bamberger symphoniker

resonating worldwide

Konzerthalle Bamberg
© Andreas Herzau

CDs with the Bamberg Symphony

The Bamberg Symphony's collaboration with Bavarian Radio dates back to the 1950s; today they still enjoy a close partnership, the source of countless concert relays, studio recordings and coproductions for CD, which constitute an impressive sound archive documenting the Orchestra's unique, internationally renowned sound.

Hans Zender, the composer, conductor and writer on music, was once asked how best to get more familiar with music, to which he answered: Listen, listen, listen! We couldn't agree more, so here's your chance to experience for yourself the Bamberg Symphony sound.


Stravinsky, Bartók & Martinů: Violin Works

Igor Stravinsky: Violin Concerto in D
Béla Bartók: Rhapsody No. 1 & No. 2
Bohuslav Martinů: Suite concertante & Méditation


Frank Peter Zimmermann (Violin)
Bamberg Symphony
Conductor: Jakub Hrůša

Label: BIS

"Here (in Stravinsky's Violin Concerto) we can already see how well orchestra and soloist understand each other, how precisely they listen and react to each other, how they capture the humor of Stravinsky's music without putting it on display. In Bartók's music, folk-like simplicity and artistic expression form an ideal alliance. Accents push themselves forward without being bold. The brief climaxes and recesses have an organic effect. The slow movement with Martinů shows how arios Zimmermann and the Bambergers act. An all-round success!"

Chistoph Vratz, concerti

Liebestod - Wagner, Mahler and Strauss with Jakub Hrůša

Richard Wagner - Prelude and Liebestod from "Tristan and Isolde"
Gustav Mahler - Totenfeier
Gustav Mahler - Adagietto from Symphony No. 5
Richard Strauss - Tod und Verklärung

Bamberger Symphoniker, Jakub Hrůša

2023 Accentus Music
Order Number: ACC30599

"The last four minutes in particular are brilliantly good. At first you hold your breath when everything threatens to die, and then delicate flowers awaken with the wonderful Bamberg winds that line the march of the dead."

Remy Franck, Pizzicato


Hans Rott - Symphony No. 1 with Jakub Hrůša

Hans Rott CD Cover Bamberg Symphony

Hans Rott: Symphony No. 1
Gustav Mahler: Blumine
Anton Bruckner: Symphonic Prelude in C minor

Deutsche Grammophon
Item Number: 14305

"Jakub Hrůša, who touchingly describes in a personal preface when and how he came across Rott's work, is audibly intimately involved with it. He savours all the effects and dynamic developments magnificently with his Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. With great attention to detail and clear ideas, conductor and orchestra structure the work."

"The Bamberg Symphony Orchestra are in top form in this recording and spoil us with wonderfully finely differentiated orchestral playing. Even in the greatest culminations, transparency is maintained."

"An important release in a sonically and interpretatively inspiring realisation. Especially in the case of Hans Rott, this new recording should have reference status."

Dirk Schauß, Online Merker - Die internationale Kulturplattform

"After the finely laid out first movement, the Adagio is magnificently accomplished and free of any pathos. Hrusa first conducts the Scherzo as a great folk festival, dance-like and whirling, before allowing the composer to look back on this outburst of folksiness as if in disbelief and almost fear."

Remy Franck, Pizzicato


Our Brahms - Dvořák cycle with Jakub Hrůša is complete: Vol. 4 is out now!

Brahms Dvorak CD Cover

Vol. 4
Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 1 and 8 Hungarian Dances
Antonín Dvořák: Symphony No. 6

Tudor 1741

"Powerfully flowing, warm and lyrical: the first movement of Johannes Brahms’ First Symphony is exciting in this also very spontaneous interpretation by the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra under its principal conductor Jakub Hrůša."

"The Scherzo is a frenetic furioso that the Bamberg Symphony, under Hrůša’s inspiring direction, plays with bouncy verve and colorfulness."

"The orchestra certainly shows itself to be a flexible and high-caliber sounding body throughout."

Remy Franck, Pizzicato

 

 


SUPERSONIC PIZZICATO AWARD for Brahms-Dvořák Vol. 3 with Jakub Hrůša

Brahms Dvorak CD Bamberg Symphony

Vol. 3
Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 2
Antonín Dvořák: Symphony No. 7

Tudor 1742

When we and our principal conductor Jakub Hrůša had the idea of combining symphonies by Antonín Dvořák and Johannes Brahms and releasing our recordings at regular intervals, no one knew anything about the challenges from 2020 onwards. All the more reason, therefore, for us to present to you the last two CDs with which we may crown the complete works. Enjoy!

