Hyperion is delighted to present Donald Runnicles, chief conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, in his debut on the label. Runnicles commands his orchestra in Bruckner’s most popular symphony repertoire that is at the heart of his musical life, and in which he has few living equals. Recent concerts of the works of Bruckner and Wagner have received the highest critical praise, acknowledging the orchestra and their conductor as consummate performers of this music.
‘For an orchestra who hadn’t played Bruckner 7 since 1975, the BBCSSO sounded utterly on home territory. From the sumptuous opening cello theme to the finale’s noble fanfares, this was a spacious, tender and beautifully poised performance … it’s not often you hear cries of “encore” after a Bruckner symphony, but I would gladly have heard this one repeated in full’ (The Guardian)
Donald Runnicles is regarded as one of the finest conductors of symphonic and operatic repertoire active today. Runnicles is the General Music Director of Deutsche Oper Berlin and Chief Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. In addition he is also Music Director of the Grand Teton Music Festival in Jackson, Wyoming, and Principal Guest Conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
As Chief Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Mr Runnicles has literally returned home. A Scot by birth, he conducts five weeks of the orchestra’s subscription concerts in Scotland and northern England, and anchors its substantial presence at the Edinburgh Festival and BBC Proms. Runnicles is sought after by the world’s finest symphony orchestras. As well as being Principal Guest Conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for a decade he also maintains continuing relationships with the Berlin Philharmonic, London Symphony, and Philadelphia orchestras.
Donald Runnicles was appointed to the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2004.
