Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra

The Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra is the leading symphonic ensemble of that small northwestern European nation. It was founded in 1933 as the orchestra of the national RTL broadcaster. The orchestra was organized by Henri Pensis, who served as music director until 1939, then again from 1946 until his death in 1958. In the 21st century, the orchestra's conductors have been drawn from international ranks. Beginning in the mid-1990s with a recording of music by Jean Cras, the Luxembourg Philharmonic has amassed a large catalog of music on the Timpani label, mostly devoted to French music, but including a cycle of the orchestral music of Xenakis. In 2017 the orchestra moved to PentaTone, where it has essayed broader mainstream repertory. ~ James Manheim