RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra (previously known as The National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, and the RTE Symphony Orchestra) is the concert music orchestra
of Raidió Teilifís Éireann
. As one of the RTÉ Performing Groups
, the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra now gives a 33-concert subscription season (Friday nights from September to May, broadcast live on RTÉ lyric fm
), performs lighter Tuesday lunchtime and Friday evening concerts in June and July, plays an important role in Irish contemporary music through its Horizons series in January and February, and undertakes twice-yearly, one week tours of Ireland. Since 2005, the orchestra has been featured on RTÉ One
's The Symphony Sessions.
, an Italian professor of piano at the Royal Irish Academy of Music
, founded the 70-piece Dublin Orchestral Society, which lasted until the outbreak of World War I
. After the foundation of the Irish Free State, the Royal Dublin Society
gave concerts. A 1927 effort to revive the Orchestral Society was undertaken, but did not achieve lasting success.
Meanwhile, in 1926, a national radio channel began, based in Dublin. It hired staff musicians, who often played together on the radio and in concert as a chamber orchestra. String players from the radio, wind players from the Army School of Music, and other musicians played as the Dublin Philharmonic Society under the direction of Col. Fritz Brase, head of the Army School from 1927.
In 1947, the broadcasting authority, now called Radio Éireann (Radio Ireland), expanded its orchestra
to symphonic size by opening its membership to musicians from all over Europe. Ireland, as a neutral, had been spared damage in World War II, so musicians from the wrecked economies of a ruined Europe were easy to attract. The new orchestra was named the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra. Its initial conductor was Captain Michael Bowles. After he retired in 1948 (he had been conducting the small predecessor or the RÉSO for several years), the new orchestra drifted without a permanent conductor, but played for such major conductors as Jean Martinon
and Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt
. Finally in 1953, the orchestra found a principal conductor in Milan Horvat
, who remained until 1961. In that year, Ireland added television to its broadcasting service. The name of the new organisation was to be Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ). The orchestra became known as the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra. By now it was, de facto, the national orchestra of Ireland and the main city orchestra of Dublin. Its new chief conductor from 1962 was Tibor Paul
. He was succeeded by Albert Rosen
, Colman Pearce
, Bryden Thomson
, and Janos Fürst
.
In 1981, it found a new concert home when the National Concert Hall opened in Dublin. Also, at about the same time, it expanded its broadcasting activities. Until 1979, RTÉ had run only one radio channel and one television channel. In 1979, they established more channels, including an arts station called FM3, which aired numerous concerts by the RTÉCO. In 1989, the orchestra was expanded to the size of a large symphony orchestra, and it was renamed the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. George Hurst
became principal conductor in 1990. Kasper de Roo succeeded Hurst from 1994 to 1998. Alexander Anissimov became the orchestra's principal guest conductor in 1995, and principal conductor in 1998. Gerhard Markson
succeeded Anissimov in 2001 and was principal conductor through 2009. In May 2009, Alan Buribayev was named the newest principal conductor of the orchestra, effective September 2010, with an initial contract of 3 years. In September 2010, along with Buribayev assuming the principal conductorship, Hannu Lintu
became the orchestra's principal guest conductor and Finghin Collins
became the orchestra's first-ever Associate Artist.
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...
of Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
. As one of the RTÉ Performing Groups
RTÉ Performing Groups
RTÉ Performing Groups is a group of five classical ensembles, part of the Irish broadcaster RTÉ. All but the Vanbrugh Quartet are based in Dublin .- RTÉ Performing Groups :...
, the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra now gives a 33-concert subscription season (Friday nights from September to May, broadcast live on RTÉ lyric fm
RTÉ lyric fm
RTÉ lyric fm is an Irish classical music radio station, owned by the public-service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. The station, which is based in Limerick, was launched in 1999 and is available on FM in Ireland, on satellite, on Sky Digital in Ireland and United Kingdom and via the...
