The Royal Danish Orchestra (''Det Kongelige Kapel'') is a Danish orchestra based in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

. The Danish name for the orchestra indicates its original function as an ensemble geared to supplying the music for court events. The Royal Danish Orchestra presently consists of around 100 musicians. The principal venue for the orchestra's traditional symphony concerts is the

Copenhagen Opera House The Copenhagen Opera House (in Danish usually called Operaen, literally ''The opera'') is the national opera house of Denmark, and among the most modern opera houses in the world. It is also one of the most expensive opera houses ever built at a ...

, where the orchestra also serves as the orchestra for the

Royal Danish Opera The Royal Danish Theatre (RDT, Danish: ') is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first ser ...

, as well as holding several annual chamber orchestra concerts in the foyer of the smaller experimental stage Takkelloftet. Most ballet and some opera performances takes place at the Old Stage.

History

The orchestra traces its origins back to 1448 and the Trumpet Corps at the royal court of King Christian I, and thus has claims to be the oldest orchestra in the world. Over the years, the orchestra moved out of the court and settled down in the pit at the

Royal Danish Theatre The Royal Danish Theatre (RDT, Danish: ') is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first ser ...

. Its leaders included

Christoph Willibald Gluck Christoph Willibald (Ritter von) Gluck (; 2 July 1714 – 15 November 1787) was a composer of Italian and French opera in the early classical period. Born in the Upper Palatinate and raised in Bohemia, both part of the Holy Roman Empire, he g ...

, who composed the music for special occasions such as the celebration of the birth, in 1749, of the later King Christian VII, whilst in Denmark. A growing number of engagements saw an increase in the size of the orchestra. When Johan Gottlieb Naumann carried out his reforms in the 1780s, the ensemble numbered 46 members. At this time, the Chorus of the

became permanently assigned to the

. F.L.Æ. Kunzen introduced

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...

into the ensemble's repertoire in the 1790s. The tenure of

Johan Svendsen Johan Severin Svendsen (30 September 184014 June 1911) was a Norwegian composer, conductor and violinist. Born in Christiania (now Oslo), Norway, he lived most his life in Copenhagen, Denmark. Svendsen's output includes two symphonies, a violin ...

, starting in 1883, began a pronounced period of growth and development for the orchestra, including Svendsen’s introduction of major symphonic works in a series of concerts by the Royal Danish Orchestra that gradually became a tradition in the world of

Danish music The earliest traces of Danish music go back to the many twisting Bronze-Age horns or lurs which some experts have identified as musical instruments. They have been discovered in various parts of Scandinavia, mostly Denmark, since the end of the ...

, while the major symphonies became the domain of the orchestra.

Carl Nielsen Carl August Nielsen (; 9 June 1865 – 3 October 1931) was a Danish composer, conductor and violinist, widely recognized as his country's most prominent composer. Brought up by poor yet musically talented parents on the island of Funen, he ...

served with the orchestra for many years, partly as 2nd violinist and partly as conductor. King

Frederik IX Frederick IX ( da, Christian Frederik Franz Michael Carl Valdemar Georg; 11 March 1899 – 14 January 1972) was List of Danish monarchs, King of Denmark from 1947 to 1972. Born into the House of Glücksburg, Frederick was the elder son of Ch ...

enjoyed a particularly close relationship with the Royal Danish Orchestra, pursuing with its members his interest for the art of conducting. Copenhagen Det kongelige Teater 2002

Michael Schønwandt Michael Schønwandt (born 10 September 1953 in Frederiksberg) is a Danish conductor. In Denmark, he studied piano, theory, and composition, and later continued musical studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Biography In 1979, Schønwand ...

was the orchestra's principal conductor, from 2000 to 2011. In September 2011, the orchestra announced the appointment of

Jakub Hrůša Jakub Hrůša (born 23 July 1981 in Brno), is a Czech conductor. Education Hrůša is the son of the architect Petr Hrůša. Hrůša studied piano and trombone, and developed an interest in conducting, during his years at Gymnázium třída K ...

as its next music director, effective September 2013. However, in January 2012, in the wake of the resignation of

Keith Warner Keith Warner (born 6 December 1956) is a British opera director, designer and translator. He is noted for his flamboyant stagings of Richard Wagner's operas. Early years Warner was born in London and went to Woodhouse School in Finchley, North Lon ...

from the artistic directorship of the

following proposed budget cuts, Hrůša announced that he would not take the music directorship of Royal Danish Opera, and with that the corresponding post with the Royal Danish Orchestra, in solidarity with Warner's action. In May 2012, the orchestra announced the appointment of

