The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, which was founded in 1895, can claim one of the longest-standing traditions among American orchestras. Its ascent into the top tier was achieved in the 1930s under Otto Klemperer and Fritz Reiner, who helmed the PSO as Guest Conductor and Principal Conductor, respectively. During Reiner’s tenure (1938–48), the musicians also made their first foreign tour and became especially active on the recording front. For nearly a quarter century (from 1952 to 1976), William Steinberg led the Orchestra and enhanced its international reputation; it was not by chance that under his tenure, in 1964, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra became the first American ensemble to perform at the festival in Lucerne. Music directors André Previn (1976–84), Lorin Maazel (1988–96), and Mariss Jansons (1997–2004) added to this great legacy, which they enriched with an emphasis on innovation. Since the 2008-09 season, Manfred Honeck has served as the new Music Director and Leonard Slatkin as Principal Guest Conductor; starting with the 2010-11 season, Gianandrea Noseda was named Victor de Sabata Guest Conductor. Steven Stucky is Composer of the Year for the 2011-12 season, during the spring of which the PSO has scheduled a three-week “Paris Festival” at Heinz Hall to celebrate early-20th-century Parisian culture. In addition to their subscription concerts, each year the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra offers a series of pops and family concerts, presents a summer season in parks throughout Allegheny County, and appears in many cities around the United States. The PSO has undertaken more than 30 foreign tours in the course of its history—to Europe, the Far East, South America, and Australia. Reaching a global audience, the PSO was the first American orchestra to perform at the Vatican in January 2004 for the late Pope John Paul II, as part of the Pontiff’s Silver Jubilee celebration. The ensemble’s artistic legacy is preserved on hundreds of recordings.
LUCERNE FESTIVAL (IMF) debut on 30 August 1964 in works by Weber, Schubert, Piston, Hindemith, and Ravel under the direction of William Steinberg.
August 2011