The Cleveland Orchestra
Background information
Origin	Cleveland, Ohio
Genres	Classical
Occupations	Symphony orchestra
Years active	1918-present
Associated acts	Cleveland Orchestra Chorus Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (COYO) Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus(COYC) Cleveland Orchestra Children's Chorus (COCC)
Website	www.clevelandorchestra.com
Members
Music Director Franz Welser-Möst Music Director Laureate Christoph von Dohnányi Assistant Conductors James Feddeck Sasha Mäkilä Director of Choruses Robert Porco Assistant Director of Choruses Frank Bianchi
Past members
Founder Nikolai Sokoloff
Notable instruments
Concert Organ Ernest M. Skinner IV-94

The Cleveland Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is one of the five American orchestras informally referred to as the "Big Five".^[1] Founded in 1918, the orchestra plays most of its concerts at Severance Hall. The music director is Franz Welser-Möst.

History[link]

The orchestra was founded in 1918 by Adella Prentiss Hughes, with Nikolai Sokoloff as its principal conductor. From early in its existence, it toured throughout the eastern United States, made radio broadcasts, and recorded many albums. Subsequent principal conductors, with the title of Music Director, were Artur Rodziński (1933–1943), Erich Leinsdorf (1943–1944), George Szell (1946–1970), Pierre Boulez (Musical Advisor 1970-1972), Lorin Maazel (1972–1982), and Christoph von Dohnányi (1984–2002). Franz Welser-Möst has been Music Director since 2002 and is contracted to remain through the 2017-2018 season.^[2][3]

George Szell's long reign as Music Director has been largely credited for the orchestra's rise to eminence. He reformed the orchestra in the late-1940s, firing a dozen musicians in the process with a dozen more leaving of their own volition.^[4] Szell is also credited with giving the orchestra its distinct, European sound.^[4] He pushed an ambitious recording schedule with the orchestra, bringing its music to millions worldwide. Szell's influence has continued, even decades after his death.

Cleveland is the smallest city amongst the traditional "Big Five" orchestras; the others are based in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago. However, musicians in Cleveland are often treated as local celebrities, and, much like sports heroes elsewhere, fans seek autographs after performances and greet musicians on the street. Clevelanders are proud that their city boasts an orchestra that has several times been touted as America's finest, and compared favorably to many of the great orchestras in Central Europe.^[4][5] In the 1960s fans were known to "have airport rallies when the orchestra comes home from tour [and] chant, 'We're the best! We're the best!' and carry placards reading 'Bravo!'" ^[4]

In addition to a vast catalog of recordings created with the ensemble's music directors, the orchestra has made many recordings with guest conductors Vladimir Ashkenazy, Oliver Knussen, Kurt Sanderling, Yoel Levi, Riccardo Chailly, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Louis Lane (the orchestra's longtime Associate Conductor). Past assistant conductors of the Cleveland Orchestra include James Levine, Alan Gilbert, James Judd and Michael Stern.

Locations[link]

Severance Hall

Severance Hall is the Cleveland Orchestra's home. It was built for the orchestra in 1931. The orchestra performs the majority of its concerts at Severance and also uses the hall for rehearsals and to house their administrative offices.

During the summer months, the orchestra presents their annual Blossom Festival at the Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Until 2005, the Blossom Festival had its own music director. The last person to serve in that capacity was Jahja Ling. After he stepped down from that position, the orchestra eliminated the post, and now has current music director Franz Welser-Möst in charge of the classical music concerts at the Blossom Festival.^[6]

The orchestra also has long-term performing relationships in Lucerne, Vienna, New York City, and Miami, and has conducted multi-concert tours on the West Coast off and on since the 1960s.^[7]

Music directors[link]

• 1918-1933 Nikolai Sokoloff
• 1933-1943 Artur Rodziński
• 1943-1944 Erich Leinsdorf
• 1946-1970 George Szell
• 1970-1972 Pierre Boulez (Musical advisor)
• 1972-1982 Lorin Maazel
• 1984-2002 Christoph von Dohnányi
• 2002–present Franz Welser-Möst

See also[link]

• Cleveland Orchestra Discography
• Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra
• Cleveland Women's Orchestra
• Cleveland Chamber Symphony
• CityMusic Cleveland
• Red (an orchestra)
• The Contemporary Youth Orchestra

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Rosenberg, Donald (2000). The Cleveland Orchestra Story. Cleveland: Gray & Company. ISBN 1-886228-24-8. 

