckelphone, flugelhorn, cornet, harpsichord, and organ. Saxophones, for example, appear in a limited range of 19th and 20th century scores.

While appearing only as featured solo instruments in some works, for example Maurice Ravel's orchestration of Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition and Sergei Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances, the saxophone is included in other works, such as Ravel's Boléro, Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet Suites 1 and 2, Vaughan Williams Symphony No.6 and Symphony No.9 and William Walton's Belshazzar's Feast, and many other works as a member of the orchestral ensemble. The euphonium is featured in a few late Romantic and 20th century works, usually playing parts marked "tenor tuba", including Gustav Holst's The Planets, and Richard Strauss's Ein Heldenleben. The Wagner tuba, a modified member of the horn family, appears in Richard Wagner's cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen and several other works by Richard Strauss, Béla Bartók, and others; it has a prominent role in Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 7 in E Major.

Cornets appear in Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake, Claude Debussy's La Mer, and several orchestral works by Hector Berlioz. Unless these instruments are played by members doubling on another instrument (for example, a trombone player changing to euphonium for a certain passage), orchestras will use freelance musicians to augment their regular rosters. The 20th century orchestra was far more flexible than its predecessors. During composers Beethoven and Felix Mendelssohn's time, the orchestra was composed of a fairly standard core of instruments which was very rarely modified. As time progressed, and as the Romantic saw changes in accepted modification with composers such as Berlioz, followed by Johannes Brahms and eventually Gustav Mahler, the 20th century saw that orchestration could practically be hand-picked by the composer. Today, however, the modern orchestra has generally been considered standardized with the modern instrumentation listed below. With this history in mind, the orchestra can be seen to have a general evolution as outlined below. The first is a typical classical orchestra (i.e. Beethoven/Haydn), the second is typical of an early/mid- romantic (i.e.

Brahms/Dvořák/Tchaikovsky), late romantic/early 20th century (i.e. Wagner/Mahler/Stravinsky), to the common complement of a present day modern orchestras (i.e. Adams/Barber/Copland/Glass).

Classical Orchestra 2 Clarinets (in C, B-flat, or A) 2 Bassoons 2 or 4 Horns (in any key) 2 Trumpets (in any key) Percussion 2 Clarinets in B-flat, A (Bass Clarinet in B-flat, A) 2 Bassoons (Contrabassoon) 4 Horns in F (sometimes in different keys) 2 Trumpets in F (sometimes in different keys) (2 Cornets in B-flat) 3 Trombones (2 Tenors, 1 Bass) (Tuba) Percussion English Horn Clarinet in E-flat 3 Clarinets in B-flat, A Bass Clarinet 3-4 Trumpets in F, C, B-flat 3-4 Trombones (2-3 Tenors, 1 Bass) (Wagner Tubas (2 Tenors, 2 Bass) 1-2 Tubas Bass Clarinet (and/or Clarinet in E-flat) 2 Bassoons 3 Trombones (2 Tenors, 1 Bass) (Euphonium) Tuba (Varies heavily according to composer's needs) Timpani 8 Double basses Organization Among the instrument

 groups and within each group of instruments, there is a generally accepted hierarchy.

Every instrumental group (or section) has a principal who is generally responsible for leading the group and playing orchestral solos. The violins are divided into two groups, first violin and second violin, each with its principal. The principal first violin is called the concertmaster (or "leader" in the UK) and is considered the leader of not only the string section, but of the entire orchestra, subordinate only to the conductor. The principal trombone is considered the leader of the low brass section, while the principal trumpet is generally considered the leader of the entire brass section. Similarly, the principal oboe is considered the leader of the woodwind section, and is the player to whom all others tune. The horn, while technically a brass instrument, often acts in the role of both woodwind and brass. Most sections also have an assistant principal (or co-principal or associate principal), or in the case of the first violins, an assistant concertmaster, who often plays a tutti part in addition to replacing the principal in his or her absence.

A section string player plays unison with the rest of the section, except in the case of divided (divisi) parts, where upper and lower parts in the music are often assigned to "outside" (nearer the audience) and "inside" seated players. Where a solo part is called for in a string section, the section leader invariably plays that part. Tutti wind and brass players generally play a unique but non-solo part. Section percussionists play parts assigned to them by the principal percussionist. In modern times, the musicians are usually directed by a conductor, although early orchestras did not have one, giving this role instead to the concertmaster or the harpsichordist playing the continuo. Some modern orchestras also do without conductors, particularly smaller orchestras and those specializing in historically accurate (so-called "period") performances of baroque and earlier music. The most frequently performed repertoire for a symphony orchestra is Western classical music or opera. However, orchestras are used sometimes in popular music, extensively in film music, and more and more often in video game music. The term "orchestra" can also be applied to a jazz ensemble, for example in performance of big band music.

