| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
The orchestra was founded in 1881 by Henry Lee Higginson in Boston, Massachusetts. It went on to have several notable conductors, including Arthur Nikisch from 1889 to 1893, and Pierre Monteux from 1919 to 1924 who gave the orchestra a reputation for a "French" sort of sound which persists to some degree to this day. However, it was under the baton of Serge Koussevitzky that the orchestra became best known.
Under Koussevitzky, the orchestra gave regular radio broadcasts and established its summer home at Tanglewood, where Koussevitzky founded the Berkshire Music School (now Tanglewood Music School). Koussevitzky also commissioned many new pieces from prominent composers, including the fourth symphony of Sergei Prokofiev and the Symphony of Psalms by Igor Stravinsky. They also gave the premiere of Béla Bartók's Concerto for OrchestraThe Concerto for Orchestra is one of Bela Bartok's best known pieces, and usually regarded as one of his best. It was written in response to a commission from the Koussevitzky Foundation (run by the conductor Serge Koussevitzky) following Bartok's move to, which had been commissioned by the Koussevitzky Foundation.
In 1949, Charles MunchCharles Munch ( September 26, 1891 November 6, 1968) was a French conductor and violinist. Munch was born in Strasbourg. He had a career as a violinist, being leader of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under Wilhelm Furtwangler from 1926 to 1933, before m succeeded Koussevitzky. Under him, the orchestra played overseas for the first time. He was succeeded in 1962 by Erich LeinsdorfErich Leinsdorf ( February 4, 1912 September 11, 1993) was a conductor. Leinsdorf was born in Vienna, and studied music there. From 1934 to 1937 he worked as an assistant to Bruno Walter and Arturo Toscanini at the Salzburg Festival. He conducted at the M who in 1969 gave way to William Steinberg .
In 1973, Seiji OzawaSeiji Ozawa (born September 1, 1935) is a Japanese conductor. He is particularly noted for his interpretations of large-scale late Romantic works. He was born in Hoten ( Shenyang), Manchukuo. He studied at the Toho School of Music in Tokyo, graduating in took over the orchestra, and remained the principal conductor until 2002, the longest tenure of any Boston Symphony conductor. He was succeeded by James LevineJames Levine (born: June 23, 1943) is an American orchestral conductor and pianist. Levine was born in Cincinnati into a musical family; his maternal grandfather was a cantor in a synagogue; his father was a violinist, who led a dance band; his mother was, the first American-born conductor to hold the post.
Famous violin virtuoso Willy HessWilly Hess ( July 14, 1859 1939) was a famous violin virtuoso and violin teacher. Born in Mannheim, Germany, he is the most famous student of Joseph Joachim. He also studied with his father, who was a pupil of Spohr, and Joachim. From 1904 to 1910 he was was concertmaster from 19041904 is a leap year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). Events January 7 The distress signal " CQD" is established only to be replaced two years later by " SOS. February 7 A fire in Baltimore, Maryland destroys over 1,500 buildings in 30 to 1910Events January events January 13 The first live musical radio program. Lee De Forest broadcasts a live performance of Enrico Caruso from the Metropolitan Opera. January 26 ? Seine floods in Paris. February events February 8 The Boy Scouts of America is in.
An offshoot of the Boston Symphony Orchestra is the Boston Pops Orchestra, founded in 1885, which plays lighter, more popular classics.
Performing with the BSO and Boston Pops for major choral works are the Tanglewood Festival Chorus. Organized in 1970 by its founding director, John Oliver, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus are comprised of the voices of 250 musician who give their time and talents on a voluntary basis.