The

chamber orchestra Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small numbe ...

Kammerorchester Basel (also: Kammerorchesterbasel) was founded in Basel, Switzerland, in 1984. In the tradition of Paul Sacher's ''Basler Kammerorchester'', its focus is on both

early music Early music generally comprises Medieval music (500–1400) and Renaissance music (1400–1600), but can also include Baroque music (1600–1750). Originating in Europe, early music is a broad musical era for the beginning of Western classical m ...

and

contemporary classical music Contemporary classical music is classical music composed close to the present day. At the beginning of the 21st century, it commonly referred to the post-1945 modern forms of post-tonal music after the death of Anton Webern, and included seria ...

. The orchestra plays regularly without a conductor with their leading concertmasters Julia Schröder, Daniel Bard and Baptiste Lopez. The Basel Chamber Orchestra is recognised as one of the leading chamber orchestras in the classical music scene. Invitations to the most important worldwide concert houses and festivals shape their agenda, as well as their own subscription concerts in Basel.

Principal Guest Conductor

Giovanni Antonini Giovanni Antonini (born 1965) is an Italian conductor and soloist on the recorder and baroque transverse flute. He studied in his native Milan, and attended the Civica Scuola di Musica in that city and the Centre de Musique Ancienne in Geneva. In 1 ...

has been the Principal Guest Conductor of the Basel Chamber Orchestra since the 2015/16 season. The conductor and flute player from Milan is known for his innovative interpretations of the baroque and classical repertoire.

History

Kammerorchester Basel, then called Serenata Basel, was formed by graduates of Swiss music academies. It was conducted by Johannes Schläfli until 1999. The ensemble assumed its present name in 1999 and has had no principal conductor since. Since then the chamber orchestra has developed its programme under the leadership of its own concertmasters and guests, as well as in cooperation with selected soloists like Maria João Pires,

Sol Gabetta Sol Gabetta (born 18 April 1981) is an Argentine cellist. The daughter of Andrés Gabetta and Irène Timacheff-Gabetta, she has French and Russian ancestry. Her brother Andrés is a baroque violinist. Career Gabetta began to learn violin at ...

Nuria Rial Núria Rial (born 1975 in Manresa, Catalonia, Spain) is a Spanish soprano. In recent years, Rial has specialized in the music of the renaissance and baroque eras, such as the works of Handel and Monteverdi. Her repertoire also includes Johann Seb ...

Christoph Prégardien Christoph Prégardien (born 18 January 1956) is a German lyric tenor whose career is closely associated with the roles in Mozart operas, as well as performances of Lieder, oratorio roles, and Baroque music. He is well known for his performances an ...

Erwin Schrott Erwin Schrott (born 21 December 1972 in Montevideo, Uruguay) is an operatic bass-baritone, particularly known for his interpretation of the Title role in Mozart's ''Don Giovanni''. Career Schrott studied singing with Franca Mattiucci. He made his ...

, Khatia Buniatishvili and Patricia Kopatchinskaja, as well as conductors like Trevor Pinnock,

Mario Venzago Mario Venzago (born 1948) is a Swiss conductor. Biography Venzago began piano studies at age five. He studied at the conservatory and the university in Zurich. He later studied conducting with Hans Swarowsky in Vienna. His other positions ...

Heinz Holliger Heinz Robert Holliger (born 21 May 1939) is a Swiss virtuoso oboist, composer and conductor. Celebrated for his versatility and technique, Holliger is among the most prominent oboists of his generation. His repertoire includes Baroque and Classic ...

, René Jacobs and Christophe Rousset. The orchestra performs both early and modern music and continues the tradition of Paul Sacher's Basler Kammerorchester (1926–1987). Music up to the classical period is performed on period instruments. Every year the orchestra also commissions new works. Performances are often led by the concertmaster. Guest conductors have included Paul Goodwin,

Christopher Hogwood Christopher Jarvis Haley Hogwood (10 September 194124 September 2014) was an English conductor, harpsichordist, writer, and musicologist. Founder of the early music ensemble the Academy of Ancient Music, he was an authority on historically info ...

, Kristjan Järvi, Paul McCreesh and David Stern. Guest performances at the most popular concert halls in the world and regular invitations to renowned festivals around Europe are proof of the high level of recognition of the most internationally successful Chamber Orchestra in Switzerland. Since 2015/16,

, with whom the Basel Chamber Orchestra has had a close artistic relationship for years, has been the Principal Guest Conductor.

Music

In 2004, Kammerorchester Basel played Handel's opera ''

Lotario ''Lotario'' ("Lothair", HWV 26) is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. The Italian-language libretto was adapted from Antonio Salvi's ''Adelaide''.The opera was first given at the King's Theatre in London on 2 December 1729. ...

