Gramophone's Orchestra of the Year Award is the only Gramophone Classical Music Award decided by public vote. The 10 orchestras nominated this year are: Academy of Ancient Music, Accademia Bizantina, Bamberger Symphoniker, Berliner Philharmoniker, The Cleveland Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Philharmonia Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich.

This week, we focus on the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal ...

Introduction

It was Decca who opened our ears to the wonders of the Montreal Symphony under the baton of Charles Dutoit (shades of Ansermet and the Suisse Romande in the 1950s), but his successor (since 2006), Kent Nagano, has left his own mark, led by his modernist leanings. As he prepares to step down, he leaves an eclectic discography that recently has embraced Bernstein and Penderecki – whose St Luke Passion, recorded live at the Salzburg Festival, caught the ear of Ivan Moody who wrote that ‘One of the great challenges of this work, in fact, is finding a balance between its many moments of chamber music-like intimacy and its gestural monumentality, and in this the orchestra is fundamental’. Kent Nagano bequeaths a fine and cultivated ensemble to his successor, Rafael Payare.

Recommended Album

Penderecki St Luke Passion

Soloists; chors; Montreal SO / Nagano

‘The fact that this monumental work can still summon such a hugely moving recording is testament to rather more: this is a great work, deserving of great performances ...’ (Ivan Moody)

Read the review in the Reviews Database

Orchestre symphonique de Montréal Playlist

Enjoy recent highlights from the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal in our exclusive Apple Music playlist.

Apple Music offers a three-month free trial to new subscribers and with its vast catalogue of recordings – plus the addition of lossless audio and Spatial Audio, offering an immersive audio experience from 44.1kHz/16-bit (CD quality) up to 192kHz/24-bit – it is the perfect music streaming platform for anyone who loves classical music. Find out more and start your free trial here: Apple Music 

Listen to all of the Orchestra of the Year playlists on Apple Music: Orchestra of the Year 2021

Vote for Orchestre symphonique de Montréal

You can cast your vote for Gramophone's Orchestra of the Year 2021 either using the voting form below or by following this link: 2021 Orchestra of the Year Vote

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