Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra
| Company type | Orchestra |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Predecessor | Sinfonieorchester von Radio Stuttgart |
| Founded | 1945 |
| Founder | American occupation authorities |
| Defunct | 2016 |
| Fate | Merged with Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra to form SWR Symphonieorchester |
| Successor | SWR Symphonieorchester |
| Headquarters | Stuttgart , Germany |
Key people | Sir Neville Marriner, Georges Prêtre, Roger Norrington, Stéphane Denève |
| Products | Concert performances, recordings (Hänssler, ECM New Series) |
| Owner | Südwestrundfunk (SWR) |
| Parent | Südwestrundfunk (SWR) |
The Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra (in German: Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR) was a German radio orchestra headquartered in Stuttgart.
History
Established in 1945 under the direction of the American occupation authorities as the ensemble for Radio Stuttgart, it originally bore the name Sinfonieorchester von Radio Stuttgart. As the radio broadcaster transitioned into Süddeutscher Rundfunk (SDR), the orchestra's designation changed to Sinfonieorchester des Süddeutschen Rundfunks in 1949, followed by Südfunk-Sinfonieorchester in 1959, before settling on its final title in 1975.
The orchestra gained a reputation for its dedication to modern repertoire. Its chief conductors have included Sir Neville Marriner (1983–1989), who subsequently served as principal guest conductor; Georges Prêtre, who was artistic director starting in 1996 and later became honorary conductor; and Roger Norrington (1998–2011), notable for incorporating historically informed performance techniques. After his tenure, Norrington shared the honorary conductor role with Prêtre. In 2011, Stéphane Denève assumed the position of principal conductor with an initial contract of three years, which was extended through the 2015-2016 season. Denève was the orchestra’s last chief conductor.
Due to financial limitations, SWR’s Broadcasting Council approved in June 2012 the fusion of the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra with the Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra. This merger was officially enacted in September 2012 and finalized in 2016 despite international objections. The orchestra’s concluding performance occurred on 28 July 2016 at the Royal Albert Hall during The Proms, led by Norrington. The resulting ensemble is known as the SWR Symphonieorchester.
This orchestra produced numerous recordings for labels such as Hänssler and ECM New Series.
Principal conductors
- Hans Müller-Kray (1948–1969)
- Sergiu Celibidache (1971–1977)
- Neville Marriner (1983–1989)
- Gianluigi Gelmetti (1989–1998)
- Roger Norrington (1998–2011)
- Stéphane Denève (2011–2016)