Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Orchestra
Founded in 1949 in Munich, Germany, and affiliated with Bavarian Radio, the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen (Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, BRSO) is considered the sound of Germany alongside the Berlin Philharmonic. Under the leadership of its first conductor, Eugen Jochum, it developed into an internationally renowned orchestra, expanding and consolidating its reputation through intensive touring. The orchestra’s repertoire is extensive, ranging from the works of Haydn, the father of the symphony, to experimental new works from one of the world’s most important contemporary music forums, musica viva.
The orchestra has long-term collaborations with prominent conductors such as Rafael Kubelík, Colin Davis, Lorin Maazel, and Mariss Jansons, each for periods ranging from 9 to 16 years, elevating it to the ranks of the world’s top symphony orchestras. It has also been repeatedly selected as one of the world’s top ten symphony orchestras. Starting from the 2023/24 season, Sir Simon Rattle, the former chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic and widely regarded as one of the most influential contemporary conductors, has taken over as the BRSO’s sixth principal conductor in its 75-year history.
The BRSO has toured extensively across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. It has released recordings under commercial labels such as DG, RCA, and EMI, winning numerous international awards. In 2006, it won a Grammy Award for Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 13. In recent years, the orchestra has released recordings under its own label, BR-Klassik, including complete collections of works by Mahler and Wagner. The recording of Mahler’s Symphony No. 9, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, won the prestigious French Diapason d'Or award in 2023.