The Bournemouth Sinfonietta was a chamber orchestra founded in 1968 as an offshoot of the

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an English orchestra, founded in 1893 and originally based in Bournemouth. With a remit to serve the South and South West of England, the BSO is administratively based in the adjacent town of Poole, s ...

. It was disbanded in November 1999 after increasing difficulties in obtaining funding from local councils led to the decision to concentrate government funding on its larger parent.

Formation

The orchestra was initially conducted by

George Hurst George Hurst may refer to: * George Hurst (conductor) (1926–2012), British conductor * George Hurst (artist) (born 1933), American leather artist * George Samuel Hurst (1927–2010), health physicist, scientist, inventor, educator and innovator ...

, who acted as artistic adviser, and

Nicholas Braithwaite Nicholas Paul Dallon Braithwaite (born 26 August 1939, London)''International Who's Who In Classical Music'', 2003 Edition, p. 94 (Europa Publications Ltd., London, England) is an English conductor. He is the son of the conductor Warwick Brait ...

, to perform the classical repertoire in the smaller venues of the south and west of England. In the first months of its existence, players interchanged between the Symphony Orchestra and the Sinfonietta, with some having to consult a chart to find out which orchestra they would play with the following week (leading occasionally to players going for the wrong rehearsal). The 'pool of players' idea was scrapped and the Sinfonietta became independent of the BSO, with more players moving across from the BSO in 1969.

Concert repertoire

The Sinfonietta made its London debut on 9 January 1969 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in a concert of Seiber, Milhaud, Webern and Varèse conducted by Edgar Cosma. Among the premières given by the orchestra were: During its existence, the Bournemouth Sinfonietta gained a national reputation, appearing at

The Proms The BBC Proms or Proms, formally named the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts Presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert Hal ...

in 1977, 1988 and 1992 and also undertook short overseas tours, including Germany in 1987; Italy and Turkey in 1992; Romania in 1994; Spain in 1995; Brazil in 1996; and France in 1997. Venues in the south and west of England varied from small church halls, often in places which would otherwise hear no live professional orchestral music, to larger concert halls. From 1974 until 1986, the Sinfonietta was the orchestra for Glyndebourne on Tour. The educational and outreach work of the Sinfonietta was recognised by a Prudential Award and a Sainsbury's "Arts for All" award. In Romania, in collaboration with the charity, ‘Musika in Romania’, the orchestra gave concerts, visited schools, an orphanage and an assessment centre for street children.

Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir

The Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir was founded in 1972 and continues to give concerts in Dorset and beyond. The Choir's director in 2008 was David Gostick, organist at

Wimborne Minster Wimborne Minster (often referred to as Wimborne, ) is a market town in Dorset in South West England, and the name of the Church of England church in that town. It lies at the confluence of the River Stour and the River Allen, north of Poo ...

., accessed 27 August 2008.

Principal conductors

Recordings

Among the many recordings made by the Orchestra, ranging from the Baroque to the

contemporary Contemporary history, in English-language historiography, is a subset of modern history that describes the historical period from approximately 1945 to the present. Contemporary history is either a subset of the late modern period, or it is o ...

, are: *Eduardo Angulo: ''Guitar Concerto No 2'' (Rafael Jiménez/ Terence Frazor) *Thomas Arne: ''Symphonies 1, 2, 3, 4'' (Kenneth Montgomery) *Malcolm Arnold: ''Concertos for flute, horn, clarinet, oboe and trumpet'' (Norman Del Mar) *J C Bach: ''Sinfonias Op 6.3, Op 9.2, Op 18.2&4'' (Kenneth Montgomery) *C P E Bach: ''Cello Concertos'' (Tim Hugh/ Richard Studt) *Granville Bantock: ''Pierrot of the Minute'' ( Norman Del Mar) *Béla Bartók: ''Divertimento for Strings'' (Richard Studt) *Richard Blackford: ''Mirror of Perfection'' (Ying Huang, Bo Skovhus/

Richard Blackford Richard Blackford (born 13 January 1954 in London, England) is an English composer. Biography Richard Blackford PhD studied composition with John Lambert at the Royal College of Music and conducting with Norman Del Mar. He was awarded the Men ...

) *Frank Bridge: ''Suite for Strings, Summer'' (Norman del Mar) *George Butterworth: ''The Banks of Green Willow'' (Norman del Mar) *Ludwig van Beethoven: ''Violin Concerto & Romances 1 & 2'' (Ronald Thomas) *Luigi Boccherini: ''Cello Concertos'' (

Frédéric Lodéon Frédéric Lodéon (born 26 January 1952 in the 14th arrondissement of Paris) is a contemporary French cellist, conductor and radio personality. Biography In 1960, his father, André Lodéon, was appointed director of the School of Music of Sa ...

Theodor Guschlbauer Theodor Guschlbauer (born 1939 in Vienna) is an Austrian conductor. Decorations and awards * 1995: Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class * 1996: Honour "Victoire" for his work on the ''Opéra du Rhin'' and at the Strasbourg Phi ...