), performs lighter Tuesday lunchtime and Friday evening concerts in June and July, plays an important role in Irish contemporary music through its Horizons series in January and February, and undertakes twice-yearly, one week tours of Ireland. Since 2005, the orchestra has been featured on RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
's The Symphony Sessions.
History
The first permanent symphony orchestra in Dublin was not established until 1899, when Michele EspositoMichele Esposito
Michele Esposito was an Italian-born musical composer and pianist who lived most of his professional life in Dublin, Ireland.- Training :Esposito was born at Castellamare di Stabia, near Sorrento...
, an Italian professor of piano at the Royal Irish Academy of Music
Royal Irish Academy of Music
The Royal Irish Academy of Music is a linked college of Dublin City University located in Dublin, Ireland.It was founded in 1848 by a group of music enthusiasts and moved to its present address in Westland Row in 1871. The following year it was granted the right to use the title "Royal"...
, founded the 70-piece Dublin Orchestral Society, which lasted until the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After the foundation of the Irish Free State, the Royal Dublin Society
Royal Dublin Society
The Royal Dublin Society was founded on 25 June 1731 to "to promote and develop agriculture, arts, industry, and science in Ireland". The RDS is synonymous with its main premises in Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland...
gave concerts. A 1927 effort to revive the Orchestral Society was undertaken, but did not achieve lasting success.
In 1947, the broadcasting authority, now called Radio Éireann (Radio Ireland), expanded its orchestra
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...
to symphonic size by opening its membership to musicians from all over Europe. Ireland, as a neutral, had been spared damage in World War II, so musicians from the wrecked economies of a ruined Europe were easy to attract. The new orchestra was named the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra. Its initial conductor was Captain Michael Bowles. After he retired in 1948 (he had been conducting the small predecessor or the RÉSO for several years), the new orchestra drifted without a permanent conductor, but played for such major conductors as Jean Martinon
Jean Martinon
Jean Martinon was a French conductor and composer.-Biography:Martinon was born in Lyon, where he began his education, going on to the Conservatoire de Paris to study under Albert Roussel for composition, under Charles Munch and Roger Désormière for conducting, under Vincent d'Indy for harmony,...
and Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt
Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt
Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt was a German conductor and composer.-Early life:Born in Berlin, he studied music in Heidelberg and Münster. He was also a composition student with Franz Schreker at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik, and received a doctorate in 1923.-Career:He was a repetiteur at the...
. Finally in 1953, the orchestra found a principal conductor in Milan Horvat
Milan Horvat
Milan Horvat is a Croatian conductor. From 1969 until 1975, he was head of the newly created Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra...
, who remained until 1961. In that year, Ireland added television to its broadcasting service. The name of the new organisation was to be Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ). The orchestra became known as the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra. By now it was, de facto, the national orchestra of Ireland and the main city orchestra of Dublin. Its new chief conductor from 1962 was Tibor Paul
Tibor Paul
Tibor Paul was a Hungarian-Australian conductor.He was born in Budapest. He studied piano and woodwind under Zoltán Kodály, Hermann Scherchen and Felix Weingartner. In 1930 he founded the Budapest Concert Orchestra. In 1939 he began conducting his own orchestra...
. He was succeeded by Albert Rosen
Albert Rosen
Albert Rosen was a conductor associated with the Wexford Festival and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. He had a strong affinity with the works of Czech composers such as Smetana, Dvořák, Martinů and Janáček. He was Austrian-born and Irish-naturalised.-Biography:Albert Rosen was born in...
, Colman Pearce
Colman Pearce
Colman Pearce is an Irish pianist and conductor.Born in 1938 in Dublin Pearce was educated at the University College Dublin, he studied conducting in Hilversum and Vienna...
, Bryden Thomson
Bryden Thomson
Bryden Thomson was a Scottish conductor.Bryden Thomson was born in Ayr. He led several British orchestras, including the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra and the Ulster Orchestra from 1977 to 1985...
, and Janos Fürst
János Fürst
János Fürst was a Hungarian-born conductor and violinist.János Fürst originally studied the violin at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in his native Budapest. After the 1956 Soviet invasion of Hungary, he continued studies at the conservatory in Brussels. He attended the Conservatoire de Paris...
