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 ...

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

Manfred Honeck’s tenure, since 2008, at the helm of this superb Pennsylvanian orchestra has really delivered. Sophisticated, classy, stylish playing underscores everything it does. Analysing the PSO’s sound in a review of their recent Brahms Fourth, David Gutman wrote that ‘though capable of cushioned “European” warmth, the Pittsburgh Symphony has a cleaner, brighter edge than traditionally associated with big-band Brahms. The winds make a tellingly linear contribution, not content with merely poking through saturated string tone at key points.’ Next up, Beethoven’s Pastoral coupled, as has become a tradition with all their recordings, with something imaginatively unexpected: Steven Stucky’s Silent Spring.

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