Born: 1570 - Berlin, Germany

The Berlin Staatskapelle, Berlin's oldest orchestra and one of the most traditional orchestras in Germany was founded as court chapel by Kurfürst Joachim II of Brandenburg. The origins can be traced to the chapel regulations dating from 1570. As such it is one of the oldest orchestras in the world. Initially the orchestra served as Kur Brandenburg court chapel, exclusively for musical engagements at court. After the Royal Court Opera was founded by Frederick the Great in 1742, the court chapel became an intrinsic part of the Opera House unter den Linden. By the 1850's, individual members were already extending their Kapelle activities and contributing significantly to the Berlin concert scene.

The greatest conductors in their time left their indelible marks on the orchestra´s culture of instrumentalization and interpretation. Great figures in music have shaped its instrumental and interpretational culture. Gaspare Spontini, the first to hold the title of Prussian General Music Director, was succeeded by illustrious names, such as: Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Giacomo Meyerbeer, Richard Strauss, Erich Kleiber, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Herbert von Karajan, and Otmar Suitner are just a few of these great names. The works of Richard Wagner, who conducted the "königlich preussische Hofkapelle" (royal Prussian court orchestra) himself in 1844 at the Berlin première of The flying dutchman and in 1876 during the preparations for the Berlin première of Tristan, have been a key part of the repertoire of the Staatsoper and the Staatskapelle ever since.

Daniel Barenboim is responsible for the Berlin Staatskapelle in his capacity as General Music Director since 1992, between 1992 and 2002 he additionally held the post of the State Opera's artistic director. With his guidance the orchestra that demonstrated its prolific range in tours abroad, even during the difficult years of the Democratic Republic is now enabled to reach out internationally to world wide acclaim. In many different guest performances abroad, such as the cycle of Beethoven's complete symphonies and piano concertos in Vienna, Tokyo, Paris, London, New York, and elsewhere, the Schumann and Brahms symphony cycles, and the three performances of Wagner's Ring in Japan in 2002, the ensemble once again lived up to its reputation as one of the best orchestras in the world. Daniel Barenboim ranks the orchestra´s continued concert activity among the priorities on his agenda. The last years have seen Boulez, Brendel, Bychkov, von Dohnányi, Plácido Domingo, Eschenbach, Michael Gielen, Carlo Maria Giulini, Mehta, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Georg Solti, Stein, Vengerov and Zukerman and many more conductors and musicians of international repute perform in Staatskapelle Symphonic Concerts.

Source: Staatsoper unter den linden / Staatskapelle Berlin Website
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (May 2006)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Gerhard Steeger

Orchestra

Selection from BWV 244 [w/ contralto Emmi Leisner]

Links to other Sites

staatsoper unter den linden / staatskapelle Berlin (Official Website) [German/English]

Staatskapelle Berlin (Wikipedia)

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