History of the orchestra Early history The modern orchestra has its historical roots in Ancient Egypt. The first orchestras were made up of small groups of musicians that gathered for festivals, holidays or funerals. During the time of the Roman Empire, the government suppressed the musicians and informal ensembles were banned[why?], but they reappeared after the collapse of the Empire. It was not until the 11th century that families of instruments started to appear with differences in tones and octaves. True modern orchestras started in the late 16th century when composers started writing music for instrumental groups. In the 15th and 16th centuries in Italy the households of nobles had musicians to provide music for dancing and the court, however with the emergence of the theatre, particularly opera, in the early 17th century, music was increasingly written for groups of players in combination, which is the origin of orchestral playing. Opera originated in Italy, and Germany eagerly followed. Dresden, Munich and Hamburg successively built opera houses.

At the end of the 17th century opera flourished in England under Henry Purcell, and in France under Lully, who with the collaboration of Molière also greatly raised the status of the entertainments known as ballets, interspersed with instrumental and vocal music.... In the 17th century and early 18th century, instrumental groups were taken from all of the available talent. A composer such as Johann Sebastian Bach had control over almost all of the musical resources of a town, whereas Handel would hire the best musicians available. This placed a premium on being able to rewrite music for whichever singers or musicians were best suited for a performance—Handel produced different versions of the Messiah oratorio almost every year. As nobility began to build retreats away from towns, they began to hire musicians to form permanent ensembles. Composers such as the young Joseph Haydn would then have a fixed body of instrumentalists to work with. At the same time, travelling virtuoso performers such as the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart would write concerti that showed off their skills, and they would travel from town to town, arranging concerts along the way.

The aristocratic orchestras worked together over long periods, making it possible for ensemble playing to improve with practice. Mannheim School This change, from civic music making where the composer had some degree of time or control, to smaller court music making and one-off performance, placed a premium on music that was easy to learn, often with little or no rehearsal. The results were changes in musical style and emphasis on new techniques. Mannheim had one of the most famous orchestras of that time, where notated dynamics and phrasing, previously quite rare, became standard (see Mannheim school). It also attended a change in musical style from the complex counterpoint of the baroque period, to an emphasis on clear melody, homophonic textures, short phrases, and frequent cadences: a style that would later be defined as classical. Throughout the late 18th century composers would continue to have to assemble musicians for a performance, often called an "Academy", which would, naturally, feature their own compositions. In 1781, however, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra was organized from the merchants concert society, and it began a trend towards the formation of civic orchestras that would accelerate into the 19th century.

In 1815, Boston's Handel and Haydn Society was founded, in 1842 the New York Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic were formed, and in 1858, the Hallé Orchestra was formed in Manchester. There had long been standing bodies of musicians around operas, but not for concert music: this situation changed in the early 19th century as part of the increasing emphasis in the composition of symphonies and other purely instrumental forms. This was encouraged by composer critics such as E. T. A. Hoffmann who declared that instrumental music was the "purest form" of music. The creation of standing orchestras also resulted in a professional framework where musicians could rehearse and perform the same works repeatedly, leading to the concept of a repertoire in instrumental music. Performance standards In the 1830s, conductor François Antoine Habeneck, began rehearsing a selected group of musicians in order to perform the symphonies of Beethoven, which had not been heard of in their entirety in Paris. He developed techniques of rehearsing the strings separately, notating specifics of performance, and other techniques of cuing entrances that were spread across Europe.

His rival and friend Hector Berlioz would adopt many of these innovations in his touring of Europe. Instrumental craftsmanship The invention of the piston and rotary valve by Heinrich Stölzel and Friedrich Blühmel, both Silesians, in 1815, was the first in a series of innovations, including the development of modern keywork for the flute by Theobald Boehm and the innovations of Adolphe Sax in the woodwinds. These advances would lead Hector Berlioz to write a landmark book on instrumentation, which was the first systematic treatise on the use of instrumental sound as an expressive element of music. The effect of the invention of valves for the brass was felt almost immediately: instrument-makers throughout Europe strove together to foster the use of these newly refined instruments and continuing their perfection; and the orchestra was before long enriched by a new family of valved instruments, variously known as tubas, or euphoniums and bombardons, having a chromatic scale and a full sonorous tone of great beauty and immense volume, forming a magnificent bass.

This also made possible a more uniform playing of notes or intonation, which would lead to a more and more "smooth" orchestral sound that would peak in the 1950s with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra and the conducting of Herbert von Karajan with the Berlin Philharmonic. During this transition period, which gradually eased the performance of more demanding "natural" brass writing, many composers (notably Wagner and Berlioz) still notated brass parts for the older "natural" instruments. This practice made it possible for players still using natural horns, for instance, to perform from the same parts as those now playing valved instruments. However, over time, use of the valved instruments became standard, indeed universal, until the revival of older instruments in the contemporary movement towards authentic performance (sometimes known as "historically informed performance"). At the time of the invention of the valved brass, the pit orchestra of most operetta composers seems to have been modest. An example is Sullivan's use of two flutes, one oboe, two clarinets, one bassoon, two horns, two cornets (a piston), two trombones, drums and strings.

