Philharmonie Festiva
The Philharmonie Festiva was originally founded by the conductor Gerd Schaller in 2008 to perform at the Ebrach Summer Music Festival.
The core of the orchestra consists of the long-standing Munich Bach Soloists. Selected musicians from renowned orchestras in Germany and neighbouring countries expand its forces when large symphonic works are called for. The orchestra drew attention with its first project, the world premiere recording of Karl Goldmark's opera Merlin. That was awarded an ECHO Klassik in 2010 for that year's best recording of a nineteenth-century opera.
The international fame of the Philharmonie Festiva grew with its recordings of all Anton Bruckner's symphonies, including several versions never before heard. The recordings were made in the Cistercian Abbey in Ebrach and formed part of the Bruckner cycle performed at the Ebrach Summer Music Festival.
In addition to the standard repertoire, the orchestra devotes itself to rare musical works and rediscoveries (Karl Goldmark's First Symphony; Franz Schubert's "Unfinished" Symphony, "finished" in William Carragan's four-movement version).
The close collaboration between the Philharmonie Festiva and the Munich Philharmonic Choir is documented in CDs featuring Franz von Suppé's Requiem and Johann von Herbeck's Great Mass.
Most of the recordings were made in collaboration with Bayerischer Rundfunk's Studio Franken and have been released on the Profil label of Edition Günter Hänssler.
Recordings
Recordings of Anton Bruckner's symphonies
- Symphony in F minor of 1863 (due for release in 2016)
- First Symphony - Linz version of 1866 (Carragan edition) - PH12022 (2012)
- Symphony in D minor of 1869 - PH15035 (2015)
- Second Symphony - version of 1872 (Carragan edition) - PH12022 (2012)
- Third Symphony - version of 1874 (Carragan edition), premiere recording - PH12022 (2012)
- Fourth Symphony - version of 1878/80 - PH11028 (2011)
- Fourth Symphony - version of 1878 with final movement entitled Volksfest (traditional fair) - PH13049 (2013)
- Fifth Symphony - PH14020 (2014)
- Sixth Symphony - PH14021 (2014)
- Seventh Symphony - PH11028 (2011)
- Eighth Symphony - intermediate variant of 1888 (Carragan edition), premiere recording - PH13027 (2013)
- Ninth Symphony - with final movement completed by William Carragan in the 2010 revision - PH11028 (2011)
- Funeral music "To the memory of Anton Bruckner" by Otto Kitzler orchestrated by Gerd Schaller, premiere recording - PH13027 (2013)
Recordings with the Munich Philharmonic Choir
- Karl Goldmark: Merlin, premiere recording - PH09044 (2009)
- Franz von Suppé: Requiem - PH12061 (2012)
- Johann Ritter von Herbeck: Great Mass, premiere recording - PH15003 (2015)
Other recordings
- Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony no. 3 - PH15030 (2015)
- Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony no. 4 - PH15030 (2015)
- Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony no. 5 - PH15030 (2015)
- Karl Goldmark: Symphony no. 1 "Rustic Wedding" - PH10048 (2011)
- Franz Schubert: "Unfinished" Symphony in B minor D759 in the four-movement version of William Carragan, premiere recording - PH12062 (2012)
- Franz Schubert: "Great" Symphony in C major D944 - PH12062 (2012)
External links
- Philharmonie Festiva at AllMusic
- Philharmonie Festiva discography at Discogs
- Philharmonie Festiva discography at Discogs
- Tonträger Philharmonie Festiva in the German National Library catalogue
Reviews
- Review (engl.) Ebrach Summer Music Festival
- Review (fr.) Anton Bruckner Symphonies nos. 1-3
- Review (fr.) Anton Bruckner Symphonies nos. 4, 7, and 9
- Review (germ.) Anton Bruckner Symphonies nos. 4, 7, and 9
- Review (germ.) Anton Bruckner Symphony no. 5
- Review (engl.) Anton Bruckner Symphony no. 6
- Review (engl.) Anton Bruckner Symphony no. 8
- Review (engl.) Anton Bruckner Symphony f-minor
- Review (germ.) Johann von Herbeck Great Mass
- Review (engl.) Johann von Herbeck Great Mass
- Review (engl.) Franz von Suppé Requiem
- Review (engl.) BrucknerFest
- Review (engl.) Anton Bruckner Symphony no. 8