TheBergen Philharmonic Orchestra (Norwegian: Bergen filharmoniske orkester) is a Norwegianorchestra based inBergen. Its principal concert venue is theGrieg Hall.
Established in1765 under the nameDet Musicalske Selskab (The Musical Society), it later changed its name toMusikselskabet Harmonien. Bergen citizens often refer to the ensemble as "Harmonien" (the Harmony).
After World War I, there was strong interest in the major Norwegian cities of Bergen andKristiania (laterOslo) in having larger orchestras. In 1919, the orchestra in Bergen was reorganized to employ 40 professional full-time musicians. As of 2015, the orchestra has 101 musicians.
The orchestra has had a long tradition of playing contemporary music.Ludwig van Beethoven's second symphony was performed in Bergen in the year it was published,1804, even before it was performed in Berlin. Bergen-borncomposerEdvard Grieg had close ties with the orchestra, and was artistic director from 1880 to 1882. He also bequeathed a portion of his estate to a fund which continues to provide financial support for the orchestra. Other composers have served as principal conductor of the orchestra, includingArvid Fladmoe,Johan Halvorsen,Iver Holter,Richard Henneberg,Olav Kielland andPer Winge. ComposerHarald Sæverud was frequently invited to conduct his own works, and the orchestra continues to commission and perform new compositions on a regular basis. Other composers who have conducted their own works with the orchestra includeAaron Copland,Karl Nielsen,Jean Sibelius,Witold Lutosławski,Lukas Foss, andKrzysztof Penderecki. In 1953, theFestspillene i Bergen was started andLeopold Stokowski was contracted to conduct the orchestra. Other conductors at the Bergen Festival have includedEugene Ormandy andSir Thomas Beecham.
Andrew Litton became principal conductor in 2003 and artistic director in 2005. In 2002, the orchestra began to record the complete orchestral works of Edvard Grieg, the first Norwegian orchestra to do so. Norwegian conductorOle Kristian Ruud and the orchestra recorded the final of the 7 CDs forBIS, in 2005. Litton now has the title of conductor laureate with the orchestra.
The orchestra's most recent chief conductor wasEdward Gardner, beginning in 2015.[1][2] In January 2017. the orchestra announced the extension of Gardner's contract in Bergen through 2021.[3] In September 2019, the orchestra further extended Gardner's contract through 2023.[4] In June 2021, the orchestra announced a 1-year extension of Gardner's contract through July 2024.[5] In November 2021, the orchestra announced the appointment of SirMark Elder as its next principal guest conductor, effective 1 August 2022, with an initial contract of three years through 31 July 2025.[6] Gardner concluded his tenure as chief conductor at the close of the 2023–2024 season,[7] at which time the orchestra named him itsæresdirigent (honorary conductor).[8]
1827 – Prague-bornFerdinand Giovanni Schediwy named conductor. Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven dominate orchestra's repertoire.
1839 – As a promotion, the society advertises that each man can bring two women to concerts.
1855 – Otto Lübbert becomes musical leader.
1856 – Society renamedMusikselskabet Harmonien.Ferdinand A. Rojahn named orchestra leader. First part of Haydn's "Creation" performed after over 100 rehearsals.
1859 – August Fries named conductor.
1862 – Musicians fromHarmonien assist the 18-year-oldEdvard Grieg with his first concert in his home city of Bergen after his studies inLeipzig. Amadeus Wolfgang Maczewsky becomes orchestra leader.
1863 – Edvard Grieg performs aBeethoven sonata with Maczewsky on a Society concert.
1865 – August Fries leads Grieg'sSymphony in C Minor.
1893 – Johan Halvorsen becomes conductor. During his six seasons as conductor, he introduces music ofGlinka,Delibes,Dvořák,Humperdinck andSibelius to Bergensers.
1934–35 –Karol Szymanowski featured as soloist in his ownSinfonia Concertante for piano and orchestra.
1938 – First "Young Soloists Concert."
1939–40 – Orchestra holds first "Worker's Concert"
1941 – At the orchestra's 175-year jubilee concert, a Nazi mob protests againstErnst Glaser, a Jew who was scheduled to perform as soloist onOle Bull's violin. He is whisked away by rescuers and the concert is cancelled after the first number.
1942–43 – Orchestra gives five memorial concerts forEdvard Grieg's 100-year jubilee.
1943 – Air-raid warning interrupts season opening concert.
1944–45 – Concert time changed to 6:00 p.m. because of 9:00 curfew. Orchestra holdsbenefit concert for victims of bombing in Laksevåg.
1946–47 – Orchestra premieresHarald SæverudOboe Concerto. School concert series begins.
1947–48 – Site for Grieg Hall selected. Haakon B. Wallem donates one millionNorwegian Kroner to building fund.
1966 – Tour to the U. S. A. under the name "Norwegian Festival Orchestra." Orchestra celebrates 200th season. Karsten Andersen named Artistic Director.
2003 –Andrew Litton becomes principal conductor, takes orchestra on tour to Spain.
2005 – Andrew Litton named artistic director. Orchestra celebrates its 240th season. Litton leads European tour with concerts inUdine,Ljubljana,Zagreb, Rome,Vienna andInnsbruck.
2006 – Orchestra roster increased to 98 musicians. Orchestra goes onstrike during Bergen International Festival. Sten Cranner becomes managing director.
2007 – Touring to the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Birmingham Symphony Hall and Royal Albert Hall, PROMS (London), with Boris Berezovsky as piano-soloist. 12-concert tour of the US including Carnegie Hall, New York. Soloist: André Watts, piano.
2008 – Concert at Musikverein, Vienna. Soloist Johannes Moser, cello. Three-concert tour of Poland, Estonia and Sweden with soloist Nikolaj Znaider, violin.
