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English Chamber Orchestra

This London based orchestra was founded in 1960 by Lawrence Leonard and the harpsichordist, organist and conductor, Arnold Goldsbrough.  It evolved out of the the Goldsbrough Orchestra which had been started in 1948 and devoted itself to performing early music.

After the group had began to play music from after the Baroque period it changed its name to the English Chamber Orchestra, but its repertoire remained limited due to the size of the orchestra.  They became associated with the composer Benjamin Britten, who often conducted them, and they played at his premieres of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “Owen Wingrave” and “Curlew River”, along with performing his already established compositions.

They did not have a resident composer until 1985, when Jeffrey Tate was given the position, and until that time took guest conductors including Daniel Barenboim and Sir Colin Davis, who  was appointed Conductor Emeritus in 2010.  Their current Principal Conductor is Paul Watkins who succeeded Ralf Gothoni.

Until 2017 they had recorded over 1500 works on over 850 recordings and have been reported to be the most recorded chamber orchestra in the world.  They have also guested on albums that include No Boundaries by South Africa’s Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

They were  the orchestra chosen to play at Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s wedding in St. Paul’s Cathedral and at Prince Charles’ 50th birthday gala concert.  In 2007 they performed on a “Music Cruise” through Europe with soloists that include Sarah Chang and Maxim Bengerov.  Later that year they presented Sibelius and Beyond which is a festival of Finnish music that marked the 50th anniversary of the composer Jean Sibelius’ death.

Adolphe Charles Adam Recordings
Le Corsaire
London 0289 430 286 2 (CD – Le Corsaire)
Conductor – Richard Bonynge

Isaac Albeniz recordings
Asturias (Leyenda)
London 425 201 (CD: Joy: Timeless Classics from the Guitar of Michael Conn)
Conductor – Leslie Williams
Guitar – Michael Conn

Tomasino Giovanni Albinoni recordings
Adagio in G minor
London 425 201 (CD: Joy: Timeless Classics from the Guitar of Michael Conn)
Conductor – Leslie Williams
Guitar – Michael Conn

Sources:

  1. http://www.englishchamberorchestra.co.uk/abouttheeco.php
  2. http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Goldsbrough-Arnold.htm
  3. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/english-chamber-orchestra-mn0000803128/biography
  4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Chamber_Orchestra
  5. https://www.discogs.com/artist/415725-English-Chamber-Orchestra