"With Hrůša the beginning of the first movement is of directly magical sensuality. One has never heard it so tenderly, so sweetly and transcendently."

"Hrůša manages to create a great arc across all four movements; he leads the ravishingly musical Bamberg Symphony Orchestra with verve and brilliance through the work, whose importance, whose grandeur becomes particularly impressing through this interpretation."

Remy Franck, Pizzicato


International Classical Music Award 2022 for Bruckner 4 - The 3 Versions

CD Bruckner 4 Bamberg Symphony

Anton Bruckner: Symphonie Nr. 4

3 versions + alternative movements and fragments
Bamberg Symphony, Jakub Hrůša
4 CDs // Accentus ACC30533

"What the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra makes of it is indescribable and undoubtedly absolutely fascinating. In the more than 50 years I have been familiar with this symphony, I have never heard it so fresh and spirited, so colorful and rich in detail, so imaginative, indeed so light-hearted and flourishing, so newly layered and illuminated, in its basic mood so positive."

Remy Franck, Pizzicato

"Yet for anyone with the time to invest, anyone with an open, inquisitive mind, and above all anyone who really cares about Bruckner’s music (and the ‘new symphony’ of the late-19th century in general), it will be essential listening. (...) In this respect, as well as in purely artistic terms, Korstvedt, Hrůša and the Bamberg orchestra have done us an immense service."

Review Europadisc


The Brahms-Dvořák cycle with Jakub Hrůša: op.2

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Symphony no. 3
Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) Symphony no. 8

2 CD Album Super Audio CD Hybrid
Tudor 1743

»Die Bamberger Symphoniker meiden jede Übertreibung. Hrůša lässt der Pracht dieser Musik zwar Raum, doch nie ungehemmt oder unkontrolliert. Strömende Eleganz und mitreißende Dynamik sind hier das Ergebnis von klug bemessener Geschwindigkeit und bezeugen ein tiefes Verständnis für Dvoraks Musik. Das macht diese Aufnahme letztlich so reizvoll und lohnend.«
Deutschlandfunk

»Ausgewogene Balance. Ansonsten meidet Hrůša Extreme. Er balanciert die Bamberger Symphoniker bei Brahms zutiefst ausgewogen. Bei Dvořák wiederum lässt er im Schlusssatz der Achten das Entfesselte ebenso zu seinem Recht kommen wie eine gewisse Noblesse. An diesem Finale scheitern Dirigenten sonst reihenweise. Klangtechnisch ist diese Doppel-CD die pure Freude.«
NDR Kultur

»Curiously, Hrůša’s accounts of both Brahm’s Third and Fourth symphonies share a distinctly elegiac, restrained tone, yet in this new recording the restraint feels quintessentially – and quite touchingly – Brahmsian. (…) Indeed, the orchestra’s characterful, rhythmically vital playing is a consistent delight.«
Grammophone


The Brahms-Dvořák cycle with Jakub Hrůša: op.1

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Symphony no. 4
Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) Symphony no. 9 "Aus der Neuen Welt"

2 CD Album Super Audio CD Hybrid
Tudor 1744

»Der weiträumige Klang der Bamberger Symphoniker rollt in mächtigen Wogen den Ohren des Hörers entgegen, eine Brahms-Erfahrung der besonderen Art.«

»Jakub Hrůša ist ein Tüftler, ein begeisterter Experimentator, ein unermüdlicher Grübler in Sachen musikalische Struktur.«
Rondo Magazin

»Geht’s fader? Sinfonisches von Brahms und Dvorák, Vierte versus Neunte. Doch, das vermag ungemein spannend sein! Weil die sich schätzenden Herren Johannes und Antonín nicht nur musikalisch viel verband. Was man in dieser fulminanten, eben sehr anregenden Gegenüberstellung hören kann. Weil es Jakub Hrusa kann. Der 36-jährige Brünner gehört heute schon zu den hörenswerten Dirigenten. Eben hat er einen tollen Einstand bei den Berliner Philharmonikern hingelegt. Die hier feingetunten Bamberger Symphoniker können sich jetzt schon freuen, diesen Klangschatz bis mindestens 2026 zu hüten.«
Welt am Sonntag


Our first CD with Jakub Hrůša

Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884)
Má vlast (My Country)

