Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie

German orchestra

Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie

Symphony orchestra

Heyward at Stadttheater Minden on 3 March 2022, announcing that the following concert is dedicated to the victims of the invasion of Ukraine

Founded| 1950 (1950)
Location| Herford, Germany
Principal conductor|

* 1953 (1953) – 1955 (1955): Wilhelm Schüchter
* 1959 (1959) – 1960 (1960): Hermann Scherchen
* 2006 (2006) – 2009 (2009): Andris Nelsons
* Jonathon Heyward

Website| www.nwd-philharmonie.de

The Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie (North West German Philharmonic) is a German symphony orchestra based in Herford. It was founded in 1950 and, along with Philharmonie Südwestfalen and Landesjugendorchester NRW, is one of the 'official' orchestras (Landesorchester) of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The orchestra has been shaped by conductors such as Wilhelm Schüchter, Hermann Scherchen and Andris Nelsons. They have regularly served several cities in northwest Germany, and toured internationally to halls such as Berliner Philharmonie, Tonhalle Zürich and Großes Festspielhaus in Salzburg, also to the U.S. and Japan.

In 1995, they played the premiere recording of Shostakovich's unfinished opera Die Spieler (The Gamblers), sung in Russian by soloists of the Bolshoi Theatre conducted by Michail Jurowski. They were the orchestra for the project Der Ring in Minden, concluded in 2019. Jonathon Heyward has been chief conductor from 2021.

## History[edit]

A predecessor of the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie was founded in 1946 under this name in Bad Pyrmont by members of the former Linzer Reichs-Bruckner-Orchester and the Prager Deutsche Philharmonie. In 1950 this orchestra merged with the Herforder Sinfonisches Orchester. The new orchestra was first named Städtebund-Symphoniker, but in 1951 Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie.[1]

## Funding[edit]

The orchestra is funded partly by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia[2] and an association of communities in the region Ostwestfalen-Lippe. Members of the association are the cities Bad Salzuflen, Bünde, Detmold, Herford, Lemgo, Minden and Paderborn and the districts Herford und Lippe.[1] Venues include the Konzerthalle Bad Salzuflen and the Stadttheater Minden.

## Activities[edit]

The 78 musicians play about 120 concerts per year, mainly in the cities which support the orchestra, but also on international tours to the United States and Japan, among others.[2] They have played in concert halls such as the Berliner Philharmonie,[3][4] Konzerthaus Dortmund[5] and Großes Festspielhaus in Salzburg.[6]

The orchestra collaborates with the public radio station WDR3.[7] They recorded more than 200 records and CDs. The orchestra has accompanied singers such as Anna Netrebko, José Cura, Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti und Renée Fleming. The players are engaged in pedagogical programs for schools and young listeners, reaching more than 12,000 children a year.[2]

The orchestra conducts an international summer academy, in 2010 with Fabio Bidini.[8]

## Conductors[edit]

Conductors included:[1]

* 1950–1952: Rolf Agop
* 1952–1953: Eugen Pabst
* 1953–1955: Wilhelm Schüchter
* 1955–1956: Albert Grünes
* 1956–1961: Kurt Brass
* 1959–1960: Hermann Scherchen
* 1961–1963: Hermann Hildebrand
* 1963–1969: Richard Kraus
* 1969–1971: Werner Andreas Albert
* 1971–1974: Erich Bergel
* 1975–1987: János Kulka
* 1987–1991: Alun Francis
* 1992–1998: Michail Jurowski
* 1998–2006: Toshiyuki Kamioka
* 2006–2009: Andris Nelsons
* 2010–2014: Eugene Tzigane
* 2014–2020: Yves Abel[9]
* from 2021: Jonathon Heyward[10]

## Music[edit]

Wilhelm Schüchter conducted in 1955 a recording of Smetana's opera The Bartered Bride performed in German, with the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, the chorus of the Landestheater Hannover, Erna Berger, Rudolf Schock, Gottlob Frick, Hanns-Heinz Nissen, Christa Ludwig, Theodor Schlott and Marga Höffgen.[11]

In 1960, Hermann Scherchen recorded works of Max Reger with alto Margarethe Bence and the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, including Eine Lustspielouvertüre (Comedy Overture), Serenade for orchestra, Eine romantische Suite, "An die Hoffnung", Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Beethoven and Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Mozart.[12]

Werner Andreas Albert conducted the orchestra in a recording of Robert Volkmann's orchestral works, two ouvertures, two symphonies and a cello concerto with soloist Johannes Wohlmacher.[13]

