This chamber orchestra was founded in 1977 by graduates of the Franz Liszt Academy of Music and currently has 16 members.
Their first director was Karoly Botvay who was a previous member of the Bartok Quartet and an acclaimed cellist. The orchestra is led by Bela Banfalvi who has also been a member of the Bartok Quartet as well as leading the Hungarian Symphony Orchestra.
They were the winners of the Belgrade International Chamber Orchestra Competition in 1982 and from 1983 they have performed a concert series annually in the Great Hall of the Music Academy and organise the International Haydn Festival held yearly in Esterhaza-Fertod.
They have achieved international acclaim with their tours and recordings and are known for including compositions written for them by present day Hungarian composers. Their recording repertoire includes performances of works by Bach, Handel and Vivaldi alongside many others.
The orchestra was awarded the Bartok-Pasztori Prize in 2001, which is Hungary’s highest honour in music.
Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni recordings
Concerto No. 2 for Oboe in D minor, Op 9
Capriccio 10 768 (CD: Italianische Trompetenkonzerte)
Trumpet – Reinhold Friedrich
Johann Georg Albrechtsberger recordings
Harp Concerto in C major
Capriccio 10 586 (CD: Andrea Vigh: Harfenkonzerte/Harp Concertos)
Harp – Andrea Vigh
Partita in F major
Capriccio 10 586 (CD: Andrea Vigh: Harfenkonzerte/Harp Concertos)
Harp – Andrea Vigh
Sources:
- http://www.budapestivonosok.hu/hu
- http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Budapest-Strings.htm
- http://www.naxos.com/ensembleinfo/13.htm
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest_Strings_Chamber_Orchestra
- http://www.allmusic.com/artist/budapest-strings-mn0000237030
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/842269-Budapest-Strings