Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra

The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra has vaulted into the top rank of international symphonic ensembles with a strong commitment to contemporary music, a sequence of conductors from outside Norway, and a growing catalog of recordings. Yet this growth developed organically from the orchestra's longstanding roots, which date back to the 18th century. The orchestra's conductors have included Edvard Grieg. In 2025, the Bergen Philharmonic released a recording of Brahms' A German Requiem, Op. 45. The Philharmonic's history dates back to 1765 when Det Musicalske Selskab ("The Musical Society") was founded. The group changed its name to Musikselskabet Harmonien ("Harmony Music Society"), and the Harmonien name is still sometimes used locally in Bergen; the Bergen Philharmonic name was adopted in 1986. The group's orientation toward new music was already evident in Beethoven's day: his Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36, was performed by the orchestra prior to its Berlin premiere. Through the 19th century, the Harmonien grew, and Grieg served as its chief conductor between 1880 and 1882. Another of several composers to lead the orchestra was Johan Halvorsen (from 1893 to 1898). The orchestra has naturally favored Scandinavian repertory but became more international in orientation under Halvorsen. After World War I, the Bergen Philharmonic was reorganized under professional lines. At the time, it had 40 musicians, rising by the early 21st century to a membership of 101. During the 20th century, the Philharmonic premiered numerous new Scandinavian works. Its range grew with guest conducting appearances by Witold Lutoslawski and Krzysztof Penderecki in the early 1980s, and with the appointment of Aldo Ceccato as chief conductor in 1985; an early digital recording came that year with Antonio Bibalo: Gespenster on the Aurora label. Since then, all the orchestra's chief conductors -- Dmitri Kitayenko, Simone Young, Andrew Litton, and Edward Gardner -- have been non-Norwegians. Gardner stepped down in 2024; the group was conducted on a 2025 tour by principal guest conductor Mark Elder. The Philharmonic has recorded for BIS, Aurora, Hyperion, Simax, and Virgin Classics during this period, but its most extensive and widely distributed recordings have been made under Gardner for Chandos. The year 2017 alone saw four Bergen Philharmonic releases under Gardner, including a pair featuring music of Vaughan Williams, one devoted to Bartók, and one with ballet music of Tchaikovsky led by Neeme Järvi. Since then, the group has issued multiple recordings per year, except in pandemic-influenced 2022. The year 2023 saw seven recordings ranging from Mozart to Missy Mazzoli. By the time the Bergen Philharmonic released its recording of Brahms' A German Requiem, Op. 45, in 2025, its catalog comprised at least 100 recordings. ~ James Manheim, Rovi