During this time of invention, winds and brass were expanded, and had an increasingly easy time playing in tune with each other: particularly the ability for composers to score for large masses of wind and brass that previously had been impractical. Works such as the Requiem of Hector Berlioz would have been impossible to perform just a few decades earlier, with its demanding writing for twenty woodwinds, as well as four gigantic brass ensembles each including around four trumpets, four trombones, and two tubas. Wagner's influence The next major expansion of symphonic practice came from Richard Wagner's Bayreuth orchestra, founded to accompany his musical dramas. Wagner's works for the stage were scored with unprecedented scope and complexity: indeed, his score to Das Rheingold calls for six harps. Thus, Wagner envisioned an ever-more-demanding role for the conductor of the theater orchestra, as he elaborated in his influential work "On Conducting". This brought about a revolution in orchestral composition, and set the style for orchestral performance for the next eighty years. Wagner's theories re-examined the importance of tempo, dynamics, bowing of string instruments and the role of principals in the orchestra.

Conductors who studied his methods would go on to be influential themselves. 20th century orchestra As the early 20th century dawned, symphony orchestras were larger, better funded, and better trained than ever before; consequently, composers could compose larger and more ambitious works. The influence of Gustav Mahler was particularly innovational; his later symphonies, such as the mammoth Symphony No. 8, Mahler pushes the furthest boundaries of orchestral size, employing huge forces. By the peak years of Shostakovich, orchestras could support the most enormous forms of symphonic expression. With the recording era beginning, the standard of performance reached a pinnacle. In recordings, small errors in a performance could be "fixed", but many older conductors and composers could remember a time when simply "getting through" the music as best as possible was the standard. Combined with the wider audience made possible by recording, this led to a renewed focus on particular conductors and on a high standard of orchestral execution. As sound was added to silent film, the virtuoso orchestra became a key component of the establishment of motion pictures as mass-market entertainment.

Counter-revolution In the 1920s and 1930s, economic as well as artistic considerations led to the formation of smaller concert societies, particularly those dedicated to the performance of music of the avant-garde, including Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoenberg. This tendency to start festival orchestras or dedicated groups would also be pursued in the creation of summer musical festivals, and orchestras for the performance of smaller works. Among the most influential of these was the Academy of St Martin in the Fields under the baton of Sir Neville Marriner. With the advent of the early music movement, smaller orchestras where players worked on execution of works in styles derived from the study of older treatises on playing became common. These include the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the London Classical Players under the direction of Sir Roger Norrington and the Academy of Ancient Music under Christopher Hogwood, among others. Recent trends The late 20th century saw a crisis of funding and support for orchestras. The size and cost of a symphony orchestra, compared to the size of the base of supporters, became an issue that struck at the core of the institution.

The drastic falling-off of revenues from recording, tied to no small extent to changes in the recording industry itself, began a period of change that has yet to reach its conclusion. Critics such as Norman Lebrecht were vocal in their diagnosis of the problem as the "jet set conductor" and the problems of orchestral repertory and management, while other music administrators such as Michael Tilson Thomas and Esa-Pekka Salonen argued that new music, new means of presenting it, and a renewed relationship with the community could revitalize the symphony orchestra. It is not uncommon for contemporary composers to use unconventional instruments, including various synthesizers, to achieve desired effects. Many, however, find more conventional orchestral configuration to provide better possibilities for color and depth. Composers like John Adams often employ Romantic-size orchestras, as in Adams' opera Nixon in China; Philip Glass and others may be more free, yet still identify size-boundaries. Glass in particular has recently turned to conventional orchestras in works like the Concerto for Cello and Orchestra and the Violin Concerto No. 2. Conductorless orchestras The post-revolutionary symphony orchestra Persimfans was formed in the Soviet Union in 1922.

The unusual aspect of the orchestra was that, believing that in the ideal Marxist state all people are equal, its members felt that there was no need to be led by the dictatorial baton of a conductor; instead they were led by a committee. Although it was a partial success, the principal difficulty with the concept was in changing tempo. The orchestra survived for ten years before Stalin's cultural politics effectively forced it into disbandment by draining away its funding.[9] Some ensembles, such as the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, based in New York City, have had more success, although decisions are likely to be deferred to some sense of leadership within the ensemble (for example, the principal wind and string players). Others have returned to the tradition of a principal player, usually a violinist, being the artistic director and running rehearsals (such as the Australian Chamber Orchestra and the New Century Chamber Orchestra). Multiple conductors The techniques of polystylism and polytempo music have recently led a few composers to write music where multiple orchestras perform simultaneously. These trends have brought about the phenomenon of polyconductor music, wherein separate sub-conductors conduct each group of musicians. Usually, one principal conductor conducts the sub-conductors, thereby shaping the overall performance.