) *William Boyce: ''The Eight Symphonies'' (Ronald Thomas) *Benjamin Britten: ''

Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge Variation or Variations may refer to: Science and mathematics * Variation (astronomy), any perturbation of the mean motion or orbit of a planet or satellite, particularly of the moon * Genetic variation, the difference in DNA among individual ...

'', ''

Simple Symphony The ''Simple Symphony'', Op. 4, is a work for string orchestra or string quartet by Benjamin Britten. It was written between December 1933 and February 1934 in Lowestoft, using material that the composer had written as a young teenager, between 1 ...

'' (Ronald Thomas) *Gavin Bryars: ''The Green Ray'' (

John Harle John Harle (born 20 September 1956) is an English saxophonist, composer, educator and record producer. He is an Ivor Novello Award winner and has been the recipient of two Royal Television Society awards. Biography Harle was born in Newcastl ...

/ Ivor Bolton) *Frederick Delius: ''On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring, A Song before Sunrise, Late Swallows'' (Norman del Mar) *Georg Druschetzky: ''Partita for 6 Timpani and Orchestra, Concerto for Oboe, 8 Timpani & Orchestra'' (Jonathan Haas, Gordon Hunt/ Harold Farberman) *Edward Elgar: ''Chanson de Matin & Chanson de Nuit, Dream Children, Contrasts, Soliloquy, Three Bavarian Dances'' (

Leon Goossens Leon, Léon (French) or León (Spanish) may refer to: Places Europe * León, Spain, capital city of the Province of León * Province of León, Spain * Kingdom of León, an independent state in the Iberian Peninsula from 910 to 1230 and again f ...

/Norman Del Mar), ''Serenade in E minor, King Arthur Suite, Starlight Express Suite'' (

) *Johann Christian Fischer: ''Symphony for 8 timpani & orchestra'' (Jonathan Haas/ Harold Farberman) *Percy Grainger: ''Youthful Suite, Blithe Bells, Green Bushes, Country Gardens, Youthful Rapture, Shepherd's Hey,

Molly on the Shore ''Molly on the Shore'' is a composition by Percy Aldridge Grainger. It is an arrangement of two contrasting Irish reels, "Temple Hill" and "Molly on the Shore" that present the melodies in a variety of textures and orchestrations, giving each secti ...

, Handel in the Strand'' (Moray Welsh, Philip Martin/ Kenneth Montgomery) *Edvard Grieg: ''Holberg Suite'' (Richard Studt) *George Handel: ''Opera overtures'' (Kenneth Montgomery) *Joseph Haydn: ''Symphonies Nos. 87, 88, 103 and

104 104 may refer to: *104 (number), a natural number *AD 104, a year in the 2nd century AD * 104 BC, a year in the 2nd century BC * 104 (MBTA bus), Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority bus route * Hundred and Four (or Council of 104), a Carthagin ...

'' (Ronald Thomas), ''Cello Concertos'' (Frédéric Lodéon/ Theodor Guschlbauer) *Joseph Haydn: ''Organ concertos 1–3'' (

Marie-Claire Alain Marie-Claire Geneviève Alain-Gommier (10 August 1926 – 26 February 2013) was a French organist, scholar and teacher best known for her prolific recording career, with 260 recordings, making her the most-recorded classical organist in the world ...

) *Michael Haydn: ''Symphonies, Nos. 19, 21, 23, 26, 29, 37, 39, 41'' ( Harold Farberman) *Gustav Holst: ''St Paul's Suite'' (George Hurst) *Arthur Honegger: ''Symphony No.4, Pastorale d'été'' (Tamás Vasary) *John Ireland: ''Concertino Pastorale'' (George Hurst) *Bohuslav Martinu: ''Sinfonietta Giocosa, Toccata e Due Canzoni, Sinfonietta La Jolla'' (Tamás Vasary) *David Matthews: ''Cantiga, September Music, Introit'' (

Jill Gomez Jill Carnegy, Countess of Northesk (''née'' Gomez; born 21 September 1942) is a Trinidadian and British soprano who enjoyed an active career on the operatic stage and in the concert hall in a wide repertoire, and has made many recordings. Lif ...

/ John Carewe) *E J Moeran: ''Sinfonietta, Cello Concerto'' (

Raphael Wallfisch Raphael Wallfisch (born 15 June 1953 in London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames i ...

/ Norman del Mar) *WA Mozart: ''Symphonies Nos. 36 & 39'' (Terence Fragor), ''Four Horn Concertos'' ( Michael Thompson), '' Piano Concerto No 21'' (Tamás Vasary), ''Serenade in C minor K388'' (Howard Nelson), ''Violin Concertos 3 & 4'' (

Jean-Jacques Kantorow Jean-Jacques Kantorow (born 3 October 1945) is a French violinist and conductor. His son is the pianist Alexandre Kantorow. Biography Kantorow was born in Cannes, France, into a family of Russian-Jewish origin. From the age of 13 he studied at ...

