Sociedad de Conciertos de Madrid
Encyclopedia
The Sociedad de Conciertos de Madrid (Society of Concerts of Madrid) was the first permanent symphony orchestra
in Spain
.
and Joaquín Gaztambide, who assumed responsibility for its organization and artistic direction. It was the heir of the orchestra formed by the Sociedad Artístico Musical de Socorros Mutuos which was based at the Teatro Real
in Madrid
.
Barbieri conducted
the Orchestra during its inaugural season and was succeeded by Gatzambide in the following. The first musical director who served at length was Jesús de Monasterio, who was appointed in 1869 and remained until 1876. The Orchestra divided its activities between theatrical productions and symphonic concerts, and contributed to the spread of Wagernism and European symphonic music in Spain. It advanced the careers of new Spanish talents, such as Tomás Bretón
, Joaquín Turina
, Ruperto Chapí
, and Isaac Albéniz
.
In 1876, the conductorship passed to Mariano Vázquez Gómez, under whose guidance the Orchestra offered Spanish audiences the chance to hear the complete cycle of Beethoven
's symphonies
in their homeland for the first time.
On 27 February 1898, the Orchestra gave a performance Richard Strauss
' symphonic poem
Don Quixote
at the Teatro Príncipe Alfonso on the Paseo de Recoletos
, which was conducted by the composer himself. Other famous conductors who were invited to the Orchestra included Luigi Mancinelli
and Jerónimo Giménez.
Due to a major economic crisis and irreconcilable disagreements between the section leaders of the Orchestra, the Society was dissolved in 1903. The majority of its members regrouped to form the Madrid Symphony Orchestra
, which has continued to play to the present day.
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...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
History
The private Society was founded in 1866 by Francisco Asenjo BarbieriFrancisco Asenjo Barbieri
Francisco Asenjo Barbieri was a well-known composer of the popular Spanish opera form, zarzuela. His works include: El barberillo de Lavapiés, Jugar con fuego, Pan y toros, Don Quijote, Los diamantes de la corona, and El Diablo en el poder.He was born and died in Madrid, appropriately, since the...
and Joaquín Gaztambide, who assumed responsibility for its organization and artistic direction. It was the heir of the orchestra formed by the Sociedad Artístico Musical de Socorros Mutuos which was based at the Teatro Real
Teatro Real
The Teatro Real or simply El Real , is a major opera house located in Madrid, Spain.-History:...
in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
.
Barbieri conducted
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
the Orchestra during its inaugural season and was succeeded by Gatzambide in the following. The first musical director who served at length was Jesús de Monasterio, who was appointed in 1869 and remained until 1876. The Orchestra divided its activities between theatrical productions and symphonic concerts, and contributed to the spread of Wagernism and European symphonic music in Spain. It advanced the careers of new Spanish talents, such as Tomás Bretón
Tomás Bretón
Tomás Bretón was a Spanish musician and composer.-Biography:Tomás Bretón was born in Salamanca.He gained renown as a result of the success of his zarzuela La verbena de la Paloma, although other were well-received works, included his operas Los amantes de Teruel, based on the eponymous legend,...
, Joaquín Turina
Joaquín Turina
Joaquín Turina was a Spanish composer of classical music.-Biography:Turina was born in Seville but his origins were in northern Italy . He studied in Seville as well as in Madrid...
, Ruperto Chapí
Ruperto Chapí
Ruperto Chapí y Lorente was a Spanish composer, and co-founder of the Sociedad General de Autores y Editores.Chapí was born at Villena, the son of a Valencian barber. He trained in his home town and Madrid...
, and Isaac Albéniz
Isaac Albéniz
Isaac Manuel Francisco Albéniz y Pascual was a Spanish Catalan pianist and composer best known for his piano works based on folk music idioms .-Life:Born in Camprodon, province of Girona, to Ángel Albéniz and his wife Dolors Pascual, Albéniz...
.
In 1876, the conductorship passed to Mariano Vázquez Gómez, under whose guidance the Orchestra offered Spanish audiences the chance to hear the complete cycle of Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
's symphonies
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
in their homeland for the first time.
On 27 February 1898, the Orchestra gave a performance Richard Strauss
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is known for his operas, which include Der Rosenkavalier and Salome; his Lieder, especially his Four Last Songs; and his tone poems and orchestral works, such as Death and Transfiguration, Till...
' symphonic poem
Symphonic poem
A symphonic poem or tone poem is a piece of orchestral music in a single continuous section in which the content of a poem, a story or novel, a painting, a landscape or another source is illustrated or evoked. The term was first applied by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt to his 13 works in this vein...
Don Quixote
Don Quixote (Strauss)
Don Quixote, Op. 35, is a composition by Richard Strauss for cello, viola and large orchestra. Subtitled Phantastische Variationen über ein Thema ritterlichen Charakters , the work is based on the novel Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes. Strauss composed this work in Munich in 1897...
at the Teatro Príncipe Alfonso on the Paseo de Recoletos
Paseo de Recoletos
Paseo de Recoletos is a wide boulevard in central Madrid leading from Plaza de Cibeles to Plaza de Colón.From West to East it consists of:* Two southward lanes* The pedestrian walk* A southward Bus lane* Three southward lanes...
, which was conducted by the composer himself. Other famous conductors who were invited to the Orchestra included Luigi Mancinelli
Luigi Mancinelli
Luigi Mancinelli was a leading Italian orchestral conductor. He also composed music for the stage and concert hall and played the cello....
and Jerónimo Giménez.
Due to a major economic crisis and irreconcilable disagreements between the section leaders of the Orchestra, the Society was dissolved in 1903. The majority of its members regrouped to form the Madrid Symphony Orchestra
Madrid Symphony Orchestra
The Madrid Symphony Orchestra , founded in 1903, is the oldest existing Spanish symphony orchestra not linked to an opera house in Spain.-History:...
, which has continued to play to the present day.
Principal conductors
- Francisco Asenjo BarbieriFrancisco Asenjo BarbieriFrancisco Asenjo Barbieri was a well-known composer of the popular Spanish opera form, zarzuela. His works include: El barberillo de Lavapiés, Jugar con fuego, Pan y toros, Don Quijote, Los diamantes de la corona, and El Diablo en el poder.He was born and died in Madrid, appropriately, since the...
1866–1867 - Joaquín Gaztambide 1868–1869
- Jesús de Monasterio 1869–1876
- Mariano Vázquez Gómez 1876–1884
- Tomás BretónTomás BretónTomás Bretón was a Spanish musician and composer.-Biography:Tomás Bretón was born in Salamanca.He gained renown as a result of the success of his zarzuela La verbena de la Paloma, although other were well-received works, included his operas Los amantes de Teruel, based on the eponymous legend,...
1885–1892