Tonkuenstler Orchestra

The Tonkünstler Orchestra is one of the most important institutions of traditional Austrian musical culture, but for several years now it has also been pursuing unconventional paths into the orchestral future. On the one hand, the orchestras repertoire and tonal culture are based on almost 100 years of history and a solid interpretative tradition. On the other hand, under the leadership of its dynamic principal conductor, Kristjan Järvi, the orchestra has been setting new directions with fresh programming and a wide-ranging music-education project aimed at young people. With its residences Viennas Musikverein, St. Pöltens Festspielhaus and Grafenegg Castle the orchestra has three highly varied but at the same time high-calibre venues.

Traditional

is an adjective that applies to much about the orchestra, including its name, which points to an historical musical organisation: the Tonkünstler-Sozietät was Viennas earliest musical association, already organising concerts in the days of Mozart and Haydn. The name was preserved by the Verein Wiener Tonkünstler-Orchester, which was founded in the early 20th century. Its first concert took place on 10 October 1907 at Viennas Musikverein under Oskar Nedbal, Hans Pfitzner and Bernhard Stevenhagen, who conducted works by Goldmark, Grieg, Liszt and Beethoven (a programme that will be repeated to mark the 100th anniversary in the 200708 season). The Wiener Tonkünstler-Orchester made musical history in 1913 with the premiere of Arnold Schoenbergs Gurrelieder under the baton of Franz Schreker, and the orchestras Sunday afternoon concerts became very popular with Viennese audiences. During the First World War the Tonkünstler and the organisation called Wiener Concertverein were forced to merge for lack of funds, and they became the Wiener Sinfonie-Orchester, now the Vienna Symphony. But the Verein des Tonkünstler Orchester continued to organise concerts until 1933.

In 1946, taking up the Tonkünstler tradition, the Lower Austrian Landes-Symphonie-Orchester was given the name Lower Austrian Tonkünstler Orchestra, and the series of Sunday afternoon concerts was resumed. The principal conductors Kurt Wöss (until 1951), Gustav Koslik (until 1964), Heinz Wallberg (until 1975), Walter Weller (until 1978), Miltiades Caridis (until 1988), Isaac Karabtchevsky (until 1994), Fabio Luisi (until 2000) and Carlos Kalmar (until 2003) were followed in 2004 by the young Estonian-born and American-trained Kristjan Järvi. Mikhail Yurovsky holds the position of principal guest conductor.

Among the Tonkünstler Orchestras prominent guest conductors have been Clemens Krauss, Paul Hindemith, Arvid and Mariss Jansons, Zubin Mehta, Christoph von Dohnányi, HK Gruber and Jeffrey Tate. Such eminent soloists as Arthur Grumiaux, Leonid Kogan, Wolfgang Schneiderhan, Mstislav Rostropovich, Isabelle van Keulen, Heinrich Schiff, Alfred Brendel, Rudolf Buchbinder, Grigory Sokolow, Edita Gruberova, Agnes Baltsa and Christa Ludwig have appeared with the orchestra.

One of the musical pillars of the orchestra programmes is the music of the classical period by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven as well as of the Romantic era, from Schubert to Brahms, Bruckner and Mahler.

Unconventional

is not only the alternative programming but also the initiatives that are undertaken to appeal to new target audiences. The Tonkünstlers repertoire is constantly being expanded, both by adding contemporary works and by finding new rarities ranging in date from the 18th to the 20th century. Every programme is based on a special concept, and the vision of the orchestra, management and principal conductor Järvi is to present to the audiences the music of the past and present in an exciting and extravagant manner. New genres are added, new forms of music-making involving unusual soloists and ensembles are sought, and creative concepts are realised. The Tonkünstler became the first orchestra in Austria to create a department of music education, which stages workshops in which the musicians of the orchestra prepare classes of school children to attend concerts and musical theatre performances and also stimulate their musical sensibilities. Thousands of young people have thus been introduced to classical masterpieces and newer compositions and given the opportunity of experiencing them eyeball-to-eyeball.

Recordings

on CD reflect both the traditional and unconventional aspects of the orchestra. Currently available are recordings of works by Schubert, Pleyel, Bruckner, Mahler, Richard Strauss and Johann Strauss. Under principal conductor Kristjan Järvi a new series of recordings is planned with works by Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven, Gustav Mahler and Franz Schmidt, but also by HK Gruber, Steve Reich and Leonard Bernstein. A CD with three premiere recordings of HK Gruber has been released in September 2006.

Production: Bernahrd Pötscher

Category:

Music

Tags:

• classical
• vienna
• musikverein

[ma2evans]

Hoping to see this Orchestra next week in Bristol UK!

[11badgirl]

haha.. great line-up, but then... nothing!!!

[btlim5163]

To bad there is no sound. By the way, I will be attending an orchestra at the Grafenegg Castle in May when I'll be in Austria again! Haven't decided what to see but I will be going:-)

[rulgardinia]

there is NO sound!!!