The Sinfonieorchester Basel is one of the oldest and most important orchestras in Switzerland. Founded in 1876 – the same year that the concert hall of the Stadtcasino Basel was built, which remains the orchestra’s home venue to this day – its conductors have included such great names as Gustav Mahler, Hans Huber, Felix Weingartner and Pierre Boulez. Major works of the 20th and 21st centuries – including those by Béla Bartók, Arthur Honegger and Dieter Ammann – were premiered by the Sinfonieorchester Basel.
This book explores key themes such as the role of orchestras in urban transformation, the relationship between conductors and musicians, the long struggle for institutional support, and the orchestra’s newfound independence. Particular attention is paid to the issue of equality, which vividly illustrates how social change also transforms musical institutions.