.
In 1981, it found a new concert home when the National Concert Hall opened in Dublin. Also, at about the same time, it expanded its broadcasting activities. Until 1979, RTÉ had run only one radio channel and one television channel. In 1979, they established more channels, including an arts station called FM3, which aired numerous concerts by the RTÉCO. In 1989, the orchestra was expanded to the size of a large symphony orchestra, and it was renamed the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. George Hurst
George Hurst
George Hurst is a British conductor.-Biography:Born in Edinburgh in 1926, Hurst studied at Bishops College School in Lennoxville, Quebec and the Royal Conservatory in Toronto Canada....
became principal conductor in 1990. Kasper de Roo succeeded Hurst from 1994 to 1998. Alexander Anissimov became the orchestra's principal guest conductor in 1995, and principal conductor in 1998. Gerhard Markson
Gerhard Markson
Gerhard Markson is a German conductor. His most recent post was Principal Conductor of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, but his term ended in May 2009.- Biography :...
succeeded Anissimov in 2001 and was principal conductor through 2009. In May 2009, Alan Buribayev was named the newest principal conductor of the orchestra, effective September 2010, with an initial contract of 3 years. In September 2010, along with Buribayev assuming the principal conductorship, Hannu Lintu
Hannu Lintu
Hannu Petteri Lintu is a Finnish conductor.Lintu studied piano and cello at the Turku Conservatory and at the Sibelius Academy. He also studied conducting with Atso Almila, and later with Jorma Panula and Eri Klas. He took part in conducting master classes with Ilya Musin. Lintu won the Nordic...
became the orchestra's principal guest conductor and Finghin Collins
Finghin Collins
Finghin Collins is an Irish pianist. He won first prize at the Clara Haskil International Piano Competition in Vevey, Switzerland, in 1999, and has performed with many of the world's leading orchestras and conductors....
became the orchestra's first-ever Associate Artist.
Principal Conductors
- Tibor PaulTibor PaulTibor Paul was a Hungarian-Australian conductor.He was born in Budapest. He studied piano and woodwind under Zoltán Kodály, Hermann Scherchen and Felix Weingartner. In 1930 he founded the Budapest Concert Orchestra. In 1939 he began conducting his own orchestra...
(1961–1967) - Albert RosenAlbert RosenAlbert Rosen was a conductor associated with the Wexford Festival and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. He had a strong affinity with the works of Czech composers such as Smetana, Dvořák, Martinů and Janáček. He was Austrian-born and Irish-naturalised.-Biography:Albert Rosen was born in...
(1969–1981) - Colman Pearce (1981–1983)
- Bryden ThomsonBryden ThomsonBryden Thomson was a Scottish conductor.Bryden Thomson was born in Ayr. He led several British orchestras, including the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra and the Ulster Orchestra from 1977 to 1985...
(1984–1987) - Janos FürstJános FürstJános Fürst was a Hungarian-born conductor and violinist.János Fürst originally studied the violin at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in his native Budapest. After the 1956 Soviet invasion of Hungary, he continued studies at the conservatory in Brussels. He attended the Conservatoire de Paris...
(1987–1989) - George HurstGeorge HurstGeorge Hurst is a British conductor.-Biography:Born in Edinburgh in 1926, Hurst studied at Bishops College School in Lennoxville, Quebec and the Royal Conservatory in Toronto Canada....
(1990–1994) - Kasper de Roo (1994–1998)
- Alexander AnissimovAlexander AnissimovAlexander Mikhailovich Anissimov is a Russian bass singer and conductor.In 1995 he was appointed principal guest conductor with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland.-Selected Recordings:...
(1998–2001) - Gerhard MarksonGerhard MarksonGerhard Markson is a German conductor. His most recent post was Principal Conductor of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, but his term ended in May 2009.- Biography :...
(2001–2009) - Alan Buribayev (2010–present)