Super Audio CD Hybrid
TUDOR 7196

»Der neue Chefdirigent der Bamberger rettet die 'Moldau' aus den Untiefen der Sentimentalität.«
DIE ZEIT

»Eine famose Aufnahme.«
FonoForum

»Hrůša leads a performance that is warm and affectionate and which also, at times, is full of ebullience and vitality. [...] The partnership between Jakub Hrůša and the Bamberger Symphoniker will be a force to be reckoned with.«
MusicWeb International

Listen here:

[Jakub Hrůšas] erste Aufnahme als neuer Chef der Bamberger Symphoniker [...] ist kaum zu überbieten: musikalisch ungemein reif, aufregend oszillierend in den leuchtendsten Farben und nicht zuletzt als SACD in Durchsichtigkeit und Klangqualität überragend. [...] Und wenn nach 80 Minuten alles vorbei ist, geht der mittlerweile süchtig gewordene Hörer gleich wieder zur Starttaste!«
KlassikInfo.de

»An exceptional disc, glowingly recorded. I can't imagine a better introduction to this iconic work.«
theartsdesk.com

»Das erste Aufnahmevorhaben Jakub Hrůšas in Bamberg [...] ist eindrucksvoll gelungen. [...] Eine der besten Darstellungen.«
klassik.com

»...version époustouflante, pleine d'énergie, superbement enregistrée...«
Musique pour tous, Québec


Bamberg Symphony - The First 70 Years

Recordings from 70 years of Bamberg Symphony
(with Joseph Keilberth, Clemens Krauss, Rudolf Kempe, Eugen Jochum, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Kurt Sanderling, Horst Stein, Jonathan Nott, Herbert Blomstedt, Christoph Eschenbach and others)

17 CDs
Deutsche Grammophon 0289 479 5805 5

»A very good collection, adequatly showcasing an extremely fine orchestra.«
Gramophone, London

»Inattendue et précieuse, cette anthologie permet de parcourir toute l'histoire d'une formation porteuse d'une culture et d'une identité sonores authentiques.«
Diapason, Paris

»Ce coffret révèle l'âme d'une des plus belles phalanges d'Allemagne.«
Classica, Paris


Gustav Mahler's »The Song of the Earth« with Jonathan Nott

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
The Song of the Earth

Roberto Saccà (Tenor), Stephen Gadd (Baritone)
Super Audio CD Hybrid
TUDOR 7202

Listen here:

»Das Orchester ist von stupender Klarheit, sein Klang fein ziseliert, von bestechender Reinheit«
Pizzicato


The Mahler cycle with Jonathan Nott

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
Symphonies Nos. 1 to 9

12 CDs, SACD Hybrid
Tudor 1670

»Voici l'une des belles aventures mahleriennes de ces dernières années.«
Classica, Paris

»Die im Lauf mehrerer Jahre entstandene Gesamtaufnahme der Symphonien Gustav Mahlers bei dem Schweizer Laber Tudor, das in Sachen Aufnahmetechnik die Nase ganz weit vorne hat, löste weltweit Begeisterung aus.«
Bühne, Wien

The recordings of each of all 9 symphonies are also available as single CDs.


The Schubert cycle with Jonathan Nott

Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
The 8 Symphonies
4 CDs, SACD Hybrid Surround-Sound 5.1
Original Multichannel Recording
Tudor 1660

 
The Bamberg Schubert Project:
The Symphonies
4 CDs SACD Hybrid Surround Sound 5.1
Original Multichannel Recording
Dialog & Epilog
Works by Berio, Henze, Mantovani, Reimann, Rihm, Schnebel, Schwertsik, Widmann, Zender
2 CDs SACD
Tudor 1610

»Nott's approach is [...] self-consciously romantic, making clear Schubert's influence on Brahms and Bruckner. The playing is beyond reproach, with rich, transparent strings and world-class woodwind playing. This is a fantastic set – wonderful performances captured in flawless sound. Don't hesitate.«
theartsdesk.com

»L'integrale Tudor ha molti validi motivi per farsi raccomandare, a cominciare dalla magnifica qualità tecnica di registrazioni super audio che sono un modello di equilibrio e chiarezza.«
Musica

»Das Bamberger Projekt hat sich seinen Platz in der der vorderen Reihe der Schubert-Diskographie redlich verdient.«
FonoForum

The recordings of each of all 8 symphonies as well as of »Dialogue« and »Epilogue« are also available as single CDs.


Please find further recordings here.