The Orchestra

The Orchestra

Apple Music Classical

Updated 4 days ago

Since its invention in the 17th century, the orchestra has boasted a status as classical music’s biggest instrumental ensemble. From symphonies and tone poems to suites and concertos, the orchestra is capable of an extraordinary range of emotions, whether at a barely audible whisper or communicated through an overwhelming roar. From Bach to Berlioz, Brahms and beyond, the greatest composers have all written for the orchestra, crafting new sonorities, even challenging its musical possibilities. Marvel at Beethoven’s revolutionary soundworld and bask in Mahler’s dazzling colour palette as we guide you through some of the greatest works ever conceived for this miracle of musical ensembles. Plus listen out for some unexpected, thrilling contemporary gems, and beautiful symphonic works by under-represented composers.

III. Andante moderato

Czech Philharmonic, Semyon Bychkov

15:35

II. Mnemonic, Wheel of the Muses

Metropolis Ensemble, Andrew Cyr

1:41

II. Andante cantabile

The Philadelphia Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin

7:18

I. Allegro

Paavo Järvi, Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen

7:20

VII. Bess, You Is My Woman Now

Göteborgs Symfoniker, Barbara Hannigan

4:52

III. Poco allegretto (Live)

Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra, Kent Nagano

6:28

I. Introduzione. Maestoso ed adagio

Justin Doyle, Konzerthaus Orchester Berlin

5:05

VIII. La fille aux cheveux de lin (Arr. Spindler for Violin & Orchestra)

Gustavo Dudamel, Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, María Dueñas Fernández

2:31

I. Allegro vivace

Andris Nelsons, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig

9:52

The Banks of Green Willow "Idyll"

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Manze

6:02

Short Ride in a Fast Machine

Berlin Philharmonic, Alan Gilbert

4:11

Fugue. Allegro molto - Animato

Sir Simon Rattle, London Symphony Orchestra

3:02

Ic. Sinfonia. Adagio religioso

Masaaki Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan

6:28

III. Dance of the Princesses

Gustavo Dudamel, Los Angeles Philharmonic

4:36

III. Clair de lune (Orch. by John Wilson)

John Wilson, Sinfonia of London

4:34

III. Un sonnet d'amour

Chineke! Orchestra, Anthony Parnther

3:40

No. 38, Romeo and Juliet (Juliet's Bedroom)

Los Angeles Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel

1:41

I. Andante

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Edward Gardner

15:15

III. Insistentemente

Eva Ollikainen, Iceland Symphony Orchestra

7:32

II. Air (Live)

Tugan Sokhiev, Vienna Philharmonic

3:40

IV. Molto allegro

Accademia Bizantina, Ottavio Dantone

9:29

Pavane pour une infante défunte, M. 19 (Version for Orchestra)

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Domingo Hindoyan

7:09

V. One Sunday in the South

Yannick Nézet-Séguin, The Philadelphia Orchestra

2:41

IV. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity

Antonio Pappano, London Symphony Orchestra

8:12

III. Valse. Allegro moderato

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Karina Canellakis

5:33

No. 2, All'esimio violinista prof. Augusto Michelangeli

Sinfonia of London, John Wilson

2:45

Danzón No. 2 (1994)

Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, Alondra de la Parra

9:26

II. Andante moderato (Live)

Hallé, Kahchun Wong

10:35

Nautilus

Anna Meredith, Dalia Stasevska, BBC Symphony Orchestra

5:31

Overture to a Midsummer Night's Dream in E Major, Op. 21

Freiburger Barockorchester, Pablo Heras-Casado

11:28

II. Scherzo. Bewegt, lebhaft - Trio. Schnell

Iván Fischer, Budapest Festival Orchestra

9:38

Flying Theme (From "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial")

Berlin Philharmonic, John Williams

3:58

I. Lever de jour

Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Elim Chan

6:06

II. Pantomime

Elim Chan, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra

6:02

VII. Dance of the Earth

Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Philharmonia Orchestra

1:20

II. Scherzo. Allegro vivace

Pablo Heras-Casado, Munich Philharmonic

6:41

I. Langsam, schleppend - Immer sehr gemächlich

Semyon Bychkov, Czech Philharmonic

16:39

Kauyumari

Gustavo Dudamel, Los Angeles Philharmonic

7:23

III. Adagio. Lento

Sinfonia of London, John Wilson

13:45

I. Allegro moderato

Kremerata Baltica, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla

12:48

Fratres (Version for String Orchestra and Percussion)

Estonian Festival Orchestra, Paavo Järvi

9:28

I. Der Held (Live)

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Mariss Jansons

4:28

V. Finale

Susanna Mälkki, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra

10:05

Boléro, M. 81

Gustavo Dudamel, Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela

16:00

Merry-Go-Round of Life (From "Howl’s Moving Castle")

