Radio orchestra
Encyclopedia
A radio orchestra is an orchestra
employed by a radio network
(and sometimes television network
s) in order to provide programming as well as sometimes perform incidental or theme music for various shows on the network. In the heyday of radio such orchestras were numerous, performing classical, popular, light music and jazz. However, in recent decades, broadcast orchestras have become increasingly rare. Those that still exist perform mainly classical and contemporary orchestral music, though broadcast light music orchestras, jazz orchestras and big band
s are still employed by some radio stations in Europe.
Famous broadcast orchestras include the NBC Symphony Orchestra
(1937–1954) conducted by Arturo Toscanini
, the five orchestras maintained by the BBC
, particularly the BBC Symphony Orchestra
founded in 1930, the MDR Symphony Orchestra
founded in 1923, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
founded in 1949, the NHK Symphony Orchestra
, the Danish National Symphony Orchestra
founded in 1925, the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra
founded in 1969 and the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra of Moscow Radio
(formerly the USSR State Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra among other names) founded in 1930.
Germany has an especially large number of radio orchestras. Twelve radio orchestras perform and produce classical as well as contemporary music and jazz for the North German Broadcasting (NDR
) with two orchestras in Hamburg and Hanover as well as the NDR Big Band also in Frankfurt. West German Broadcasting (WDR
) has two orchestras in Cologne and a Big Band, Southwest German Broadcasting (SWR
) with two orchestras and the SWR Big Band in Stuttgart and Baden-Baden/Freiburg, Bavarian Broadcasting (BR
) with two orchestras in Munich, Central German Broadcasting (MDR
) with one orchestra in Leipzig, Saarland Broadcasting (SR
) with one (2006 merged) orchestra in Saarbrücken/Kaiserslautern, Hessian Broadcasting (hr
) with one orchestra in Frankfurt
and the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Berlin.
The British Broadcasting Corporation still operates five full-time permanent orchestras, as well as a full-time chamber choir, the BBC Singers
and the BBC Big Band
.
Denmark also maintains orchestra in the form of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra
, the Danish Radio Big Band
, Chamber Orchestra and Radio Choir.
In the Netherlands, the Muziekcentrum van de Omroep (Broadcasting Music Centre), an umbrella organization of the Netherlands Public Broadcasting associations, supports the Radio Filharmonisch Orkest, the Radio Kamer Filharmonie, the Groot Omroepkoor (Netherlands Radio Choir), and the Metropole Orkest, the world's largest professional pop and jazz orchestra.
The last surviving broadcast orchestra in North America was the CBC Radio Orchestra
founded in 1938. On March 28, 2008 the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
announced that the orchestra would be dissolved at the end of November. The ensemble has continued independent of network affiliation as the National Broadcast Orchestra based in Vancouver.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation
(ABC) in Australia operates six state radio symphony orchestras through its subdivision Symphony Australia
.
The house band
for the Late Show with David Letterman
whimsically calls itself the CBS Orchestra
though it is not a classical musical orchestra and does not perform on CBS outside of the Late Show. The last permanent Studio orchestra in America was the Tonight Show band, also known as The NBC Orchestra, a big band led by trumpeter Doc Severinsen
.
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...
employed by a radio network
Radio network
There are two types of radio networks currently in use around the world: the one-to-many broadcast type commonly used for public information and mass media entertainment; and the two-way type used more commonly for public safety and public services such as police, fire, taxicabs, and delivery...
(and sometimes television network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
s) in order to provide programming as well as sometimes perform incidental or theme music for various shows on the network. In the heyday of radio such orchestras were numerous, performing classical, popular, light music and jazz. However, in recent decades, broadcast orchestras have become increasingly rare. Those that still exist perform mainly classical and contemporary orchestral music, though broadcast light music orchestras, jazz orchestras and big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
s are still employed by some radio stations in Europe.
Famous broadcast orchestras include the NBC Symphony Orchestra
NBC Symphony Orchestra
The NBC Symphony Orchestra was a radio orchestra established by David Sarnoff of the National Broadcasting Company especially for conductor Arturo Toscanini...
(1937–1954) conducted by Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini was an Italian conductor. One of the most acclaimed musicians of the late 19th and 20th century, he was renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orchestral detail and sonority, and his photographic memory...
, the five orchestras maintained by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, particularly the BBC Symphony Orchestra
BBC Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Symphony Orchestra is the principal broadcast orchestra of the British Broadcasting Corporation and one of the leading orchestras in Britain.-History:...
founded in 1930, the MDR Symphony Orchestra
MDR Symphony Orchestra
The MDR Symphony Orchestra is one of the oldest Radio orchestras in the world and the oldest in Germany. It was founded in Leipzig, Germany in 1923 and therefore 9 months earlier than the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra...
founded in 1923, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, in German Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks is the internationally renowned orchestra of the Bayerischer Rundfunk , based in Munich, Germany. It is one of the three principal orchestras in the city of Munich, along with the Munich Philharmonic...
founded in 1949, the NHK Symphony Orchestra
NHK Symphony Orchestra
The in Tokyo, Japan began as the New Symphony Orchestra on October 5, 1926 and was the country's first professional symphony orchestra. Later, it changed its name to Japan Symphony Orchestra and in 1951, after receiving financial support from NHK, it took its current name...
, the Danish National Symphony Orchestra
Danish National Symphony Orchestra
The Danish National Symphony Orchestra , is a Danish orchestra based in Copenhagen. The DNSO is the principal orchestra of DR...
founded in 1925, the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra
Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra
The Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra is the orchestra of the Austrian national broadcaster Österreichischer Rundfunk . Founded in 1969 with the name of the ORF-Symphonieorchester , it is the only radio orchestra in the country...
founded in 1969 and the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra of Moscow Radio
Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra of Moscow Radio
The Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra of Moscow Radio is a Russian classical music orchestra established in 1930. Originally founded as the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, it served as the official symphony for the Soviet All-Union Radio network...
