Budapest Symphony Orchestra

About Budapest Symphony Orchestra

In 1943, conductor Ernst von Dohnányi founded the Symphony Orchestra of the Hungarian Radio and Television. Today, that orchestra is known outside Hungary as the Budapest Symphony Orchestra, but its concerts are still broadcast in Hungary and elsewhere. It enjoys a reputation for its interpretations of the Hungarian symphonic literature, especially works by living composers. Many notable conductors have led the orchestra, in concert and on recordings, including Otto Klemperer, Carlo Zecchi, István Kertész, Aldo Ceccato, Peter Eötvös, Claudio Abbado, Lamberto Gardelli, Antal Doráti, Georg Solti, Sir John Barbirolli, and Leopold Stokowski. Since its founding, the orchestra's music directors have been János Ferencsik (1945), Tibor Polgár (1945), Lázló Somogyi (1951), György Lehel (1956), András Ligeti (1989), and Tamás Vásáry (1993). Vásáry recorded a Beethoven symphony cycle with the orchestra for Hungaroton. The orchestra has toured extensively in Europe and North America.