Gramophone's Orchestra of the Year Award is the only Gramophone Classical Music Award decided by public vote (vote here). The 10 orchestras nominated this year are: Bayerisches Staatsorchester (Germany), Budapest Festival Orchestra (Hungary), Czech Philharmonic (Czech Republic), The Hallé (UK), Les Siècles (France), Mahler Chamber Orchestra (Europe), Oslo Philharmonic (Norway), Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (USA), Sinfonia of London (UK), Vienna Philharmonic (Austria).

This week, we focus on ...

Czech Philharmonic

Another great European ensemble, with a heritage that stretches back to 1896 when Antonín Dvořák, no less, conducted the first concert. With some legendary names among its chief conductors, the Czech Philharmonic is now in the excellent care of Semyon Bychkov, a fine conductor and someone who understands the orchestra’s traditional colours and style. Their partnership has given us distinctive Tchaikovsky and just a couple of months ago an impressive Mahler Fourth (inaugurating a symphony cycle for Pentatone) enshrining playing that David Gutman described quite simply as ‘wonderful’.

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