ORTF National Orchestra

Composers

Biography

Active: Paris, France -
L'Orchestre National de France, formerly known as the ORTF National Orchestra, is one of the important international symphony orchestras.

In 1929, the French government established l'Office National de la Radiodiffusion (National Radio-Broadcasting Office) which in 1934 created the Orchestre National to serve its musical need. This was the first permanent French symphony orchestra, and its first conductor was D.E. Inghelbrecht. Hitler's Read more forces seized all radio facilities in France in 1940, broadcasting as Radio-Paris with programming that continued to use the National Orchestra. Opposing this propaganda was a BBC service devoted to the free French under exile leader Charles DeGaulle. After the war, and with the addition of television to its services, the radio organization changed its name to RTF (Radio-Television Française). In 1964, technological advance was reflected in a change of name, with RTF becoming l'ORTF (Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française), now under the control of the Ministry of Information.

Inghelbrecht had been succeeded as music director by Manuel Rosenthal, Roger Désormière, Charles Münch, Maurice Le Roux, and Jean Martinon. In the post-war years, the ORTF National Orchestra began to build its reputation as one of the most modern-oriented of European orchestras, giving world premieres of works of Messiaen, Boulez, Xenakis, Varèse, and Dutilleux.

In 1974, the basic state monopoly on broadcasting was affirmed, but with seven public societies functioning. These included a research society, two production societies, and four programming societies: Television Française 1, Antenna 2, the Third Network (FR3) and Radio France. The ORTF National Orchestra was renamed the Orchestre National Française (French National Orchestra). Radio France founded a second orchestra, the Nouvel Philharmonique (now l'Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France).

The Orchestre National Française, in most commentators' views, has become the leading orchestra of France, although there are those who would nominate the Orchestre de Paris, founded in 1967 to replace the Conservatoire Society Orchestra. Sergiu Ceilibidache was briefly the French National Orchestra director, followed by Lorin Maazel, succeeded in 1991 by Charles Dutoit. In July 2001, Dutoit stepped down, with Kurt Masur accepting a three-year contract to follow him.

The orchestra performs regularly in Messiaen Hall in the Maison de Radio France, as well as other venues in Paris and on frequent tours. It gives around 120 concerts a year. Read less

Featured ORTF National Orchestra CDs & DVDs:

