Happy Birthday Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

[Tarantella]

Here's an article from today's Guardian about the orchestra, which celebrates a milestone. Many Happy Returns!!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/tomserviceblog/2013/apr/11/concertgebouw-125th-anniversary-tom-service

[BBMmk2]

The panel of experts that Gramophone pulled together to vote that the RCO is the best orchestra in the world is a very testying remark to make surely? What withy the likes of the Berloiners the VPO and LSO? However, with this orchestra's pedigree, it's not surprising to see it always in the world's top 5.

Happy Birthday RCO!

[Petrushka]

Many happy returns indeed! One if the truly great orchestras of the world.

Those who missed out on any of the anthology CD boxes (I only have the one dedicated to the Haitink radio broadcasts) may like to know that the entire set will be released as a new edition in Summer 2013. Start asking your bank manager for a loan now!

In another exciting development the orchestra is to list all of its concerts from 1888 on a database from November 3 2013. This will make fascinating reading!

Details here http://www.concertgebouworkest.nl/en/125/Publications/

[Mahler's3rd]

Happy Birthday indeed to the RCO, looking forward to their visit next April at The Barbican

[arthroceph]

Considering we are also into the semifinals of the European Championship, I may as well voice my long-held opinion that the process of deciding which is the top orchestra in Europe is like deciding which is the current number 1 soccer team: the interest is almost academic, because the truth is, it's always the same group of finalists and the differences between them are very small, especially in relation to how far the top group is from the rest.