Page 973 - Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Coverage Book 2023-24

The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra lays claim to a 500-year history. But its modern
incarnation is somewhat different to its ancestral ensemble of pipers… In the (relatively)

modern era, its most famous conductor has been the composer Felix Mendelssohn, who
lived in Leipzig and who premiered many of his own works with the orchestra.

Since Mendelssohn, the likes of Arthur Nikisch, Wilhelm Furtwängler and Bruno Walter
have led the Gewandhaus Orchestra. However, its golden era was under Kurt Masur who

stayed over 25 years, between 1970 and 1996.

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With Masur, the orchestra made many acclaimed discs for the Philips and EMI labels,

including a now legendary recording of Strauss’s Four Last Songs with soprano Jessye
Norman, the Bruch and Mendelssohn Violin Concertos with Maxim Vengerov and
symphony cycles of Mendelssohn and Beethoven.

Riccardo Chailly’s tenure, between 2005 and 2016, was marked with many acclaimed
Decca recordings – his recordings of Brahms’s complete symphonies and serenades is

arguably the finest ever made. Andris Nelsons is just two years into his conductorship –
the Leipzig Gewandhaus sounds as refined and majestic as ever.

Recommended recording:

Strauss: Vier letzte Lieder and Other Lieder Jessye Norman (soprano),
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig/Kurt Masur Philips 4758507

Read our review here.

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Orchestre de Paris

Formed in 1967, Paris's major orchestra may be one of the youngest on our list, but it lacks
for nothing in terms of pedigree and expertise. Of course, the French capital had an

orchestra long before the late Sixties. The OdP's predecessor was the Orchestre de la
Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, founded in 1828. During its 140-year span, this

orchestra saw tenures from music directors including Charles Munch and André Cluytens,
and gave premieres to such major works as Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique, Saint-
Saëns's Cello Concerto No. 1, and Franck's Symphony in D minor.