(formerly the USSR State Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra among other names) founded in 1930.
Germany has an especially large number of radio orchestras. Twelve radio orchestras perform and produce classical as well as contemporary music and jazz for the North German Broadcasting (NDR
Norddeutscher Rundfunk
Norddeutscher Rundfunk is a public radio and television broadcaster, based in Hamburg. In addition to the city-state of Hamburg, NDR transmits for the German states of Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig-Holstein...
) with two orchestras in Hamburg and Hanover as well as the NDR Big Band also in Frankfurt. West German Broadcasting (WDR
Westdeutscher Rundfunk
Westdeutscher Rundfunk is a German public-broadcasting institution based in the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia with its main office in Cologne. WDR is a constituent member of the consortium of German public-broadcasting institutions, ARD...
) has two orchestras in Cologne and a Big Band, Southwest German Broadcasting (SWR
Südwestrundfunk
The Südwestrundfunk is a public broadcasting company for the southwest of Germany, specifically the states of Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate. The company has main offices in three cities: Stuttgart, Baden-Baden and Mainz, with the director's office being in Stuttgart. It is an...
) with two orchestras and the SWR Big Band in Stuttgart and Baden-Baden/Freiburg, Bavarian Broadcasting (BR
BR
- Places :* Bedroom* BR postcode area, a group of eight postal districts in southeast London* Baton Rouge, Louisiana* Brazil , according to:** Its two-letter country code defined in ISO 3166-1 alpha-2** The prefix for Brazil's ISO 3166-2 subdivision codes...
) with two orchestras in Munich, Central German Broadcasting (MDR
Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk
Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk is the public broadcaster for the federal states of Thuringia, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt...
) with one orchestra in Leipzig, Saarland Broadcasting (SR
Saarländischer Rundfunk
Saarländischer Rundfunk is a public radio and television broadcaster for the German Bundesland of Saarland, with its headquarters in the Broadcasting House Halberg in Saarbrücken. SR is a member of the ARD.- Finances :...
) with one (2006 merged) orchestra in Saarbrücken/Kaiserslautern, Hessian Broadcasting (hr
Hessischer Rundfunk
Hessischer Rundfunk is the public broadcaster for the German state of Hesse. The main offices of HR are in Frankfurt am Main. HR is a member of the ARD.- Studios :...
) with one orchestra in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
and the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Berlin.
The British Broadcasting Corporation still operates five full-time permanent orchestras, as well as a full-time chamber choir, the BBC Singers
BBC Singers
The BBC Singers are the professional chamber choir of the BBC. As one of six BBC Performing Groups, the 24-voiced choir has been in existence for more than 80 years. The BBC Singers have commissioned and premiered works by the leading composers of the past century, including Benjamin Britten, Sir...
and the BBC Big Band
BBC Big Band
The BBC Big Band, originally known as the BBC Radio Big Band is a British big band run under the auspices of the BBC. Widely regarded as the UK’s leading and most versatile jazz orchestra, the band broadcasts exclusivley on BBC Radio, particularly on BBC Radio 2's long running series Big Band Special...
.
Denmark also maintains orchestra in the form of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra
Danish National Symphony Orchestra
The Danish National Symphony Orchestra , is a Danish orchestra based in Copenhagen. The DNSO is the principal orchestra of DR...
, the Danish Radio Big Band
DR Big Band
The Danish Radio Big Band , often referred to as the Radioens Big Band is a jazz big band founded in Copenhagen in 1964, when the Copenhagen jazz scene was particularly active, and the city was regularly visited by prominent jazz artists from the USA.- Band history :Originally called The New Radio...
, Chamber Orchestra and Radio Choir.
In the Netherlands, the Muziekcentrum van de Omroep (Broadcasting Music Centre), an umbrella organization of the Netherlands Public Broadcasting associations, supports the Radio Filharmonisch Orkest, the Radio Kamer Filharmonie, the Groot Omroepkoor (Netherlands Radio Choir), and the Metropole Orkest, the world's largest professional pop and jazz orchestra.
The last surviving broadcast orchestra in North America was the CBC Radio Orchestra
CBC Radio Orchestra
The CBC Radio Orchestra was a Canadian orchestra based in Vancouver, British Columbia that was operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Until the early 1980s CBC had a number of orchestras located in Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax but due to federal government budget cuts they...
founded in 1938. On March 28, 2008 the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
announced that the orchestra would be dissolved at the end of November. The ensemble has continued independent of network affiliation as the National Broadcast Orchestra based in Vancouver.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
(ABC) in Australia operates six state radio symphony orchestras through its subdivision Symphony Australia
Symphony Australia
- Symphony Services International :Formerly Symphony Services Australia Limited , Symphony Services International has been orchestrating excellence for many years....
.
The house band
House band
For the British band that existed from 1984-2001, see The House BandA house band is a group of musicians, often centrally organized by a band leader, who regularly play an establishment. It is widely used to refer both to the bands who work on entertainment programs on television or radio, and to...
for the Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
whimsically calls itself the CBS Orchestra
CBS Orchestra
The CBS Orchestra is the house band, led by Paul Shaffer, that plays for David Letterman's CBS late-night talk show, Late Show with David Letterman...
though it is not a classical musical orchestra and does not perform on CBS outside of the Late Show. The last permanent Studio orchestra in America was the Tonight Show band, also known as The NBC Orchestra, a big band led by trumpeter Doc Severinsen
Doc Severinsen
Carl Hilding "Doc" Severinsen is an American pop and jazz trumpeter. He is best known for leading the NBC Orchestra on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.-Early life:...
.