Symphonisches Blüthner-Orchester Berlin

The [b]Blüthner Orchestra[/b] was a German symphony orchestra active between 1907 and 1925 and based at the eponymous "Blüthner Hall" at Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory on Genthiner Straße in Berlin. It was absorbed by [b][url=https://discogs.com/artist/6463801]Berliner Symphonie-Orchester[/url][/b]. The ensemble began under the patronage and sponsorship of [b]Julius Ferdinand Blüthner[/b] (1824—1910), founder of the prolific piano manufacturer [url=https://discogs.com/label/1919853]Blüthner Pianofortefabrik[/url] in Leipzig. In 1905, eighty-one-year-old Blüthner retired after running the company for over 50 years and passed the business over to his sons. Blüthner-Orchester became his last project; Julius died three years after its inauguration. In 1913, Blüthner-Orchester produced one of the first partial recordings of [a=Richard Wagner]'s "Ring des Nibelungen" opera cycle on [l=Anker Record] label, including ¾ of [i]Die Walküre[/i]'s first act, featuring tenor [a=Jacques Decker] and soprano [a=Erna Denera] in leading roles. In 1917, the Orchestra toured Hungary under the baton of an aspiring 18-year-old conductor, Jenő Blau (later known as [a=Eugene Ormandy], one of the world's most renowned maestros). Over the years, several notable musicians and conductors began their careers in the Orchestra, including its first concertmaster, [a=Louis Persinger], who directed the ensemble at twenty-one, and [a=Hermann Scherchen] playing viola with Blüthner at only sixteen. On 15 January 1919, the Blüthner Orchestra performed at the "proletarian" memorial for [a=Karl Liebknecht] and [url=https://discogs.com/artist/1033566]Rosa Luxemburg[/url], organized by SPD ([i]Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands[/i]), falling under heavy criticism in the press; the orchestra's principal conductor, [a=Paul Scheinpflug], had to issue a public apology. One of the last notable performances under the "Blüthner-Orchester" name was in October 1924 at [l591602], with a special guest [a=Pietro Mascagni] conducting. In May 1925, the ensemble was dissolved and reorganized as the [b][url=https://discogs.com/artist/6463801]Berlin Symphony Orchestra[/url][/b] under [a=Oskar Fried]'s direction. [b]Blüthner-Orchester Principal Conductors[/b] 1907–1909: [a=Louis Persinger] 1909–1910: [a=Josef Stránský] 1910–1913: [a=Edmund von Strauss] 1913–1915: [a=Siegmund Von Hausegger] 1915–1920: [a=Paul Scheinpflug] 1920–1921: [a=Selmar Meyrowitz]