Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra

The Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra (Croatian: Zagrebačka filharmonija) is an orchestra based in Zagreb, Croatia. It was officially founded on the 30 November 1919.

History
The origins of the orchestra can be found in the opera ensemble of Zagreb's national theatre. In the 19th century, musical ensembles in Zagreb were mostly unorganized, until in 1870, Ivan Zajc established an ensemble for the national theatre. He organised and conducted a professional concert on the 25 February 1871, in Stanković's theatre (the present-day building of the Zagreb Assembly). The orchestra performed a Quodlibet, a style of composition where melodies and motifs from a range of pieces would be combined into a single performance.

A symphony in 1916 marked a historical performance in Zagreb's musical history. The symphony of young Croatian composers (Croatian: Simfonijski koncert mladih hrvatskih skladatelja) showcased a wide range of composers from the country, including Dora Pejačević. They played at the Croatian National Theatre.

After WWI, significant changes were brought to how Zagreb's musical ensembles were organised. In 1919, at the encouragement of violinist Dragutin Arany, the Filharmonic Orchestra was officially founded by some musicians of the opera ensemble. The name changed to Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra on the 3rd of October, 1920.

Discography

 * Beethoven, Violin concerto in D major, conducted by Milan Horvat and Ivan Ozim
 * Beethoven, Symphony No. 2, Symphony No. 5, conducted by Richard Edlinger
 * Beethoven, Symphony No. 4, Symphony No. 7
 * Beethoven, Symphony No. 8, conducted by Richard Edlinger and Michael Halász
 * Beethoven, Symphony No. 9
 * Janáček, Sinfonietta, conducted by Lovro Matačić
 * Keleman, Piano concerto, with Melita Lorković on piano
 * Mozart, Piano Concerto no. 27, with conductor Mladen Bašić
 * Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1
 * Rimsky-Korsakov, Scheherazade, with conductor Pavle Dešpalj
 * Shostakovich, Symphony No. 1, conducted by Milan Horvat
 * Shostakovich, Symphony No. 9
 * Smetana, My Fatherland
 * Stravinsky, Petrushka (ballet concerto)