Some pieces are enormously complex in this regard, such as Evgeni Kostitsyn's Third Symphony, which calls for nine conductors. Charles Ives often used two conductors, one for example to simulate a marching band coming through his piece. Realizations for Symphonic Band includes one example from Ives. One of the famous example in the late century orchestral music is Karlheinz Stockhausen's Gruppen, for three orchestras placed around the public. This way, the sound masses could be spacialized, as in an electroacoustic work. Gruppen was premiered in Cologne, in 1958, conducted by Stockhausen, Bruno Maderna and Pierre Boulez. Recently, it was performed by Simon Rattle, John Carewe and Daniel Harding. Other meanings of orchestra In Ancient Greece, the orchestra was the space between the auditorium and the proscenium (or stage), in which were stationed the chorus and the instrumentalists. The word orchestra literally means "a dancing place". In some theaters, the orchestra is the area of seats directly in front of the stage (called primafila or platea); the term more properly applies to the place in a theatre, or concert hall reserved for the musicians.

Orchestra O Orchestra An orchestra is an instrumental ensemble, usually fairly large with string, brass, woodwind sections, and almost always a percussion section as well. The term orchestra derives from the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus . The orchestra grew by accretion throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, but changed very little in composition during the course of the twentieth century. A smaller-sized orchestra for this time period (of about fifty players or fewer) is called a chamber orchestra. A full-size orchestra (about 100 players) may sometimes be called a "symphony orchestra" or "philharmonic orchestra"; these prefixes do not necessarily indicate any strict difference in either the instrumental constitution or role of the orchestra, but can be useful to distinguish different ensembles based in the same city (for instance, the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra). A symphony orchestra will usually have over eighty musicians on its roster, in some cases over a hundred, but the actual number of musicians employed in a particular performance may vary according to the work being played and the size of the venue. A leading chamber orchestra might employ as many as fifty musicians; some are much smaller than that.

Instrumentation The typical symphony orchestra consists of four proportionate groups of similar musical instruments called the woodwinds , brass , percussion , and strings . The orchestra, depending on the size, contains almost all of the standard instruments in each group. In the history of the orchestra, its instrumentation has been expanded over time, often agreed to have been standardized by the classical period and Beethoven's influence on the classical model. Beethoven's influence The so-called "standard complement" of double winds and brass in the orchestra from the first half of the 19th century is generally attributed to the forces called for by Ludwig van Beethoven . The exceptions to this are his Symphony No. 4, Violin Concerto, and Piano Concerto No. 4, which each specify a single flute . The composer 's instrumentation almost always included paired flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns and trumpets. Beethoven carefully calculated the expansion of this particular timbral "palette" in Symphonies 3, 5, 6, and 9 for an innovative effect. The third horn in the "Eroica" Symphony arrives to provide not only some harmonic flexibility, but also the effect of "choral" brass in the Trio.

Piccolo, contrabassoon, and trombones add to the triumphal finale of his Symphony No. 5. A piccolo and a pair of trombones help deliver storm and sunshine in the Sixth. The Ninth asks for a second pair of horns, for reasons similar to the "Eroica" (four horns has since become standard); Beethoven's use of piccolo, contrabassoon, trombones, and unpitched percussion – plus chorus and vocal soloists – in his finale, are his earliest suggestion that the timbral boundaries of "symphony" might be expanded for good. But for several decades after his departure, symphonic instrumentation was faithful to Beethoven's well-established model, with few exceptions. Expanded instrumentation Apart from the core orchestral complement, various other instruments are called for occasionally. These include the classical guitar, heckelphone , flugelhorn , cornet , harpsichord , and organ. Saxophones , for example, appear in a limited range of 19th and 20th century scores.

While appearing only as featured solo instruments in some works, for example Maurice Ravel 's orchestration of Modest Mussorgsky 's Pictures at an Exhibition and Sergei Rachmaninoff 's Symphonic Dances, the saxophone is included in other works, such as Ravel's Boléro and William Walton 's Belshazzar's Feast, as a member of the orchestral ensemble. The euphonium is featured in a few late Romantic and 20th century works, usually playing parts marked "tenor tuba", including Gustav Holst's The Planets, and Richard Strauss 's Ein Heldenleben. The Wagner tuba, a modified member of the horn family, appears in Richard Wagner 's cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen and several other works by Richard Strauss, Béla Bartók, and others; it has a prominent role in Anton Bruckner 's Symphony No. 7 in E Major. Cornets appear in Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake, Claude Debussy 's La Mer, and several orchestral works by Hector Berlioz .