Joe Hisaishi, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

2:49

II. Allegro molto

Berlin Philharmonic, Kirill Petrenko

9:38

I. Intrada

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, John Wilson

4:46

II. Andante con moto

Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Yannick Nézet-Séguin

9:21

Still, Glowing

Dalia Stasevska, BBC Symphony Orchestra

7:04

I. Tempo molto moderato (Live)

Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Nicholas Collon

13:25

III. Finale. Alla breve (Live from the 2022 Cliburn Competition)

Yunchan Lim, Marin Alsop, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra

14:28

I. Quarter note = 104 – Quarter note = 120

Gustavo Dudamel, Anne Akiko Meyers, Los Angeles Philharmonic

6:41

I. Allegro non Troppo

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Marin Alsop

12:46

II. The Story of the Kalendar Prince

Antonio Pappano, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia

12:25

II. Plegaria (Chaconne)

Anne Akiko Meyers, Gustavo Dudamel, Los Angeles Philharmonic

9:23

II. Allegretto

London Symphony Orchestra, Antonio Pappano

9:13

Summer Fantasy

Yu-Peng Chen, Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra

2:34

III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace - Trio

Budapest Festival Orchestra, Iván Fischer

5:55

II. Vltava

Semyon Bychkov, Czech Philharmonic

13:09

I. Andante nobilmente e semplice – Allegro

Hallé, Mark Elder

21:09

Princess Leia’s Theme (From “Star Wars: A New Hope”) [Live at Suntory Hall, Tokyo, 2023]

Saito Kinen Orchestra, John Williams

5:13

Prelude

Franz Welser-Möst, Vienna Philharmonic

11:32

IV. Allegro non troppo

Gianandrea Noseda, London Symphony Orchestra

11:43

I. Allegro

Robin Ticciati, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Vilde Frang

17:45

IV. Largo

Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Göteborgs Symfoniker

1:51

IV. Adagietto. Sehr langsam

Paavo Järvi, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich

9:52

The Lover Friend's Love for the Beloved"

Franz Welser-Möst, The Cleveland Orchestra

13:28

IV. Intermezzo "Garden Scene" (Arr. Spindler for Violin & Orchestra)

Bomsori Kim, Jakub Hrůša, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra

5:01

II. Molto vivace - Presto - Molto vivace - Presto

Berlin Philharmonic, Sir Simon Rattle

13:33

To April

BBC Philharmonic, John Andrews

7:12

III. Scherzo (Bewegt) - Trio (Nicht zu schnell. Keinesfalls schleppend) [Live]

Andris Nelsons, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig

10:54

III. Allegro

Gli Incogniti, Amandine Beyer

4:56

I. Preludio. Moderato

Antonio Pappano, London Symphony Orchestra

12:01

III. Seascape (Inspired by Hiroshi Sugimoto's "Caribbean Sea, Jamaica", 1980)

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Marin Alsop

4:03

Finlandia, Op. 26

San Francisco Symphony, Esa-Pekka Salonen

8:59

I. De l’aube à midi sur la mer (Live)

Philippe Jordan, Vienna Philharmonic

8:45

IV. Allegro con spirito

Andris Nelsons, Boston Symphony Orchestra

9:48

Rhapsody in Blue

Wayne Marshall, Chineke! Orchestra, Stewart Goodyear

16:13

I. Allegro assai

John Wilson, Sinfonia of London

13:35

Leviathan, Op. 59

BBC Philharmonic, Bill Anderson, Rumon Gamba

5:01

I. Allegretto (Live)

Colin Davis, London Symphony Orchestra

9:39

Remembering

Eunike Tanzil, Anna Handler, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin

3:48

I. Non allegro

John Wilson, Sinfonia of London

10:53

Mother’s Broom (From "Kiki's Delivery Service")

Joe Hisaishi, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

3:49

IV. Marche au supplice (Allegretto non troppo)

London Symphony Orchestra, Colin Davis

6:31

I. Adagio - Allegro spiritoso

Riccardo Minasi, Ensemble Resonanz

10:16

II. Im Tempo eines gemächlichen Ländlers. Etwas täppisch und sehr derb (Live)

Vienna Philharmonic, Franz Welser-Möst

14:48

I. when you're broken up

Inbal Segev, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Marin Alsop

4:44

IV. Finale

The Philadelphia Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin

4:52

An der schönen blauen Donau, Walzer, Op. 314

Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Vienna Philharmonic

9:19

IV. Adagio - Più Andante - Allegro non troppo, ma con brio

Berlin Philharmonic, Kirill Petrenko

16:01

IV. Bewegt, doch nicht schnell

Vladimir Jurowski, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin

13:20

Theme (From "Jurassic Park")

John Williams, Berlin Philharmonic

5:37

The Lark Ascending

Pekka Kuusisto, Norwegian Chamber Orchestra

16:19

III. Allegro molto vivace

Sir Charles Mackerras, Philharmonia Orchestra

8:27

I. Teton Range (Live)

Nashville Symphony, Giancarlo Guerrero

3:43

IV. Finale. Allegro molto

Kammerorchester Basel, Giovanni Antonini

4:37

IV. Allegro

Edward Gardner, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra

8:35