MDR Sinfonieorchester
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Leipzig (Symphony Orchestra)

Founded: 1923 - Leipzig, Saxony, Germany

The MDR Sinfonieorchester (= MDRSO; MDR Symphony Orchestra; Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk; AKA the Leipzig MDR Symphony Orchestra, MDR Rundfunk Orchester, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Leipzig) 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. Besides its short intermission turing World War II it ends up beeing the main orchestra of the Central German Broadcasting Company (MDR) since 1924. Chief conductors include Hermann Abendroth (1949-1956) and Herbert Kegel (1953-1977) and Fabio Luisi (1999-2007). The symphony orchestra has been one of the few musicians who have played for the pope in 2003.

The orchestra was founded as "Orchester des Konzertvereins" ("Orchestra of the Concert Society"). It became the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Leipzig ("Radio Symphony Orchestra Leipzig") in 1924 and later adopted its present name. The Orchestra was dissolved during World War II and reunited in 1946 under the tenure of the conductor Hermann Abendroth, later conducted by Herbert Kegel. At the end of the 1970’s the principal conductors were Wolf-Dieter Hauschild and later by Max Pommer.

In 1992 the Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra merged with the Radio Philharmonic in Leipzig to form the MDR Symphony Orchestra.

Chamber music ensembles of the MDR Symphony Orchestra & Other Ensembles

Arcato Streichquartett (since 1999)
Döring-Bläserquintett (since 1982)
Kammersymphonie Leipzig (since 2006)
Leipziger Hornquartett (since 1996)
Leipziger Schlagzeugensemble (since 1983)
Leipziger Blechbläsersolisten (since 1992)
MDR Bläserquintett (since 1995)
Gruppe Neue Musik Hanns Eisler (1970-1993)
Ensemble Sortisatio (since 1992)

Principal Conductors

Alfred Szendrei (1924-1932)
Carl Schuricht (1931-1933)
Hans Weisbach (1934-1939)
Reinhold Merten (1939-1940)
Heinrich Schachtebeck (1945)
Fritz Schröder (1945-1946)
Gerhard Wiesenhütter (1946-1948)
Hermann Abendroth and Gerhard Pflüger (1949-1956)
Herbert Kegel (1953-1977)
Wolf-Dieter Hauschild (1978-1985)
Max Pommer (1987-1991)
Daniel Nazareth (1992-1996)
Marcello Viotti, Fabio Luisi and Manfred Honeck (1996-1999)
Fabio Luisi (1999-2007)
Jun Märkl (2007-Present)

Source: MDR Sinfonieorchester Website (Photos: Christiane Höhne); Wikipedia Website (March 2010)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (July 2010)

Herbert Kegel: Short Biography | Rundfunkchor Leipzig | Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Leipzig | Recordings of Vocal Works

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Fabio Luisi

Orchestra

Mauricio Kagel: Sankt-Bach-Passion

Recordings of Bach’s Instrumental Works

Conductor

As

Works

Jun Märkl

Conductor

Bach-Schoenberg: Prelude & Fugue in E flat major ("St. Anne"), BWV 552, arranged for orchestra
Bach-Schoenberg: Chorale Prelude Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele, BWV 654, arranged for orchestra
Bach-Schoenberg: Chorale Prelude Komm, Gott Schöpfer, heiliger Geist, BWV 667, arranged for orchestra

Links to other Sites

MDR Sinfonieorchester (Official Website) [German]
MDR Symphony Orchestra on Facebook
MDR Symphony Orchestra (Wikipedia)