Ensemble Wien-Berlin

About

Ensemble Wien owes its name to the fact that its founding members came from the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The Ensemble is unique because of its unusual combination of instruments - two violins, viola, and double bass. The inclusion of a double bass gives the Ensemble new potential when it comes to programming. With this combination of instruments, Ensemble Wien has been able to combine the classical repertoire with masterpieces from the Strauss dynasty and Josef Lanner. And they play this music with a feeling that can only be described as "inborn".

One of Ensemble Wien's central aims is to interpret what appears to be "light music" on a high chamber music level, thereby demonstrating that the musical substance of these works is in no way inferior to that of classical masterpieces. Consequently, numerous musical treasures - waltzes, polkas, and relatively unknown pieces, including some by Franz Schubert, have received first performances by the Ensemble.

Ensemble Wien's annual series of five concerts in Vienna's famous Musikverein is consistently sold out. They regularly tour through Germany, France, Spain, and Switzerland, and will be introduced in Italy at the Festival di Como. Among their future engagements are the Philharmonie in Berlin, the Bastille in Paris, the Festival de Monte Carlo, and the Menuhin Festival in Gstaad. The Ensemble was invited by Sviatoslav Richter to close his June 1993 festival with a pair of concerts at Grange de Meslay, France.

Ensemble Wien records exclusively for Sony Classical, with four best-selling recordings already in release and more in preparation. Their recording which includes Divertimenti and Twelve German Dances of Mozart and Die Mozartisten by Lanner received the prestigious Viennese Flautwatch award for best Mozart recording of 1993.

Paul Guggenberger - violin He was born in Wien and studied at the Conservatory of the City of Wien and the Academy of Music and Performing Arts, where he attended a master class and was awarded the "Fröderungspreis" (scholarship) of the City in 1958. He also received a first prize in Nice in 1963. He became first violinist with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and is making radio appearances and recordings.

Raimund Lissy - violin Also born in Wien in 1966, Lissy began his studies at the age of four at the Conservatory of the City of Wien and at the Academy of Music. He also attended a master class and has won several prizes and competitions as a soloist as well as a member of various chamber ensembles. He has been a member of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra since 1991.

Peter Götzel - viola and violin Another of the artists born in Wien, Götzel was a member of the Vienna Boys' Choir and later studied violin and viola at the Academy of Music in the city. In 1958 he participated in the World Exposition for Chamber Music in Brussels. Since 1964 he has been first violinist with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, a member of the Wiener Strichtrio and the Philharmonic Quintet, as well as the Wiener Musikverein Quintet. His name appears on many recordings.

Josef Niederhammer - double bass Born in Linz, Austria in 1954, he studied at the Conservatory of the City of Wien. Since 1973 he has been a member of the Vienna and Bamberg Symphony Orchestras and in 1978 became soloist with the Bavarian State Opera and Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. From 1991 Niederhammer has served on the faculty at the Conservatory of the City of Wien.

Ensemble Wien-Berlin Newsletter