, Theodor Guschlbauer), ''Sinfonia Concertante'' (Richard Studt, Nodar Jvania),

Clarinet Concerto A clarinet concerto is a concerto for clarinet; that is, a musical composition for solo clarinet together with a large ensemble (such as an orchestra or concert band). Albert Rice has identified a work by Giuseppe Antonio Paganelli as possibly th ...

(Joan Enric Lluna), Oboe Concerto (Andrew Knights / Richard Studt) *Carl Nielsen: '' Little Suite for Strings'' (Montgomery) (Studt) *Michael Nyman: ''Where the Bee Dances'' (

/ Ivor Bolton) *Arvo Pärt: ''Tabula rasa, Summa, Festina lente, Cantus in memory of Britten'' (Tasmin Little/ Richard Studt) *Henry Purcell: ''Overtures'' (Ronald Thomas) *Respighi: ''The Birds, Il tramonto, Trittico Botticelliano'' (Tamás Vasary) *Joaquin Rodrigo: ''Concierto de Aranjüez'' (Rafael Jiménez/ Terence Frazor) *Edmund Rubbra : ''Improvisations, Symphony No 10'' (

Hans-Hubert Schönzeler Hans-Hubert Schönzeler (22 June 192530 April 1997) was a German-born Australian-naturalised English-resident composer, conductor and musicologist who became an authority on Anton Bruckner and Antonín Dvořák. He was born in Leipzig, an only ...

) *John Rutter: ''Requiem, Works for Choir and Orchestra'' ( Stephen Layton) *Camille Saint-Saëns : ''Cello Concertos 1 & 2, Suite Op 16'' (Maria Kliegel, Jean-Francois Monnard) *Charles Villiers Stanford : ''Symphony No 3 'Irish (Norman del Mar) *Igor Stravinsky: ''Pulcinella'' (

Ian Bostridge Ian Charles Bostridge CBE (born 25 December 1964) is an English tenor, well known for his performances as an opera and lieder singer. Early life and education Bostridge was born in London, the son of Leslie Bostridge and Lillian (née Clark). ...

, Henry Herford/

Stefan Sanderling Stefan Sanderling (born 2 August 1964 in East Berlin, East Germany) is an orchestral conductor. He is the son of the conductor Kurt Sanderling and the double-bass player Barbara Sanderling. His half-brother is the conductor Thomas Sanderling. ...

), ''Concerto in D for string orchestra'' (Richard Studt) *Arthur Sullivan : ''Excerpts from operettas'' (

Valerie Masterson Margaret Valerie Masterson (born 3 June 1937), is a retired English opera singer, a lecturer and Vice-President of British Youth Opera. After study in Italy, she began to sing opera in Europe. Returning to England, Masterson performed as princ ...

Robert Tear Robert Tear (pronounced to rhyme with "beer"), CBE (8 March 1939 – 29 March 2011) was a Welsh tenor singer, teacher and conductor. He first became known singing in the operas of Benjamin Britten in the mid-1960s. From the 1970s until his ...

/ Kenneth Alwyn) *Johan Svendsen: ''Icelandic Melodies, Norwegian and Swedish Folksongs'' (Richard Studt) *Ralph Vaughan Williams: ''Overture 'The Poisoned Kiss', Two Hymn-tune Preludes, The Running Set, Sea Songs'' (George Hurst), ''Flos campi, Suite for viola and orchestra'' (

Frederick Riddle Frederick Craig Riddle OBE (20 April 19125 February 1995) was a British violist. He was considered to be in the line from Lionel Tertis and William Primrose, through to the violists of today such as Lawrence Power. Early life and career Frede ...

/ Norman Del Mar) *Heitor Villa-Lobos: ''Guitar Concerto'' (Rafael Jiménez/ Terence Frazor) *Antonio Vivaldi: ''12 Concertos Op 8'' (Ronald Thomas) *Peter Warlock: ''Capriol Suite'' (George Hurst) *Samuel Wesley: ''Symphony in D'' (Kenneth Montgomery) *Mike Westbrook: ''Bean Rows and Blues Shots'' (John Harle/ Ivor Bolton) *Dag Wiren: ''Serenade for Strings'' (Kenneth Montgomery) (Richard Studt) Recording venues included Southampton Guildhall,

Christchurch Priory Christchurch Priory is an ecclesiastical parish and former priory church in Christchurch in the English county of Dorset (formerly in Hampshire). It is one of the longest parish churches in the country and is as large as many of the Church of E ...

, Poole Arts Centre (The Lighthouse) and the Bournemouth Winter Gardens.

References

{{Authority control English orchestras Disbanded orchestras Sinfoniettas (orchestras) Musical groups from Bournemouth 1968 establishments in England 1999 disestablishments in England Musical groups established in 1968 Musical groups disestablished in 1999