Michael Boder Michael Boder (born 9 November 1958) is a German conductor of opera and concert who works internationally. The chief conductor of the Royal Danish Theatre, he has conducted regularly at the Vienna State Opera, including the premieres of Cerha's ' ...

as its next chief conductor and artistic advisor, effective August 2012. Boder held the post through 2016. In November 2017, the orchestra announced

Alexander Vedernikov Alexander Alexandrovich Vedernikov (; 11 January 1964 – 29 October 2020) was a Russian conductor. He held major posts with the Bolshoi Theatre the Odense Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Danish Opera, and the Mikhailovsky Theatre. Biography Bor ...

as its next chief conductor. Vedernikov held the post from 2018 until his death in October 2020. The orchestra's current principal guest conductor is Paolo Carignani, as of the 2021-2022 season, with an initial contract of 3 years. In February 2022, the orchestra announced the appointment of Marie Jacquot as its next music director, effective with the 2024-2025 season, with an initial contract of 5 years. Jacquot is the first female conductor to be named music director of ''Det Kongelige Kapel''.

Principal conductors

Heinrich Schütz Heinrich Schütz (; 6 November 1672) was a German early Baroque composer and organist, generally regarded as the most important German composer before Johann Sebastian Bach, as well as one of the most important composers of the 17th century. He ...

Johann Gottlieb Naumann Johann Gottlieb Naumann (17 April 1741 – 23 October 1801) was a German composer, conductor, and Kapellmeister. Life Johann Gottlieb Naumann was born in Blasewitz and received his musical training from the teachers at his town school, where he ...

Johann Abraham Peter Schulz Johann Abraham Peter Schulz (31 March 1747, Lüneburg – 10 June 1800, Schwedt) was a German musician. He is best known as the composer of the melody for Matthias Claudius's poems "Der Mond ist aufgegangen" and " Wir pflügen und wir streuen", ...

Friedrich Kunzen Friedrich may refer to: Names * Friedrich (surname), people with the surname ''Friedrich'' * Friedrich (given name), people with the given name ''Friedrich'' Other * Friedrich (board game), a board game about Frederick the Great and the Seven Year ...

Claus Schall Claus Nielsen Schall (28 April 1757 – 10 August 1835) was a Danish violinist and composer. Notable works *Bønderne og herrerne på lystgården (ballet 1778) *Kjærlighedens og Mistankens Magt (ballet 1780) *Savoyardinderne (ballet 1781 ...

Niels Gade Niels Wilhelm Gade (22 February 1817 – 21 December 1890) was a Danish composer, conductor, violinist, organist and teacher. Together with Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann, he was the leading Danish musician of his day. Biography Gade was born ...

Holger Simon Paulli Holger Simon Paulli (22 February 181023 December 1891) was a Danish conductor and composer. Paulli composed an opera, thirteen ballets, an overture, and pieces for violin and lieder. Biography Paulli was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was a st ...

(1883–1908) *

Frederik Rung Frederik Rung (June 14, 1854 - January 22, 1914) was a Danish conductor and composer. Biography He was the son of composer Henrik Rung (1807-1871). His sister Sophie Keller (1850–1929) was an opera singer at the Royal Danish Theatre. His so ...

Georg Høeberg Georg Valdemar Høeberg ( 27 December 1872 in Copenhagen – 3 August 1950 in Vedbaek ) was a Danish violinist, conductor and composer. He was the brother of the opera singer Albert Høeberg and cellist Ernst Høeberg and grandson of Hans Christian ...

(1914–1930) *

Egisto Tango Egisto Tango (13 November 1873, in Rome – 5 October 1951, in Copenhagen) was an Italian conductor, whose premieres included '' The Wooden Prince'' and ''Bluebeard's Castle'' by Béla Bartók. His career was launched in Venice and he conducte ...

and

Johan Hye-Knudsen Johan Hye-Knudsen (24 May 1896 in Nyborg Nyborg is a city in central Denmark, located in Nyborg Municipality on the island of Funen and with a population of 17,525 (2022). It is the easternmost settlement on Funen. By road, it is located 34 ...

* John Frandsen (1946–1980) *

Paavo Berglund Paavo Allan Engelbert Berglund (14 April 192925 January 2012) was a Finnish conductor and violinist. Career Born in Helsinki, Berglund studied the violin as a child, and played an instrument made by his grandfather. By age 15, he had decided on ...

(1993–1998) *

(2000–2011) *

(2012–2016) *

(2018–2020) * Marie Jacquot (designate, effective 2024)

References

External links

Official homepage of the Royal Danish Orchestra (Det Kongelige Kapel)
{{Authority control Danish orchestras Organizations based in Denmark with royal patronage 1448 establishments in Europe 15th-century establishments in Denmark Musical groups established in the 15th century