SALZBURG WIND PHILHARMONIC
Its unique sound aesthetic as well as its special artistic interpretations are the hallmark of the Salzburg Wind Philharmonic, one of the world’s leading symphonic wind orchestras. The ensemble, founded by Hansjörg Angerer in 2002, brings together musicians from the most renowned European orchestras, and in its now over twenty-year-long history has issued an extraordinary range of CDs and DVDs.
Since its founding, the orchestra has become renowned for performing wind music at the highest level. The essential aim is to present original compositions as well as new arrangements for symphonic winds of well-known works, thus positioning the Salzburg Wind Philharmonic on an equal standing with classical symphony orchestras.
Founded as the Bläserphilharmonie Mozarteum Salzburg, the orchestra has continued its success since summer 2022 under the new name Salzburg Wind Philharmonic as an independent non-profit-making organization (limited company) pursuing non-profit purposes exclusively and directly for the promotion of art and culture.
The Salzburg Wind Philharmonic is made up of top class musicians from leading symphony orchestras for instance the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Bavarian State Orchestra Munich, Staatskapelle Dresden, Munich Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Orquestra Simfònica del Gran Teatre del Liceu Barcelona, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Berlin State Opera Orchestra, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Zürich, ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna, Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra, Camerata Salzburg, Orchestra of the Teatro Massimo di Palermo, Orchestra of the Petruzzelli Theatre Bari and the Bruckner Orchestra Linz. The orchestra members come from 24 nations and include many soloists as well as international prize-winners. They all come together to realize the special projects of the Salzburg Wind Philharmonic with great commitment and success. The leader for many years has been Wenzel Fuchs, solo clarinettist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.
The extensive repertoire of the Salzburg Wind Philharmonic – documented on several CD and DVD recordings (38/4) – ranges from Baroque, Classical and Romantic to Austrian music rich in tradition as well as contemporary compositions. The instrumentation varies from large-scale symphonic orchestra to chamber music ensemble.
An annual highlight is the Epiphany Concert of the Salzburg Wind Philharmonic in the Grosses Festspielhaus in Salzburg, which has been transmitted several times live on television, for instance on ServusTV, ORF III and BR. Over the years several successful guest concerts have taken place, for instance in St. Petersburg, in Munich, Duisburg, Vienna and Innsbruck, and the ensemble presented the highly acclaimed world premiere of the first German-language opera for wind orchestra, Die Sennenpuppe.
History of the Orchestra
The Salzburg Wind Philharmonic has evolved from the former Bläserphilharmonie Mozarteum Salzburg, which was founded by Hansjörg Angerer as an orchestral formation of the Mozarteum University in 2002. Over the years many teachers, students as well as graduates of the university played in the ensemble. The aim in founding this orchestra was to perform original compositions as well as special symphonic wind arrangements in order to position this ensemble on an equal standing alongside classical symphony orchestras and traditional string formations. The intention was also to perform wind music at the highest level and thereby achieve an essential influence in the repertoire for symphonic winds.
These highly ambitious expectations were not only met but far surpassed, thanks not least to the typical sound aesthetic evolved by principal conductor Hansjörg Angerer in concerts as well as in significant recordings. Based on the achieved professionalism the time was then ripe for taking the orchestra in a new direction. The continuation of its high aspirations was no longer compatible with the orientation of the university, and so since the summer of 2022 this professional orchestral formation has taken on a new name and is now known as the Salzburg Wind Philharmonic, operating as an independent non-profit organization. This is also to avoid any kind of confusion with existing university formations. This limited company pursues non-profit purposes exclusively and directly for the promotion of art and culture.
Versions for Symphonic Winds
The basis for the symphonic wind arrangements performed by the Salzburg Wind Philharmonic is not so much traditional wind music but rather chamber music for winds and the treatment for winds by the great symphonic writers from the Classical period to Richard Strauss.
Reviews
... Transcriptions in incomparable versions for symphonic winds by Albert Schwarzmann ...
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