|
Münchner Symphoniker (The Munich Symphonic Orchestra = MSO), one of the three symphonic orchestras in Munich, evolved from the Graunke Symphony Orchestra founded in 1945 by Kurt Graunke. Under his lead the orchestra soon reached a high standard, winning not only the favour of the public but also the high regard of experts and critics alike.
Today the MSO is one of the most important vehicles of culture in its home town as well as in the entire southern German region. For more than half a century the orchestra has contributed to the music culture of Munich with a wide-ranging program of performances including concerts, operas, operettas, musicals, ballet, oratorios and church music. Regular concert performances in Bavaria and numerous tours within Germany as well as in Austria, Italy and Spain have contributed to the reputation of the MSO.
It is almost impossible to imagine German film after the World War II without this orchestra; for it provided the music for over five hundred films, and has thus written an important part of German music history. Furthermore, in recent years the MSO has advanced to become one of the leading ensembles of international film music. This is exemplified by "The Silence of the lambs", an outstanding film which was awarded five Oscars.
The concert series of the MSO, held in the Herkulessaal of the Munich Residence and at the Prinzregententheater, has been in existence for over forty years and remains an important part of the local music culture. In addition, the MSO devotes considerable time to working with young soloists and conductors to help foster a new generation of musicians. Finally, the MSO's performances with renowned artists such as Jose Carreras, Plácido Domingo, Simon Estes, Edita Gruberova, Siegfried Jerusalem, Vesselina Kasarova, Waltraud Meier, Hermann Prey and Margaret Price have contributed to their outstanding reputation. |