French Orchestral Music - Bizet, Chabrier, Faure & Saint-saens / Beecham
French Orchestral Music - Bizet, Chabrier, Faure & Saint-saens / Beecham
Release Date: 03/06/2007   Label: Emi Great Recordings Of The Century  
Catalog: 79985   Number of Discs: 1
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Browse 26-50 of 75 Available Recordings
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  • 26.
    Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras 1-2, 5 & 9 / Villa-Lobos, De los Angeles
    Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras 1-2, 5 & 9 / Villa-Lobos, De los Angeles
    Label: Emi Great Recordings Of The Century   Catalog: 61015 Release Date: 01/28/2010   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Heitor Villa-Lobos
    Performer:  Victoria de los Angeles
    Conductor:  Heitor Villa-Lobos
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  ORTF National Orchestra
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  • 27.
    Roussel: Bacchus et Ariane, Le Festin / Georges Pretre
    Roussel: Bacchus et Ariane, Le Festin / Georges Pretre
    Label: Emi Classics   Catalog: 64690 Release Date: 12/01/2009   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Albert Roussel
    Conductor:  Georges Prêtre
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  ORTF National Orchestra
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  • 28.
    The Royal Edition - Berlioz: Requiem, Etc / Bernstein
    The Royal Edition - Berlioz: Requiem, Etc / Bernstein
    Label: Sony   Catalog: 47526 Release Date: 11/19/2009   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Hector Berlioz
    Performer:  Jennie Tourel,  Stuart Burrows
    Conductor:  Leonard Bernstein
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  New York Philharmonic,  French National Radio Chorus,  ORTF National Orchestra
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    CD: $29.99
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  • 29.
    Berlitz Passport - The Music Of Russia
    Berlitz Passport - The Music Of Russia
    Label: Sony Classical Masterworks   Catalog: 47282 Release Date: 10/29/2009   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Anonymous,  Modest Mussorgsky,  Maurice Jarre,  Aram Khachaturian  ... 
    Conductor:  Andre Kostelanetz,  Leonard Bernstein,  Eugene Ormandy,  Sir Andrew Davis  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Andre Kostelanetz Orchestra,  New York Philharmonic,  Philadelphia Orchestra  ... 
    ArkivCD $16.99
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  • 30.
    Berlitz Passport - The Music Of The British Isles
    Berlitz Passport - The Music Of The British Isles
    Label: Sony Classical Masterworks   Catalog: 47280 Release Date: 10/29/2009   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Thomas Augustine Arne,  Sir Edward Elgar,  George Frideric Handel,  Frederick Delius  ... 
    Performer:  David Nadien,  Edward Carroll
    Conductor:  Leonard Bernstein,  Sir Andrew Davis,  Richard P. Condie,  Richard Kapp  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  New York Philharmonic,  Philharmonia Orchestra,  Royal Philharmonic Orchestra  ... 
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  • 31.
    Berlitz Passport - The Music Of France
    Berlitz Passport - The Music Of France
    Label: Sony Classical Masterworks   Catalog: 47278 Release Date: 10/27/2009   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Claude Debussy,  Jacques Offenbach,  Claude-Joseph de Lisle,  Gabriel Fauré  ... 
    Performer:  Philippe Entremont,  Harold Gomberg
    Conductor:  Lorin Maazel,  Leopold Stokowski,  Leonard Bernstein,  Sir Andrew Davis  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  ORTF National Orchestra,  National Philharmonic Orchestra,  New York Philharmonic  ... 
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  • 32.
    Bizet: Symphonie In C, Carmen Suite, Etc / Ozawa
    Bizet: Symphonie In C, Carmen Suite, Etc / Ozawa
    Label: Emi Classics   Catalog: 63898 Release Date: 05/22/2009   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Georges Bizet
    Conductor:  Seiji Ozawa
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  ORTF National Orchestra
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  • 33.
    Franck: Symphony, Symphonic Variations / Martinon, French National Radio Orchestra
    Franck: Symphony, Symphonic Variations / Martinon, French National Radio Orchestra
    Label: Erato   Catalog: 6660662 Release Date: 04/27/2009   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  César Franck
    Performer:  Philippe Entremont
    Conductor:  Jean Martinon
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  ORTF National Orchestra
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  • 34.
    Ravel: Bolero, Alborada Del Gracioso, Etc / Maazel