The orchestra, conducted by Erich Bergel, accompanied pianist Volker Banfield on a recording of Les Djinns, a symphonic poem for piano and orchestra by César Franck.[14]

János Kulka conducted the orchestra for a recording of works by Franz Liszt, Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6, Two Episodes of Lenau's Faust and Hunnenschlacht.[15]

Alun Francis conducted a recording of Carl Reinecke's four piano concertos with pianist Klaus Hellwig.[16]

Conducted by Michail Jurowski, they played in 1995 the premiere recording of Shostakovich's unfinished opera Die Spieler (The Gamblers) after Nikolai Gogol, completed by Krzysztof Meyer in 1981, sung in Russian by soloists of the Bolshoi Theatre.[17][18]

Toshiyuki Kamioka conducted Rautavaara's Symphony No.7 "Angel of Light" in January 2000 in Detmold, Paderborn, Herford, Bad Salzuflen and Minden.[19]

Max Reger's monumental Der 100. Psalm was performed in the Reinoldikirche in Dortmund as part of the Max-Reger-Wochen 2004 in a collaboration with four choirs: Chor der Hochschule für Musik Herford, Westfälische Kantorei, Münsterchor Herford, and Chor des Städtischen Musikvereins Hamm.[20]

In 2004 Britten's War Requiem was performed in the Mainz Cathedral in a collaboration with Joshard Daus and the EuropaChorAkademie.[21]

In August 2006 Frank Beermann conducted Mahler's Resurrection Symphony with the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie and the Philharmonische Chöre Siegen und Brühl in the Alfred-Fischer-Halle in Hamm.[22]

In November 2006 the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, conducted by Andreas Delfs, accompanied Renée Fleming in the Berlin Philharmonie.[3] With the EuropaChorAkademie the orchestra played there Poulenc's Stabat Mater and Bruckner's Mass in F minor.[4]

Andris Nelsons conducted Bartók's Viola Concerto, with soloist Hermann Menninghaus, and Mahler's Fifth Symphony in Herford in the final concert with his orchestra in May 2009.[23]

A program of orchestral Lieder and works of Hans Pfitzner and Richard Strauss with baritone Hans Christoph Begermann and conductor Otto Tausk was also performed in Witten.[7][24]

Eugene Tzigane conducted two concerts in the Tonhalle Zürich, works by Dvořák and Tschaikovsky on 3 May 2010, and Weber's ouverture to Der Freischütz, Mozart's Clarinet concerto with Sebastian Manz, and Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 on 4 May 2010.[25][26] Tzigane conducted the concerts marking the orchestra's 60th anniversary in October 2010, Don Juan of Richard Strauss, the Violin Concerto of Erich Korngold, with soloist Philippe Quint, and the Symphony in D minor of César Franck.[27]

In November 2010 the orchestra took part in a performance in the Berlin Philharmonie of Hans Krása's: Die Erde ist des Herrn... and Ein deutsches Requiem by Brahms.[28]

In 2017, Dirk Kaftan conducted the first series of concerts, performing Alban Berg's Violin Concerto with Liza Ferschtman as soloist, and Bruckner's Fourth Symphony at seven locations, including Hamm and Marburg.[29]

In the 2020/21 season, the orchestra had to play short concerts with small groups of players, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yves Abel conducted a program of Barber's Adagio for Strings, Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto with Anna Tifu as the soloist, and Poulenc's Sinfonietta (Poulenc).[30]

### Wagner project in Minden[edit]

Main article: Der Ring in Minden

The orchestra has played in productions of stage works by Richard Wagner, an ongoing project of the Stadttheater Minden on an initiative by Jutta Hering-Winckler, president of the local Richard Wagner Society. The conductor has been Frank Beermann, GMD of the Chemnitz Opera:

* 2002 Der fliegende Holländer
* 2005 Tannhäuser
* 2009 Lohengrin
* 2012 Tristan und Isolde[31]
* 2015 to 2019: Der Ring des Nibelungen. The project culminated in Der Ring in Minden, begun in 2015 with annual productions of the four parts, and two complete Ring cycles in 2019.

