The Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, also known as The Radio Symphony Orchestra Berlin (RSB), was established in 1923. As the oldest German radio orchestra, the RSB has gained a place in the top tier of European concert orchestras. The orchestra’s chief conductors have all helped in sharing a remarkable sound during the changing circumstances of 20th century German history in a unique way. Ever since its starting point, the RSB has enjoyed a close relationship with contemporary music. Eminent composers of the twentieth century have come to the orchestra personally or have performed their own works there as soloists, including Paul Hindemith, Arthur Honegger, Darius Milhaud, Sergei Prokofiev, Richard Strauss, Arnold Schonberg, Igor Stravinsky and many more.
As a result of the orchestra’s close relationship with Deutchlandradio, the main shareholder in the Rundfunk Orchester und Chöre (roc) Berlin, and with Radio Berlin-Brandenburg, almost all of their concerts are broadcast on Deutschlandradio Kultur or kulturradio by rbb. This collaboration with the German radio is also immensely beneficial in terms of recording releases. For the past three years, the orchestra has been occupied with media broadcasts of the concertante Wagner cycle in association with the Dutch label Pentatone. All of their ten live recording were released by the end of 2013 and evoked an immediate international response. Since spring 2014, another remarkable and widely praised addition to their repertoire became available on the market, the entire edition of symphonies by Hans Werner Henze. The orchestra is also releasing recordings through the labels Sony Classical and CPO.
