Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra
| Company type | Orchestra |
|---|---|
| Industry | Classical music |
| Predecessor | Spa orchestra (disbanded) |
| Founded | 1946 |
| Defunct | 2016 |
| Fate | Merged with Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra to form SWR Symphonieorchester |
| Headquarters | Baden-Baden and Freiburg , Germany |
Key people | Hans Rosbaud, Heinrich Strobel, François-Xavier Roth, Michael Gielen |
| Owner | Südwestfunk (until 1998), Südwestrundfunk (from 1998) |
The Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra—also recognized as the SWR Baden-Baden Freiburg Symphony Orchestra and in German as the Sinfonieorchester des Südwestrundfunks—was a prominent German radio orchestra situated in the cities of Baden-Baden and Freiburg.
History
Established in 1946, the orchestra initially drew its musicians from the disbanded spa orchestra, undergoing a restructuring following the spa orchestra’s reestablishment in 1948. The ensemble’s inaugural chief conductor was Hans Rosbaud, renowned for his advocacy of modern compositions, which complemented music director Heinrich Strobel’s dedication to contemporary works.
Originally supported by Südwestfunk (SWF) based in Baden-Baden, the orchestra transitioned to the management of Südwestrundfunk (SWR) after SWF merged with other broadcasters in 1998. Its last chief conductor was François-Xavier Roth, who led from 2011 until 2016, while Michael Gielen held the title of conductor laureate between 1986 and 1999.
In response to financial challenges, SWR’s Broadcasting Council authorized in June 2012 the consolidation of this ensemble with the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra. Despite opposition from various quarters, the merger was completed in 2016, resulting in the formation of the SWR Symphonieorchester. The orchestra made its only appearance at The Proms on 26 August 2015. Its final performance occurred on 17 July 2016 in Freiburg, conducted by Roth.
Among its significant recordings is the rendition of Ligeti's Atmospheres under Ernest Bour, featured on the soundtrack for 2001: A Space Odyssey. The orchestra’s extensive discography with Hänssler includes works by Messiaen, Bartók, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, and Wolfgang Rihm.
Chief conductors
- Hans Rosbaud (1948–1962)
- Ernest Bour (1964–1979)
- Kazimierz Kord (1980–1986)
- Klaus Arp (1987–1995)
- Michael Gielen (1986–1999)
- Sylvain Cambreling (1999–2011)
- François-Xavier Roth (2011–2016)
External links
- Official German-language orchestra homepage (Archive)
- Discography (Archive)
- Baden-Baden
- Freiburg im Breisgau
- German symphony orchestras
- Disbanded orchestras
- Musical groups established in 1946
- Musical groups disestablished in 2016
- Former radio and television orchestras
- 1946 establishments in Germany
- 2016 disestablishments in Germany
- Südwestrundfunk
- German radio orchestras
- Orchestras from Baden-Württemberg