Top Orchestras that will give you Unforgettable Moments

Did you know? Although the history of orchestration goes back to ancient Greece, the first semblance of a modern orchestra came in the early 17th Century. It was the Italian opera composer Claudio Monteverdi who first assigned specific instruments to perform his music piece.

Today, orchestra forms a greater part of colloquial music, performance, social gathering, and remembering history.

The word orchestra comes from the actual space in which an orchestra plays; the Greek orkhestra means “space where a chorus of dancers performs.”

Rick Perdian, a music and travel connoisseur brings you a list of ten most popular orchestras around the world. It was originally compiled by Gramophone in 2008.

1. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam

The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is a symphony orchestra in the Netherlands, based at the Amsterdam Royal Concertgebouw. It was founded in 1888. Concertgebouw” is the Dutch word for “concert hall.” The Concertgebouw has been performing classical music since its inception. It is known for its unique sound, largely due to the fact that it has only had seven conductors since its establishment.

The Concertgebouw has amassed a collection of nearly 1,000 recordings, making it one of the grand and historically important orchestras in Europe. The only bleak element of its history dates back to World War II when they performed for the Nazi officials. Daniele Gatti assumed the role of chief conductor for the 2016–17 seasons.

2. Berlin Philharmonic

Berlin Philharmonic is the most prestigious Deutsche orchestra performing some of the best classical, romantic, early 20th Century music since the 1920s. It was founded in 1882. Throughout its history, it has witnessed ten principal conductors. Its magnanimous performance of Rattle the orchestra has won a handful of Grammys, Gramophone Awards, and more.

It is a self-governing organization noted for its extensive repertoire, its many international tours, and its voluminous recordings. The interesting fact about Berlin Philharmonic is that its first concert hall was destroyed during WWII in 1944. The principal conductor was captured and jailed by the Allied forces. Since 1963, the orchestra has had a new concert hall called the Philharmonie.

3. Vienna Philharmonic

Vienna Philharmonic is one of the world’s most regarded orchestras. The tickets are so high in demand that the people choose to wait in the long waiting lists for its weekday and weekend subscription tickets. It often makes news for its grueling audition process.

The Vienna Philharmonic was founded in 1842 and has long been considered one of the finest in the world. Richard Wagner, the famous composer, dubbed this orchestra as “one of the world’s very finest.”

Itis based at the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria, and its members is selected from the orchestra of the Vienna State Opera. For many, the Philharmonic is synonymous with classical music. Since its foundation, it has premiered a number of masterpieces and earned accolades from composers who worked with it.

4. London Symphony Orchestra

The London Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1904. Since its inception, the London Symphony Orchestra has quickly become one of the most famous orchestras in the world. The venue was used as the group’s recordings of original scores for movies such as “Star Wars,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” and “Harry Potter.”

It came into place after a group of players left Henry Wood’s Queen’s Hall Orchestra and started their own orchestra. It was set up as a self-governing organization, hence the players themselves organize everything: they decide how much they are going to be paid, who can be in the orchestra, etc.

5. Chicago Symphony Orchestra

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is one of the top-ranking American orchestras. A part of “Big 5” orchestras in the US, Chicago Symphony Orchestra is a highly regarded brass section. At the time of this ranking, the group was led by Daniel Barenboim. It is now under the baton of renowned conductor Riccardo Muti.

6. Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra

The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1949 in the German city of Munich. It is a German radio orchestra and is one of two full-size symphony orchestras operated under the auspices of Bayerischer Rundfunk or Bavarian Broadcasting.

Within its short history, it had five different chief conductors: Eugen Jochum, Rafael Kubelík, Sir Colin Davis, Lorin Maazel, and Mariss Jansons. Today, it remains one of the most popular orchestras in Germany and throughout Europe.

7. Cleveland Orchestra

The Cleveland Orchestra is one of the “Big 5” orchestras in the US. It was founded in 1918 in Cleveland and has remained the primary venue to witness one of the best classical and contemporary compositions. It was founded by the pianist and impresario Adella Prentiss Hughes. The orchestra plays most of its concerts at Severance Hall.

Franz Welser-Möst has led the Cleveland Orchestra since 2002. They often make extensive tours across the U.S. and abroad.

8. Los Angeles Philharmonic

The Los Angeles Philharmonic was founded in 1919. It is the major orchestra based in the city of Los Angeles. It is known its ability to remold and remodel its performances at the whim of the conductor offering it a unique advantage. The group resides in the abstract Walt Disney Concert Hall, where it has been led by conductor Gustavo Dudamel since 2005.

9. Budapest Festival Orchestra

The Budapest Festival Orchestra was founded in 1983 by Iván Fischer and Zoltán Kocsis, with musicians drawn from the cream of Hungary’s younger players. Despite its young age, it has become a leading world orchestra. The founder Iván Fischer’s sole intention was to set out to create an orchestra that would influence and invigorate the musical life and culture of Hungary.

10. Dresden Staatskapelle

The Staatskapelle Dresden is a German orchestra founded in 1548. The oldest orchestras in the world are based in the German city of Dresden, the capital of Saxony. It was founded by Maurice, Elector of Saxony.

Unlike the Budapest Festival Orchestra, the Dresden Staatskapelle has been performing for over 450 years.

RickPerdian.com is a perfect travel website that offers the latest information on travel and music. Rick Perdian is a travel and music connoisseur who has been writing and reviewing about travel, theater, and opera.