Munchner Rundfunkorchester
One of the best contemporary German orchestras.
Munchner Rundfunkorchester was founded in 1952 with the primary objective of performing the so-called light classical repertoire. The first chief conductor was Werner Schmidt-Boelcke. Right from the outset, the orchestra was as present in the recording studio as on the concert stage. Light classics remained in the foreground, as attested to by a number of complete operetta recordings. Later the development began moving in the direction of opera.
During the 1950's, joint concerts took place, among others with the BBC and the RAI. In 1967 Kurt Eichhorn became the new chief conductor. The same year the first Munich Radio Concert of the orchestra took place. Works by lesser-known composers, especially from the 19th and early 20th century, were performed and young soloists introduced. An outstanding Carl Orff Cycle took place.
In 1975 Heinz Wallberg became third chief conductor. A number of complete recordings were produced under his direction. Wallberg's attention was focused on forgotten repertoire, such as the opera "La Boheme" by Ruggiero Leoncavallo. From 1982 to 1985 Lamberto Gardelli directed the Munchner Rundfunkorchester. He primarily concentrated on Italian opera. He was also on the podium for a number of singer portraits. In 1988 Giuseppe Patene took over the Munchner Rundfunkorchester as its fifth chief conductor. He advocated, among other things, performances of unjustifiably neglected stage works, which he recorded.
In 1989 he succumbed to a heat attack which he suffered while conducting in Munich's National Theatre. At that time the orchestra performed with Luciano Pavarotti, Marylin Horne and Monserrat Caballe. The next chief conductor of the orchestra was Roberto Abbado. In 1997 the first South America tour of the orchestra took place. A year later Marcello Viotti took over the direction of the orchestra. Under his leadership the ongoing development toward "serious music" continued. In 1999 the salon orchestra of the Munchner Rundfunkorchester toured Japan.
A number of celebrated conductors have left their imprint on the the Munchner Rundfunkorchester. These included: Willy Boskovsky, Oleg Caetani, Jesus Lopes CObos, Dennis Russel Davies. Placido Domingo, Wayne Marshall, Kurt Graunke, Harmut Haenchen, Leopold Hager, Fabio Luisi, Bobby McFerrin, Krzysztof Penderecki, Lalo Schiffrin, Horst Stein, Pinchas Steinberg, Bruno Weil, Ralf Weikert, Rico Saccani, Robert Stolz.