Unless these instruments are played by members doubling on another instrument (for example, a trombone player changing to euphonium for a certain passage), orchestras will use freelance musicians to augment their regular rosters. The 20th century orchestra was far more flexible than its predecessors. In composers such as Beethoven's and Felix Mendelssohn 's time, the orchestra was composed of a fairly standard core of instruments which was very rarely modified. As time progressed, and as the Romantic saw changes in accepted modification with composers such as Berlioz, followed by Johannes Brahms and eventually Gustav Mahler , the 20th century saw that orchestration could practically be hand-picked by the composer. With this history in mind, the orchestra can be seen to have a general evolution as outlined below. The first is a classical orchestra (i.e. Beethoven/late Haydn ), the second an early/mid- romantic (i.e. Brahms/Dvořák/ Schumann ), late romantic/early 20th century (i.e. Wagner/Mahler/Richard Strauss), modern (i.e.

Stravinsky to the present day, although as explained above this was far more flexible than the list implies and often forces would surpass the romantic/transition orchestra). Classical Orchestra 8 Double basses Organization Among the instrument groups and within each group of instruments, there is a generally accepted hierarchy. Every instrumental group (or section) has a principal who is generally responsible for leading the group and playing orchestral solos. The violins are divided into two groups, first violin and second violin, each with its principal. The principal first violin is called the concertmaster (or "leader" in the UK) and is considered the leader of not only the string section, but of the entire orchestra, subordinate only to the conductor . The principal trombone is considered the leader of the low brass section, while the principal trumpet is generally considered the leader of the entire brass section. Similarly, the principal oboe is considered the leader of the woodwind section, and is the player to whom all others tune. The horn, while technically a brass instrument, often acts in the role of both woodwind and brass.

Most sections also have an assistant principal (or co-principal or associate principal), or in the case of the first violins, an assistant concertmaster, who often plays a tutti part in addition to replacing the principal in his or her absence. A section string player plays unison with the rest of the section, except in the case of divided (divisi) parts, where upper and lower parts in the music are often assigned to "outside" (nearer the audience) and "inside" seated players. Where a solo part is called for in a string section, for example in the violins, the section leader invariably plays that part. Tutti wind and brass players generally play a unique but non-solo part. Section percussionists play parts assigned to them by the principal percussionist. In modern times, the musicians are usually directed by a conductor, although early orchestras did not have one, using instead the concertmaster or the harpsichordist playing the continuo for this role. Some modern orchestras also do without conductors, particularly smaller orchestras and those specializing in historically accurate performances of baroque music and earlier. The most frequently performed repertoire for a symphony orchestra is Western classical music or opera .

However, orchestras are sometimes used in popular music , used extensively in film music, and sometimes used in video game music. History of the orchestra Early history The history of the modern orchestra that we are familiar with today goes all the way back to Ancient Egypt. The first orchestras were made up of small groups of musicians that gathered for festivals, holidays or funerals. During the time of the Roman Empire , the government suppressed the musicians and informal ensembles were banned, but they reappeared after the collapse of the Empire. It was not until the 11th century that families of instruments started to appear with differences in tones and octaves. True modern orchestras started in the late 16th century when composers started writing music for instrumental groups. In the 15th and 16th centuries in Italy the households of nobles had musicians to provide music for dancing and the court , however with the emergence of the theatre, particularly opera, in the early 17th century, music was increasingly written for groups of players in combination, which is the origin of orchestral playing. Opera originated in Italy, and Germany eagerly followed. Dresden , Munich and Hamburg successively built opera houses.

At the end of the 17th century opera flourished in England under Henry Purcell , and in France under Lully, who with the collaboration of Molière also greatly raised the status of the entertainments known as ballets , interspersed with instrumental and vocal music. In the 17th century and early 18th century, instrumental groups were taken from all of the available talent. A composer such as Johann Sebastian Bach had control over almost all of the musical resources of a town, whereas Handel would hire the best musicians available. This placed a premium on being able to rewrite music for whichever singers or musicians were best suited for a performance—Handel produced different versions of the Messiah oratorio almost every year. As nobility began to build retreats away from towns, they began to hire musicians to form permanent ensembles. Composers such as the young Joseph Haydn would then have a fixed body of instrumentalists to work with. At the same time, travelling virtuoso performers would write concerti that showed off their skills, and they would travel from town to town, arranging concerts along the way. The aristocratic orchestras worked together over long periods, making it possible for ensemble playing to improve with practice.

Mannheim School This change, from civic music making where the composer had some degree of time or control, to smaller court music making and one-off performance, placed a premium on music that was easy to learn, often with little or no rehearsal. The results were changes in musical style and emphasis on new techniques. Mannheim had one of the most famous orchestras of that time, where notated dynamics and phrasing, previously quite rare, became standard (see Mannheim school). It also attended a change in musical style from the complex counterpoint of the baroque period, to an emphasis on clear melody , homophonic textures, short phrases, and frequent cadences: a style that would later be defined as classical. Throughout the late 18th century composers would continue to have to assemble musicians for a performance, often called an "Academy", which would, naturally, feature their own compositions. In 1781, however, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra was organized from the merchants concert society, and it began a trend towards the formation of civic orchestras that would accelerate into the 19th century.