Throughout the project, the orchestra was positioned at the back of the small stage. After the Ring cycle, a reviewer from the FAZ described the orchestra as "wunderbares Wagnerorchester"[32] (wonderful Wagner orchestra) precisely because it was unfamiliar with Wagner and had to learn every measure. He mentioned its brilliant, glowing and somber colours. and called it the "omniscient narrator and commentator, as well as the source of energy for the action" ("allwissender Erzähler und Kommentator wie Energiequelle des Geschehens").[32]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Geschichte der NWD" (in German). Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie. 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
2. ^ a b c "Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie Landesorchester Nordrhein-Westfalen Sitz Herford" (in German). Kulturserver NRW. 2010. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
3. ^ a b "Renée Fleming, Orchester der Nordwestdeutschen Philharmonie, Andreas Delfs". Berliner Philharmoniker. 28 November 2006. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
4. ^ a b "EuropaChorAkademie, Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, Joshard Daus, Claudia Barainsky, Gabriele Künzler, Christian Elsner". Berliner Philharmoniker. 6 November 2007. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
5. ^ "Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie". Mozart Gesellschaft Dortmund. 2009. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
6. ^ "Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie Herford". Salzburger Kulturvereinigung. 4 March 2010. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
7. ^ a b "Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie spielt Werke von Richard Strauss und Hans Pfitzner" (in German). WDR3. 5 February 2010. Archived from the original on 25 January 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
8. ^ "The Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie's International Summer Academy". Summer Academy Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie. 2010. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
9. ^ "Yvel Abel wird Chefdirigent der Nordwestdeutschen Philharmonie" (in German). Deutsches Musikinformationszentrum. 24 March 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
10. ^ "Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie beruft neuen Chefdirigenten". Westfalenspiegel (in German). 23 May 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
11. ^ "The Bartered Bride by Bedrich Smetana performed in German". operadis-opera-discography.org. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
12. ^ "Scherchen Conducts Reger / Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie". arkivmusic.com. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
13. ^ Martin Andersen (1996). "Robert Volkmann Complete Orchestral Works". classical.net. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
14. ^ "Volker Banfield – Klavierkonzerte Vol. 1". jpc.de. 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
15. ^ "Franz Liszt: Hunnenschlacht". allmusic.com. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
16. ^ "Carl Reinecke Klavierkonzerte 1—4". jpc.de. 2006. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
17. ^ W. Mark Roberts. "The Gamblers". DSCH Journal. Archived from the original on 15 August 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
18. ^ "Shostakovich, D.: Igroki (The Gamblers) [Opera]". Naxos. 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
19. ^ "18 January 2000". Boosey & Hawkes. 18 January 2000. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
20. ^ "Der 100. Psalm: Höhepunkt der Max-Reger-Wochen in der St. Reinoldikirche" (in German). Dormund. 18 May 2004. Retrieved 31 July 2010.[permanent dead link]
21. ^ Wolff, Jan-Geert (9 November 2004). "Grauen des Krieges Benjamin Brittens "War Requiem" im Dom" (in German). Allgemeine Zeitung. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
22. ^ "Kulturreport Hamm" (PDF) (in German). Hamm. 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
23. ^ "Gefühlswelten voll ausgelebt / Andris Nelsons dirigiert letztes Abschiedskonzert in Herford" (in German). Mindener Tageblatt. 12 May 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
24. ^ "Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie" (in German). Wittener Kulturgemeinde. 21 January 2010. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
25. ^ "Ein Orchester ist Museum und Galerie" (in German). Westfalenblatt. 30 April 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2010.[permanent dead link]
26. ^ "Sebastian Manz Klarinette". daniela wiehen artirst management. 2010. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
27. ^ "Die Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie spielt Werke von Richard Strauss, Erich Wolfgang Korngold und César Franck" (in German). WDR3. 29 September 2010. Archived from the original on 29 October 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
28. ^ "Hans Krása: "Die Erde ist des Herrn..." Johannes Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem" (in German). centrumjudaicum.de. 14 November 2010. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
29. ^ "International Concert Listings". Bonn. 2017. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
30. ^ "Publikum feiert Herforder Orchester auch in kleinerer Besetzung / NWD mal spritzig, mal klagend". Wesfalen-Blatt (in German). 5 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
31. ^ Büning, Eleonore (11 September 2012). "Richard Wagner in Minden / Hier weht Bayreuths Fahne auf dem Dach". Faz.net (in German). FAZ. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
32. ^ a b Oehrlein, Josef (27 September 2019). "Der Kleine muss Ideen haben / Zeitreise durch vier Epochen: Richard Wagners "Ring" in Minden". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). Frankfurt. Retrieved 6 September 2019.

## External links[edit]

* Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie website (in German)
* Entries for the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie on WorldCat

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