'' both in Basel and at the Handel Festival Halle. They recorded all of Beethoven's symphonies, led by conductor

. A review of Symphony No. 5 noted the "period practice lightness, despite the use of modern instrument", "refinement and delicacy", "fleet-footedness in the scherzo – particular from the running basses and cellos at the start of the trio", and the finale "thrillingly and refreshingly done, remarkable, once again, for the care and attention to details". In 2011, the orchestra accompanied

Andreas Scholl Andreas Scholl (born 10 November 1967) is a German countertenor, a male classical singer in the alto vocal range, specialising in Baroque music. Born into a family of singers, Scholl was enrolled at the age of seven into the Kiedricher Chorbuben ...

in a recording of Bach cantatas including ''Ich habe genug'', BWV 82 and ''Gott soll allein mein Herze haben'', BWV 169. A review described the orchestra, led by concert master Julia Schröder, as "lively and definitive" and noted that it provided "a clear and articulated accompaniment throughout". They performed the works at the

Barbican Centre The Barbican Centre is a performing arts centre in the Barbican Estate of the City of London and the largest of its kind in Europe. The centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhi ...

in 2012. In 2013, they combined them with the sinfonia from cantata ''Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe'', BWV 156, and Bach's Harpsichord concerto No. 5 in F minor, BWV 1056. Members of the orchestra sang and played the closing chorale of BWV 169. In 2013 they played, conducted by

, ''Sommernacht'' for string orchestra by

Othmar Schoeck Othmar Schoeck (1 September 1886 – 8 March 1957) was a Swiss Romantic classical composer, opera composer, musician, and conductor. He was known mainly for his considerable output of art songs and song cycles, though he also wrote a number of ...

, the first cello concerto by Dmitri Shostakovich with

as soloist, and Schubert's Symphony No. 7.

Awards

In 2008, Kammerorchester Basel won the ECHO Klassik award as "Ensemble of the Year". In 2012, the orchestra, led by Julia Schröder, won the award for the "Opera Recording of the Year", arias by Georg Philipp Telemann sung by

. The first Swiss orchestra to receive a Swiss Music Prize in 2019 - the Kammerorchester Basel now receives this recognition. The Federal Office of Culture thus appreciates the "special vision of creating a classical orchestra beyond the longstanding institutions". In addition, the "excellent programmes at the highest musical level" and "new forms of communication aimed not only at connoisseurs but also at children and amateurs" will be highlighted. The award ceremony took place on 20 September 2019 at the Kunstmuseum Basel in the presence of Federal Councillor

Alain Berset Alain Berset (; born 9 April 1972) is a Swiss politician who has served as a Member of the Swiss Federal Council since 2012. A member of the Social Democratic Party (SP/PS), he has headed the Federal Department of Home Affairs since he took offi ...

and the Director of the Federal Office of Culture

Isabelle Chassot Isabel is a female name of Spanish origin. Isabelle is a name that is similar, but it is of French origin. It originates as the medieval Spanish form of '' Elisabeth'' (ultimately Hebrew ''Elisheva''), Arising in the 12th century, it became popul ...

Projects

The Schubert Cycle Between 2017 and 2019,

's 80th birthday, the Basel Chamber Orchestra will make a cyclical complete recording of all of Franz Schubert's

symphonies A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, most often for orchestra. Although the term has had many meanings from its origins in the ancient Greek era, by the late 18th century the word had taken on the meaning com ...

in conjunction with selected opera overtures, together with the Swiss conductor and composer, and present them in concerts – some of which are also played in contrast to selected compositions of Holliger. Haydn 2032 By 2032, Haydn's 300th birthday, the Chamber Orchestra will perform all of

Joseph Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...

, under the leadership of Principal Guest Conductor Giovanni Antonini, alternately with his own Ensemble Il Giardino Armonico, in thematic cycles across Europe, using authentic instruments, with the original composition and in the historic pitch of

430 Hz 43 may refer to: * 43 (number) * one of the years 43 BC, AD 43, 1943, 2043 * Licor 43, also known as "Cuarenta Y Tres" ("Forty-three" in Spanish) * George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States, nicknamed "Bush 43" to distinguish from his fat ...

References

External links

Kammerorchester Basel
Official website *
Kammerorchester Basel/Schröder/Hewitt
'' The Guardian'', 25 May 2010 {{Authority control Swiss orchestras Chamber orchestras Early music orchestras Culture in Basel 1984 establishments in Switzerland Musical groups established in 1984