In 1815, Boston's Handel and Haydn Society was founded, in 1842 the New York Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic were formed, and in 1858, the Hallé Orchestra was formed in Manchester. There had long been standing bodies of musicians around operas, but not for concert music: this situation changed in the early 19th century as part of the increasing emphasis in the composition of symphonies and other purely instrumental forms. This was encouraged by composer critics such as E. T. A. Hoffmann who declared that instrumental music was the "purest form" of music. The creation of standing orchestras also resulted in a professional framework where musicians could rehearse and perform the same works repeatedly, leading to the concept of a repertoire in instrumental music. Performance standards In the 1830s, conductor François Antoine Habeneck, began rehearsing a selected group of musicians in order to perform the symphonies of Beethoven, which had not been heard of in their entirety in Paris. He developed techniques of rehearsing the strings separately, notating specifics of performance, and other techniques of cuing entrances that were spread across Europe.

His rival and friend Hector Berlioz would adopt many of these innovations in his touring of Europe. Instrumental craftsmanship The invention of the piston and rotary valve by Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel and Friedrich Blühmel, both Silesians, in 1815, was the first in a series of innovations, including the development of modern keywork for the flute by Theobald Boehm and the innovations of Adolphe Sax in the woodwinds. These advances would lead Hector Berlioz to write a landmark book on instrumentation, which was the first systematic treatise on the use of instrumental sound as an expressive element of music. The effect of the invention of valves for the brass was felt almost immediately: instrument-makers throughout Europe strove together to foster the use of these newly refined instruments and continuing their perfection; and the orchestra was before long enriched by a new family of valved instruments, variously known as tubas , or euphoniums and bombardons, having a chromatic scale and a full sonorous tone of great beauty and immense volume, forming a magnificent bass.

This also made possible a more uniform playing of notes or intonation, which would lead to a more and more "smooth" orchestral sound that would peak in the 1950s with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra and the conducting of Herbert von Karajan with the Berlin Philharmonic. During this transition period, which gradually eased the performance of more demanding "natural" brass writing, many composers (notably Wagner and Berlioz) still notated brass parts for the older "natural" instruments. This practice made it possible for players still using natural horns, for instance, to perform from the same parts as those now playing valved instruments. However, over time, use of the valved instruments became standard, indeed universal, until the revival of older instruments in the contemporary movement towards authentic performance (sometimes known as "historically informed performance"). At the time of the invention of the valved brass, the pit orchestra of most operetta composers seems to have been modest. An example is Sullivan 's use of two flutes, one oboe, two clarinets, one bassoon, two horns, two cornets (a piston), two trombones, drums and strings.

During this time of invention, winds and brass were expanded, and had an increasingly easy time playing in tune with each other: particularly the ability for composers to score for large masses of wind and brass that previously had been impractical. Works such as the Requiem of Hector Berlioz would have been impossible to perform just a few decades earlier, with its demanding writing for twenty woodwinds, as well as four gigantic brass ensembles each including around four trumpets, four trombones, and two tubas. Wagner's influence The next major expansion of symphonic practice came from Richard Wagner's Bayreuth orchestra, founded to accompany his musical dramas. Wagner's works for the stage were scored with unprecedented scope and complexity: indeed, his score to Das Rheingold calls for six harps . Thus, Wagner envisioned an ever-more-demanding role for the conductor of the theater orchestra, as he elaborated in his influential work "On Conducting". This brought about a revolution in orchestral composition , and set the style for orchestral performance for the next eighty years. Wagner's theories re-examined the importance of tempo , dynamics, bowing of string instruments and the role of principals in the orchestra.

Conductors who studied his methods would go on to be influential themselves. 20th century orchestra As the early 20th century dawned, symphony orchestras were larger, better funded, and better trained than ever before; consequently, composers could compose larger and more ambitious works. With the recording era beginning, the standard of performance reached a pinnacle. In recordings, small errors in a performance could be "fixed", but many older conductors and composers could remember a time when simply "getting through" the music as best as possible was the standard. Combined with the wider audience made possible by recording, this led to a renewed focus on particular conductors and on a high standard of orchestral execution. As sound was added to silent film, the virtuoso orchestra became a key component of the establishment of motion pictures as mass-market entertainment. Counter-revolution In the 1920s and 1930s, economic as well as artistic considerations led to the formation of smaller concert societies, particularly those dedicated to the performance of music of the avant-garde, including Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoenberg .

This tendency to start festival orchestras or dedicated groups would also be pursued in the creation of summer musical festivals, and orchestras for the performance of smaller works. Among the most influential of these was the Academy of St Martin in the Fields under the baton of Sir Neville Marriner. With the advent of the early music movement, orchestras where players worked on execution of works in styles derived from the study of older treatises on playing became common. These include the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the London Classical Players under the direction of Sir Roger Norrington and the Academy of Ancient Music under Christopher Hogwood, among others. Recent trends The late 20th century saw a crisis of funding and support for orchestras. The size and cost of a symphony orchestra, compared to the size of the base of supporters, became an issue that struck at the core of the institution. The drastic falling-off of revenues from recording, tied to no small extent to changes in the recording industry itself, began a period of change that has yet to reach its conclusion.

Critics such as Norman Lebrecht were vocal in their diagnosis of the problem as the "jet set conductor" and the problems of orchestral repertory and management, while other music administrators such as Michael Tilson Thomas and Esa-Pekka Salonen argued that new music, new means of presenting it, and a renewed relationship with the community could revitalize the symphony orchestra. Conductorless orchestras The post-revolutionary symphony orchestra Persimfans was formed in the Soviet Union in 1922. The unusual aspect of the orchestra was that, believing that in the ideal Marxist state all people are equal, its members felt that there was no need to be led by the dictatorial baton of a conductor; instead they were led by a committee . Although it was a partial success, the principal difficulty with the concept was in changing tempo. The orchestra survived for ten years before Stalin's cultural politics effectively forced it into disbandment by draining away its funding. Some ensembles, such as the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, based in New York City, have had more success, although decisions are likely to be deferred to some sense of leadership within the ensemble (for example, the principal wind and string players).

Others have returned to the tradition of a principal player, usually a violinist, being the artistic director and running rehearsals (such as the Australian Chamber Orchestra and the New Century Chamber Orchestra). Multiple conductors The techniques of polystylism and [ polytempo] music have recently led a few composers to write music where multiple orchestras perform simultaneously. These trends have brought about the phenomenon of polyconductor music, wherein separate sub-conductors conduct each group of musicians. Usually, one principal conductor conducts the sub-conductors, thereby shaping the overall performance. Some pieces are enormously complex in this regard, such as Evgeni Kostitsyn's Third Symphony, which calls for nine conductors. Charles Ives often used two conductors, one for example to simulate a marching band coming through his piece. Realizations for Symphonic Band includes one example from Ives. One of the famous example in the late century orchestral music is Karlheinz Stockhausen's Gruppen, for three orchestras placed around the public. This way, the sound masses could be spacialized, as in an eletroacoustic work.

Gruppen was premiered in Cologne, in 1958, conducted by Stockhausen, Bruno Maderna and Pierre Boulez . Recently, it was performed by Simon Rattle, John Carewe and Daniel Harding. Other meanings of orchestra In Ancient Greece, the orchestra was the space between the auditorium and the proscenium (or stage), in which were stationed the chorus and the instrumentalists . The word orchestra literally means "a dancing place". In some theaters, the orchestra is the area of seats directly in front of the stage (called primafila or platea); the term more properly applies to the place in a theatre, or concert hall reserved for the musicians.

(Wikipedia) Wolverhampton What's On January 2016 by What's On Magazine for Wolverhampton and the Black Country, Staffordshire & Shropshire (page 18) - issuu issuu Classical Jan - Region 2.qxp_Layout 1 18/12/2015 19:18 Page 1 Classical Music Nigel Kennedy Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Sun 31 January Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Wed 27 January Perhaps in an attempt to distract himself from the feelings of mordant anguish that are part and parcel of supporting Aston Villa, maverick violinist Nigel Kennedy has headed out on tour with an acoustic version of his groundbreaking Four Seasons. The first half of the concert sees Nigel performing his own English Collection compositions. The pieces have been widely acclaimed for their ‘melodic charm, elegance, beauty and great virtuosity’. Mesmerising audiences and critics alike with her musicality and poise, Scottish-born violinist Nicola Benedetti is one of classical music’s most sought-after performers. Her road to fame began when she won Young Musician of the Year in 2004.

Awarded an MBE in the 2013 New Year’s Honours list, Benedetti went on to make chart history by becoming the first Scottish classical artist to break into the UK top twenty. She also played a patriotic role at the opening ceremony of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. This Midlands concert sees her beginning the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s mini-cycle of Szymanowski violin concertos with the ‘ravishing, fantastical’ Second. Lahav Shani conducts. The Halle Orchestra Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Fri 8 January Dvorak At Twilight: In Memory Of Peter Cropper Maidment Hall, Shrewsbury School, Sun 17 January Leader of the Lindsay Quartet for almost four decades, violinist Peter Cropper died suddenly in late May last year at the age of sixty-nine. This special concert pays tribute to a musician who was repeatedly hailed for his creativity and fearlessness, and often lauded for an undoubted streak of genius. The concert’s programme was dreamt up by Peter himself, his intention being to perform it for the Trust this season.

