NDR Radiophilharmonie, Andrew Manze, Edward Elgar - Elgar: Symphony No. 1 in A-Flat Major, Op. 55 (Live, Neubrandenburg, 2022)

The Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne is the orchestra of the Cologne Opera. The two institutions have enjoyed a successful partnership for many years. The orchestra's long history combines many lines of development in the city's musical life. Its roots go back to the city council music of the 15th century and the cathedral chapel. In 1827, the Cölner Concert-Gesellschaft took over its sponsorship. In 1840, it appointed Conradin Kreutzer as the first permanently paid municipal bandmaster. From 1857, the society concerts took place in a commercial and banqueting hall from the late Gothic period, the so-called Gürzenich.

Ferdinand Hiller, Franz Wüllner and Fritz Steinbach, Hermann Abendroth, Günter Wand through to Markus Stenz and François-Xavier Roth - as different as the municipal bandmasters who succeeded Conradin Kreutzer were in terms of their focus, what they all had in common was that they all sought a balance between the classical canon and the new music of their time. Robert and Clara Schumann gave concerts with the Gürzenich Orchestra in Cologne, while Hector Berlioz, Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner conducted their latest works.

In 1888, the orchestra became a municipal organisation. The 53 orchestra members at the time were contractually obliged to perform in the theatre. To this day, the Gürzenich Orchestra is also the orchestra of the Cologne Opera. Marek Janowski inaugurated the Cologne Philharmonic Orchestra in 1986 with Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 8, the ‘Symphony of a Thousand’From 2003 to 2014, Markus Stenz conducted the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne, combining traditional offerings with innovative elements in his concerts. Numerous invitations have taken the orchestra to major international concert venues such as Vienna, Athens, Thessaloniki, Amsterdam, the Edinburgh International Festival, the BBC Proms in London and China. Andrés Orozco-Estrada will take over the direction of the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne from the 2025.26 season.

TRACKLIST

1. Andrew Manze;NDR Radiophilharmonie - Symphony No. 1 in A-Flat Major, Op. 55: I. Andante - Nobilmente e semplice - Allegro (Live, Neubrandenburg, 2022)
2. Andrew Manze;NDR Radiophilharmonie - Symphony No. 1 in A-Flat Major, Op. 55: II. Allegro molto (Live, Neubrandenburg, 2022)
3. Andrew Manze;NDR Radiophilharmonie - Symphony No. 1 in A-Flat Major, Op. 55: III. Adagio (Live, Neubrandenburg, 2022)
4. Andrew Manze;NDR Radiophilharmonie - Symphony No. 1 in A-Flat Major, Op. 55: IV. Lento - Allegro (Live, Neubrandenburg, 2022)