    Ravel: Bolero, Alborada Del Gracioso, Etc / Maazel
    Label: Cbs Masterworks   Catalog: 37289 Release Date: 03/11/2009   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Maurice Ravel
    Conductor:  Lorin Maazel
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  ORTF National Orchestra
    CD: $17.99
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  • 35.
    Milhaud: Orchestral Works / Bernstein, Pretre, Beroff, Collard, Lee
    Milhaud: Orchestral Works / Bernstein, Pretre, Beroff, Collard, Lee
    Label: Brilliant Classics   Catalog: 958698 Release Date: 02/17/2009   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Darius Milhaud
    Performer:  Michel Béroff,  Jean-Philippe Collard,  Noel Lee,  Christian Ivaldi
    Conductor:  Leonard Bernstein,  Georges Prêtre
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  ORTF National Orchestra,  Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra
    CD: $12.99
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  • 36.
    Christian Ferras Vol 1 - Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn
    Christian Ferras Vol 1 - Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn
    Label: Doremi Records   Catalog: 7880 Release Date: 11/11/2008   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,  Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky,  Felix Mendelssohn,  Jean Martinon
    Performer:  Christian Ferras
    Conductor:  Wolfgang Sawallisch,  Carl Schuricht,  Charles Bruck
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra,  ORTF National Orchestra
    CD: $37.49
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  • 37.
    David Oistrakh - The Complete EMI Recordings
    David Oistrakh - The Complete EMI Recordings
    Label: Warner Classics   Catalog: 14712 Release Date: 09/16/2008   Number of Discs: 17
    Composer:  Franz Schubert,  Giuseppe Tartini,  Karen Khachaturian,  Eugène Ysaÿe  ... 
    Performer:  Jacov Shapiro,  Joseph Stidel,  Joseph Gertovich,  Mikhail Terian  ... 
    Conductor:  Nicolai Malko,  Aram Khachaturian,  Maxim Shostakovich,  Lovro von Matacic  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Philharmonia Orchestra,  New Philharmonia Orchestra,  London Symphony Orchestra  ... 
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  • 38.
    Rostropovich plays Cello Works
    Rostropovich plays Cello Works
    Label: Warner Classics   Catalog: 447036 Release Date: 03/25/2008   Number of Discs: 9
    Composer:  Marcel Landowski,  Rodion Shchedrin,  Renaud Gagneux,  Alun Hoddinott  ... 
    Performer:  Galina Vishnevskaya,  Mstislav Rostropovich,  Hugh Seenan,  Layton James  ... 
    Conductor:  Mstislav Rostropovich,  Seiji Ozawa,  Kent Nagano,  Cristobal Halffter  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  French National Orchestra,  London Symphony Orchestra,  Boston Symphony Orchestra  ... 
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  • 39.
    Courbet - Les Musiques - Chopin, Etc / Sokolov, Et Al
    Courbet - Les Musiques - Chopin, Etc / Sokolov, Et Al
    Label: Naive   Catalog: 5118 Release Date: 02/26/2008   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Frédéric Chopin,  Johannes Brahms,  Traditional,  Franz Liszt  ... 
    Performer:  Grigory Sokolov,  François-Frédéric Guy,  Anne Gastinel,  Albert Thierry  ... 
    Conductor:  Bernard Haitink,  Laurence Equilbey,  Christoph Eschenbach,  Alain Lombard
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  ORTF National Orchestra,  Végh String Quartet,  Accentus  ... 
    CD: $16.99
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  • 40.
    Bernstein Favorites- Orchestral Showpieces
    Bernstein Favorites- Orchestral Showpieces
    Label: Sony   Catalog: 46706 Release Date: 01/17/2008   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Maurice Ravel,  Modest Mussorgsky,  Paul Dukas,  Jean Sibelius  ... 
    Conductor:  Leonard Bernstein
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  ORTF National Orchestra,  New York Philharmonic
    CD: $17.99
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  • 41.
    Musifrance Series- Ohana: Anneau Du Tamarít, Signes, Etc
    Musifrance Series- Ohana: Anneau Du Tamarít, Signes, Etc
    Label: Erato   Catalog: 45503 Release Date: 12/26/2007   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Maurice Ohana
    Performer:  Alain Meunier
    Conductor:  Marc Andrae,  Marius Constant,  Stanislaw Skrowaczewski
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  ORTF National Orchestra,  Ars Nova Ensemble of the ORTF
    ArkivCD $16.99
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  • 42.
    Festspieldokumente - Salzburger Orchesterkonzerte / Szell
    Festspieldokumente - Salzburger Orchesterkonzerte / Szell
    Label: Orfeo D'or   Catalog: 704077 Release Date: 10/30/2007   Number of Discs: 7
