Orchestre Symphonique de Paris

The Orchestra Symphonique de Paris (Symphonic Orchestra of Paris) was an orchestra principally active in Paris from 1928 to 1939. The orchestra was co-founded by Ernest Ansermet, Louis Fourestier and Alfred Cortot and gave its first concert on 19 October 1928 at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.

The financial support for the orchestra came from wealthy sponsors such as Gustave Lyon, director of Pleyel, two banker Ménard brothers, and the Princess de Polignac. Members of the management board were Robert Lyon (general administrator), Charles Kiesgen (administrative secretary), André Schaeffner (artistic secretary) along with Henri Monnet and Jean Gehret. Financial difficulties forced the orchestra to become an association in mid 1931.

The aim of the new orchestra was to present less-known works of major composers as well as contemporary music and the central concert repertoire, playing to a high standard. The standard of the orchestra was considered to be high, partly due to the number of rehearsals before each concert. Of the eighty musicians chosen (out of 600 auditioned) the majority were under 25.

From 1929 Pierre Monteux was invited by Cortot to become closely involved with the orchestra as artistic director and principal conductor. Monteux made his debut with them on 12 April that year, conducting a major spring festival; at the end of the first season the orchestra had given 63 concerts. The season also saw the first recording by the orchestra (although referred to as ‘Grand Orchestra Symphonique’): the premiere recording in May of The Rite of Spring, conducted by Monteux, at the refurbished Salle Pleyel.

New works premiered by the orchestra included Rugby in 1928, Capriccio for piano and orchestra in 1929 both under Ansermet, Poulenc’s Concert Champêtre (with Wanda Landowska), Prokofiev’s 3rd symphony under Monteux; as well as Paris premieres of Janáček's Sinfonietta and fragments from Berg’s Wozzeck.

The orchestra toured to Belgium and Holland in 1930, then in late 1931 to fifteen cities, including Hamburg, Cologne, Berlin, Dresden and Vienna; in 1932 to Brussels and in 1933 to Geneva. Other recordings with the orchestra include Ravel's La Valse, Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique, the Bach Double Concerto (with Menuhin and Enescu), and Fête Polonaise from Le roi malgré lui under Monteux, the Symphonie Espagnole under Coppola, works by Gaubert conducted by the composer, Soviet music (Shostakovich, Alexander Mosolov, Yuliy Meitus) conducted by Julius Ehrlich, as well as Bach played by Cortot.

Birth and Death Data: Born Founded 1928, Died Ceased 1939

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1927 - 1934

Roles Represented in DAHR: Musical group

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 51-65 of 65 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia (U.K.) WLX405 12-in. 6/5/1928 Impressions d'Italie : Sérénade Gustave Charpentier ; Orchestre Symphonique de Paris Orchestra Musical group  
Columbia (U.K.) WLX408 12-in. 6/5/1928 Impressions d'Italie : La fontaine Gustave Charpentier ; Orchestre Symphonique de Paris Orchestra Musical group  
Columbia (U.K.) WLX461 12-in. 6/18/1928 Mon Lac: Prelude Robert Casadesus ; Orchestre Symphonique de Paris ; Georges-Martin Witkowski Piano with orchestra Musical group  
Columbia (U.K.) WLX462 12-in. 6/18/1928 Mon Lac: Theme and variations, part 1 Robert Casadesus ; Orchestre Symphonique de Paris ; Georges-Martin Witkowski Piano with orchestra Musical group  
Columbia (U.K.) WLX463 12-in. 6/18/1928 Mon Lac: Theme and variations, part 2 Robert Casadesus ; Orchestre Symphonique de Paris ; Georges-Martin Witkowski Piano with orchestra Musical group  
Columbia (U.K.) WLX464 12-in. 6/18/1928 Mon Lac: Theme and variations, concluion Robert Casadesus ; Orchestre Symphonique de Paris ; Georges-Martin Witkowski Piano with orchestra Musical group  
Columbia (U.K.) WLX465 12-in. 6/18/1928 Mon Lac: Finale, part 1 Robert Casadesus ; Orchestre Symphonique de Paris ; Georges-Martin Witkowski Piano with orchestra Musical group  
Columbia (U.K.) WLX466 12-in. 6/18/1928 Mon Lac: Finale, part 2 Robert Casadesus ; Orchestre Symphonique de Paris ; Georges-Martin Witkowski Piano with orchestra Musical group  
Columbia (U.K.) WLX648 12-in. 12/1/1928 Acte 3: Air de Micaëla Élie Cohen ; Marthe Nespoulous ; Orchestre Symphonique de Paris Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra Musical group  
Columbia (U.K.) WLX1325 12-in. 4/4/1930 Danse macabre, 1re partie Philippe Gaubert ; Henri Merckel ; Orchestre Symphonique de Paris Orchestra Musical group  
Columbia (U.K.) WLX1326 12-in. 4/4/1930 Danse macabre, 2è partie Philippe Gaubert ; Henri Merckel ; Orchestre Symphonique de Paris Orchestra Musical group  
Columbia (U.K.) CL4719 10-in. 2/3/1934 Les songes : Ballet, 1re partie Darius Milhaud ; Orchestre Symphonique de Paris Orchestra Musical group  
Columbia (U.K.) CL4720 10-in. 2/3/1934 Les songes : Ballet, 2e partie Darius Milhaud ; Orchestre Symphonique de Paris Orchestra Musical group  
Columbia (U.K.) CL4721 10-in. 2/3/1934 Les songes : Ballet, 3e partie Darius Milhaud ; Orchestre Symphonique de Paris Orchestra Musical group  
Columbia (U.K.) CL4722 10-in. 2/3/1934 Les songes : Ballet, 4e partie Darius Milhaud ; Orchestre Symphonique de Paris Orchestra Musical group  
(Results 51-65 of 65 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Orchestre Symphonique de Paris," accessed November 9, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106989.

Orchestre Symphonique de Paris. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 9, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106989.

"Orchestre Symphonique de Paris." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106989

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