From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra is a German orchestra based in Leipzig. It is named after the concert hall in which it is based, the Gewandhaus ("Cloth House").
Concerts in Leipzig date back to the early 18th century. They were first held in a private dwelling, and then an inn, before the orchestra moved to the Gewandhaus in 1781. In the early 19th century, Felix Mendelssohn was the kapellmeister. In 1885, the orchestra moved into a new hall, where it has remained to the present day.
Later principal conductorss included Arthur Nikisch, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Bruno Walter, Vaclav Neumann, and from 1970 to 1996 Kurt Masur. In 1998, Herbert Blomstedt took over the post.