    Composer:  Ludwig van Beethoven,  Richard Strauss,  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,  Christoph W. Gluck  ... 
    Performer:  Clifford Curzon,  Rudolf Firkusny
    Conductor:  George Szell
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Staatskapelle Dresden,  Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra,  Czech Philharmonic Orchestra  ... 
    CD: $54.49
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  • 43.
    Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique, Overtures / Bernstein, Previn
    Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique, Overtures / Bernstein, Previn
    Label: Emi Classics Studio Plus   Catalog: 64630 Release Date: 10/22/2007   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Hector Berlioz
    Conductor:  Leonard Bernstein,  André Previn
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  ORTF National Orchestra,  London Symphony Orchestra
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  • 44.
    Berlioz: Harold En Italie, Ouvertures / Bernstein, Previn
    Berlioz: Harold En Italie, Ouvertures / Bernstein, Previn
    Label: Emi Classics Studio Plus   Catalog: 64745 Release Date: 10/09/2007   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Hector Berlioz
    Performer:  Donald McInnes
    Conductor:  Leonard Bernstein,  André Previn
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  ORTF National Orchestra,  London Symphony Orchestra
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  • 45.
    Ibert: Ouverture De Fête, Escales, Tropismes / Martinon
    Ibert: Ouverture De Fête, Escales, Tropismes / Martinon
    Label: Emi Studio   Catalog: 64276 Release Date: 09/24/2007   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Jacques Ibert
    Conductor:  Jean Martinon
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  ORTF National Orchestra
    ArkivCD $16.99
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  • 46.
    French Orchestral Music - Bizet, Chabrier, Faure & Saint-saens / Beecham
    French Orchestral Music - Bizet, Chabrier, Faure & Saint-saens / Beecham
    Label: Emi Great Recordings Of The Century   Catalog: 79985 Release Date: 03/06/2007   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Georges Bizet,  Emmanuel Chabrier,  Gabriel Fauré,  Camille Saint-Saëns
    Conductor:  Sir Thomas Beecham
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  ORTF National Orchestra,  Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,  London Philharmonic Orchestra
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  • 47.
    Legendary Treasures - Sviatoslav Richter Archives Vol 11
    Legendary Treasures - Sviatoslav Richter Archives Vol 11
    Label: Doremi Records   Catalog: 7872 Release Date: 01/09/2007   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Johann Sebastian Bach,  Ludwig van Beethoven,  Sergei Prokofiev
    Performer:  Sviatoslav Richter
    Conductor:  Lorin Maazel
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  ORTF National Orchestra,  French National Orchestra
    CD: $18.99
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  • 48.
    Mozart: Violin Concerto K 219 / Grumiaux, Morini, Milstein, Schneiderhan
    Mozart: Violin Concerto K 219 / Grumiaux, Morini, Milstein, Schneiderhan
    Label: Orfeo D'or   Catalog: 713062 Release Date: 10/31/2006   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer:  Arthur Grumiaux,  Erica Morini,  Wolfgang Schneiderhan,  Nathan Milstein
    Conductor:  Bernhard Paumgartner,  George Szell,  Wolfgang Schneiderhan,  Karl Böhm
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Salzburg Mozart Orchestra,  ORTF National Orchestra,  Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
    CD: $24.99
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  • 49.
    Leopold Stokowski Conducts Music Of France - Ibert, Et Al
    Leopold Stokowski Conducts Music Of France - Ibert, Et Al
    Label: Music & Arts Programs Of America   Catalog: 4778 Release Date: 10/24/2006   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Jacques Ibert,  Maurice Ravel,  Claude Debussy,  Darius Milhaud
    Conductor:  Leopold Stokowski
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  French National Radio Orchestra,  Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra,  ORTF National Orchestra  ... 
    CD: $17.99
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  • 50.
    Messiaen Edition
    Messiaen Edition
    Label: Warner Classics   Catalog: 62162 Release Date: 04/18/2006   Number of Discs: 18
    Composer:  Olivier Messiaen
    Performer:  Jeanne Loriod,  Yvonne Loriod,  Dominique Kim,  Pierre-Laurent Aimard  ... 
    Conductor:  Marcel Couraud,  Kent Nagano,  Marius Constant,  Pierre Boulez
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  ORTF Chamber Orchestra,  ORTF Women's Chorus,  ORTF Chorus  ... 
    Recommendation
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