# Orchestra choruses



## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Over the last few days I have been perusing a number of threads regarding the Bach B minor mass, Beethoven's Missa Solemnis and Fidelio. One of the common recommendations in all of these are the Klemperer (New) Philharmonia recordings. I am familiar with the two Beethoven recordings. I am now listening to the Klemperer Bach for the first time and one thing that strikes me quite forcibly, as it does in the other recordings, is the fantastic contribution of the (New) Philharmonia Chorus.

Walter Legge established the Philharmonia Chorus in 1957 and hired the German chorus director, Wilhelm Pitz to hire train the singers. Pitz had a very high reputation having been recruited by von Karajan to create the Bayreuth Festival Chorus in the early 50's. The combination of Pitz' operatic experience and the British choral tradition produced a chorus which was immediately recognized as something special, which can be heard in the above referenced recordings and the Brahms German Requiem, also various recordings by Giulini (e.g. Verdi Requiem) and others.


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