It comprises Dvorak’s Cypresses’ for String Quartet, String Quintet Op97 and String Sextet Op48. CBSO Scheherazade Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Thurs 14 & Sat 16 January Since its first concert in 1858, the Manchester-based Halle has been a real force to be reckoned with. The orchestra is renowned for its affinity with English music particularly the works of Elgar and Delius and is currently under the charge of acclaimed conductor Sir Mark Elder CBE. This Potteries concert sees the Halle celebrating the music of Johann and Richard Strauss. Jamie Phillips conducts, with Malin Christensson contributing as soloist. 16 whatsonlive.co.uk Andrew Gourlay is the man with the baton as the CBSO open Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s ‘book’ of musical stories. Scheherazade was an Arabic queen and the storyteller of The Arabian Nights. The legendary Russian composer’s 1888 symphonic poem brilliantly retells her story. Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite, 16 and Rachmaninov’s jazzy Piano Concerto No 4 also feature on the programme.

Moricosta String Trio New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Wed 27 January A Since meeting at the BBC Philharmonic, internationally acclaimed musicians Lucy Baker-Stockdale (violin), Steven Burnard (viola) and Jessica Burroughs (cello) have made a real name for themselves as the Moricosta String Trio, presenting their inaugural concert three years ago this very month. They here perform a programme that features Kurtag Signs’ Games And Messages, Dohnanyi’s Serenade and Mozart’s Divertimento.

Wolverhampton What's On March 2016 by What's On Magazine for Wolverhampton and the Black Country, Staffordshire & Shropshire (page 17) - issuu issuu Classical Shrops/Staffs March - Region 1.qxp_Layout 1 22/02/2016 13:08 Page 2 Classical Music Carducci String Quartet Halle Orchestra Lion Hotel, Shrewsbury, Sun 13 March Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Fri 18 March Performing more than 90 international concerts each year, Carducci are regarded as one of the most successful string quartets in the business. The Washington Post described their playing in a recent concert as displaying ‘a deep and almost familial sense of unity... full of life and vitality... extravagantly beautiful...’ The quartet here present a Shropshire Music Trust concert that takes its audience on a musical ‘journey of enlightenment’, from Shostakovich’s ‘springlike’ first quartet to the vigour of Beethoven’s Op.18 No.6 and Elgar’s only quartet, one of his last great works.

Since its first concert in 1858, the Manchester-based Halle has been a real force to be reckoned with. The orchestra is renowned for its affinity with English music - particularly the works of Elgar and Delius - and is currently under the charge of acclaimed conductor Sir Mark Elder CBE. This Potteries concert sees the Halle presenting Beethoven’s ‘perfect’ Fifth under the conductorship of Markus Stenz. Wagner’s Siefried Idyll and Schumann’s Piano Concerto also feature in the programme. The soloist is Kirill Gerstein. Sir Mark Elder CBE Ex Cathedra: Easter with Bach St Philip’s Cathedral, Birmingham, Sat 19 March; Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Fri 25 March A favourite at Eastertide, Bach’s St John Passion, a re-telling of Christ’s betrayal and death, continues to be one of classical music’s most profound experiences. The work is here performed by the Ex Cathedra Consort and Baroque Orchestra under the direction of conductor Jeffrey Skidmore.

And Skidmore picks up the baton again later in the week as Ex Cathedra present a Good Friday performance of Bach’s St Matthew Passion, widely considered to be among the most powerful and moving of sacred works. CBSO: Mahler’s Tenth Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Thurs 31 March Gustav Mahler died before finishing his 10th symphony. Although substantially complete in the form of a continuous draft, it was only the first movement that could be played in the way the composer had intended. Almost 50 years after Mahler’s death, and on the cusp of celebrations to mark the centenary of his birth, musicologist Deryck Cooke, in association with Berthold Goldschmidt, set about producing a 'performing version' of the unfinished draft... It’s the Cooke version of the 10th that the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra here perform, in a concert conducted by Nicholas Collon. The piece, hailed as a work of ‘shattering honesty and piercing beauty’, is presented alongside Brahms’ Four Songs For Women’s Voices and Webern’s Six Pieces Op. 6 (chamber version), two miniatures described as tiny, concentrated worlds of poetry and emotion.

Brahms’ German Requiem St John’s United Reformed Church, Stourbridge, Sat 12 March It took Johannes Brahms three years to compose this stunning work, a large-scale piece - his longest ever composition - for chorus, orchestra, a soprano and baritone soloist. The Restoration Chorus and Stourbridge Chamber Orchestra here perform the work with the assistance of two eminent soloists - the baritone David Milner-Pearce and German soprano NinaMaria Fischer (pictured). The concert also features Vaughan Williams’ Wasps Overture and his Five Mystical Songs. Nicholas Collon

Question: The Halle orchestra has been based in which English city since its formation in 1858 ?
Answer: MANCHESTER