The orchestra was founded in 1945, and played its first concert as the Atlanta Youth Symphony under the direction of Henry Sopkin, a Chicago music educator who remained its Conductor until 1966.The organization changed to its current name in 1947, and soon began attracting well known soloists such as Isaac Stern and Glenn Gould. In 1967, with the departure of Sopkin, Robert Shaw (founder of the Robert Shaw Chorale) became the conductor, and a year later the orchestra turned full-time. In 1970, Shaw founded a choir specially for the orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus. In 1988, Yoel Levi became Music Director and principal conductor. Under him, the orchestra played at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Centennial 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Levi became Music Director Emeritus in 2000, and was succeeded as Music Director by Robert Spano.
The ASO and chorus made its first recording, a 2-LP Christmas album entitled Nativity, for Turnabout/Vox Records in 1975, under the directorship of Robert Shaw. This was an album directly based on their annual Christmas concert. In 1978, the ASO became the first American orchestra to make a digital recording intended for commercial release, when it played Igor Stravinsky's Firebird suite and excerpts from Alexander Borodin's opera, Prince Igor for the Telarc label. As of 2008, the orchestra and chorus still record for Telarc, one of the longest continuous associations of an orchestra with a record label. In 2004, the orchestra initiated an agreement with the Deutsche Grammophon label to record several works by composer Osvaldo Golijov, while continuing its ongoing relationship with Telarc which has resulted in numerous Grammy awards.
One of the orchestra and chorus's most famous recordings, however, that of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony conducted by Robert Shaw, was recorded for the now defunct Pro Arte label, and sadly, is not only now out of print, but has not been picked up for re-release by Telarc or any other label.
The orchestra toured Europe under Yoel Levi in 1991; and with its chorus, under Robert Shaw, in 1988. In 2003, the ASOC visited Berlin, where it gave three performances of Benjamin Britten's War Requiem with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under ASO Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles.
Jane Little, who debuted as a double bassist in Atlanta on February 4, 1945, at the age of 16, remained a member of the orchestra for the rest of her life, dying on May 15, 2016 a few hours after collapsing during a performance of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. She was said to be the longest tenured orchestra musician in the world. She was 87.
The Woodruff Arts Center
The ASO's main concert venue is Atlanta Symphony Hall in the Woodruff Arts Center. It plays an extensive outdoor summer pops concert series at Atlanta's city-owned Chastain Park, and at other parks in the area. In February 2005 the orchestra unveiled plans for the new Atlanta Symphony Center concert hall designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, to be built subject to raising construction funds of approximately US$300 million.
On May 10, 2008, the ASO opened the new US $35 million 12,000-seat Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park in north Fulton County in the town of Alpharetta, some 22 miles north of Atlanta, where the ASO will present concerts of its own as well as those by various pops groups. Encore Park and the Amphitheatre are owned by the Woodruff Arts Center, the ASO's parent organization. Including Encore Park and its activities at Atlanta Symphony Hall and Chastain Park, the ASO will present more than 300 performances annually. With a budget expected to increase to US $50 million with the completion of its new Amphitheatre, the ASO has become one of the six or seven largest orchestras in America, by budget size. The ASO's budget includes not only the costs of production, along with orchestra and staff salaries and benefits, but also the symphony's very significant expenditures on education, community outreach, special events and fundraising.
Music directors
Robert Spano (Music Director, 2001- )
Yoel Levi (Music Director, 1988-2000; Music Director Emeritus, 2000-2005)
Robert Shaw (Music Director and Conductor, 1967-1988; Music Director Emeritus and Conductor Laureate, 1988-1999)
Henry Sopkin (Conductor, 1945-1966)
The Messiah HWV 56: Hallelujah Chorus
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
For the lord God omnipotent reigneth
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
For the lord God omnipotent reigneth
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
For the lord God omnipotent reigneth
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
(For the lord God omnipotent reigneth)
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
For the lord God omnipotent reigneth
(Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah)
Hallelujah
The kingdom of this world;
Is become
The kingdom of our Lord,
And of His Christ
And of His Christ
And He shall reign for ever and ever
And he shall reign forever and ever
And he shall reign forever and ever
And he shall reign forever and ever
King of kings forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah
And lord of lords forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah
King of kings forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah
And lord of lords forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah
King of kings forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah
And lord of lords
King of kings and lord of lords
And he shall reign
And he shall reign
And he shall reign
He shall reign
And he shall reign forever and ever
King of kings forever and ever
And lord of lords hallelujah hallelujah
And he shall reign forever and ever
King of kings and lord of lords
King of kings and lord of lords
And he shall reign forever and ever
Forever and ever and ever and ever
(King of kings and lord of lords)
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
Hallelujah
The Messiah HWV 56: Hallelujah Chorus is a majestic composition that expresses the glory and power of God through the use of choral singing. The lyrics are centered around themes of praise and worship, as the chorus proclaims the reign of the Lord God omnipotent. The repetition of the word "Hallelujah" throughout the song serves as a form of exultation and brings out a sense of triumph in the music.
The song begins with the chorus singing "Hallelujah" five times in a row, setting the tone for the rest of the piece. The first few stanzas of the song reinforce the idea that God is all-powerful and is deserving of worship and reverence. As the music builds, the chorus declares that the "kingdom of this world" has become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ. The final stanza repeats the phrase "King of kings and Lord of lords," emphasizing the supreme power of God and his eternal reign.
Overall, the Hallelujah Chorus is a celebration of God's glory and an affirmation of the Christian belief in his sovereignty. The powerful music and lyrics not only convey a sense of reverence and awe but also inspire a deeper connection to God.
Line by Line Meaning
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
The choir rejoices about the good news by repeating 'Hallelujah' five times.
For the lord God omnipotent reigneth
The Lord God is all-powerful and sovereign over everything in creation.
The kingdom of this world; Is become; The kingdom of our Lord, And of His Christ And of His Christ
The worldly kingdom has become the kingdom of the Lord and His Christ who is the savior of the world.
And He shall reign for ever and ever
The Lord God will rule and reign forever and ever with no end in sight.
King of kings forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah
The Lord God is the ultimate king over all other kings for eternity and deserves praise and worship.
And lord of lords forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah
The Lord God is the highest authority over all other lords for eternity and deserves praise and worship.
King of kings and lord of lords
The Lord God is the king and lord above all other kings and lords mentioned in scripture.
He shall reign forever and ever
The Lord God will rule and reign for eternity both in reality and in the hearts of believers.
Forever and ever and ever and ever
The Lord God's reign is eternal, and will never cease even after time itself comes to an end.
Contributed by Elizabeth V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.