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Cleveland Orchestra

• The Cleveland Orchestra Official website
• Cleveland Orchestra history at the Wayback Machine (archived March 17, 2008) from the Telarc website.
• Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra
• Cleveland Orchestra Musicians

City of Cleveland
—  City  —
Flag Official seal of City of Cleveland Seal
Nickname(s): The Forest City
Motto: Progress & Prosperity
Location in Cuyahoga County
City of Cleveland Location in Ohio
Coordinates: 41°28′56″N 81°40′11″W / 41.48222°N 81.66972°W / 41.48222; -81.66972Coordinates: 41°28′56″N 81°40′11″W / 41.48222°N 81.66972°W / 41.48222; -81.66972
Country	United States
State	Ohio
County	Cuyahoga
Founded	1796
Incorporated	1814 (village)
	1836 (city)
Government
• Mayor	Frank G. Jackson (D)
Area[1]
• City	82.4 sq mi (213.4 km2)
• Land	77.6 sq mi (200.9 km2)
• Water	4.8 sq mi (12.5 km2)
Elevation[2]	653 ft (199 m)
Population (2010)[1][3]
• City	396,815 (45th in U.S.)
• Density	5,113/sq mi (1,974/km2)
• Metro	2,250,871
• Demonym	Clevelander
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Area code(s)	216
FIPS code	39-16000[4]
GNIS feature ID	1066654
Website	www.city.cleveland.oh.us

Cleveland ( /ˈkliːvlənd/) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County,^[5] the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately 60 miles (97 km) west of the Pennsylvania border. It was founded in 1796 near the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, and became a manufacturing center owing to its location on the lake shore, as well as being connected to numerous canals and railroad lines. Cleveland's economy has diversified sectors that include manufacturing, financial services, healthcare, and biomedical. Cleveland is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.^[6]

As of the 2010 Census, the city proper had a total population of 396,815 and was the 45th largest city in the United States,^[7] and the second largest city in Ohio.^[8][9] It is the center of Greater Cleveland, the largest metropolitan area in Ohio. The Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor Metropolitan Statistical Area in 2011 ranked as the 28th largest in the United States with 2,068,283 people.^[10] Cleveland is part of the larger Cleveland-Akron-Elyria Combined Statistical Area, which in 2011 had a population of 2,871,084, and ranked as the country's 15th largest.^[11]

Residents of Cleveland are called "Clevelanders". Nicknames for the city include "The Forest City", "Metropolis of the Western Reserve", "Sixth City", "The Rock 'n' Roll Capital of the World", and "C-Town".^[12][13][14] Due to Lake Erie's close proximity to the city, the Cleveland area is sometimes locally referred to as "The North Coast".^[12]

History[link]

Cleveland obtained its name on July 22, 1796 when surveyors of the Connecticut Land Company laid out Connecticut's Western Reserve into townships and a capital city they named "Cleaveland" after their leader, General Moses Cleaveland. Cleaveland oversaw the plan for what would become the modern downtown area, centered on Public Square, before returning home, never again to visit Ohio. The first settler in Cleaveland was Lorenzo Carter, who built a cabin on the banks of the Cuyahoga River. The Village of Cleaveland was incorporated on December 23, 1814.^[9] In spite of the nearby swampy lowlands and harsh winters, its waterfront location proved to be an advantage. The area began rapid growth after the 1832 completion of the Ohio and Erie Canal. This key link between the Ohio River and the Great Lakes connected the city to the Atlantic Ocean via the Erie Canal and later via the St. Lawrence Seaway; and the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River. Growth continued with added railroad links.^[15] Cleveland incorporated as a city in 1836.^[9]

Bird's-eye view of Cleveland in 1877

In 1836, the city, then located only on the eastern banks of the Cuyahoga River, nearly erupted into open warfare with neighboring Ohio City over a bridge connecting the two.^[16] Ohio City remained an independent municipality until its annexation by Cleveland in 1854.^[9]

The city's prime geographic location as transportation hub on the Great Lakes has played an important role in its development as a commercial center. Cleveland serves as a destination point for iron ore shipped from Minnesota, as well as coal transported by rail. In 1870, John D. Rockefeller founded Standard Oil in Cleveland, and moved its headquarters to New York City in 1885.^[17] Cleveland emerged in the early 20th Century as an important American manufacturing center, which included automotive companies such as Peerless, People's,^[18] Jordan, and Winton, maker of the first car driven across the U.S.^[19] Other manufacturers located in Cleveland produced steam-powered cars, which included White and Gaeth, as well as the electric car company Baker. By 1920, due in large part to the city's economic prosperity, Cleveland became the nation's fifth largest city.^[9] The city counted Progressive Era politicians such as the populist Mayor Tom L. Johnson among its leaders. Many prominent Clevelanders from this era are buried in the historic Lake View Cemetery, including President James A. Garfield,^[20] and John D. Rockefeller.

The Cuyahoga River winds through the Flats in a December 1937 aerial view of downtown Cleveland.

In commemoration of the centennial of Cleveland's incorporation as a city, the Great Lakes Exposition debuted in June 1936 along the Lake Erie shore north of downtown. Conceived as a way to energize a city after the Great Depression, it drew four million visitors in its first season, and seven million by the end of its second and final season in September 1937.^[21] The exposition was housed on grounds that are now used by the Great Lakes Science Center, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Burke Lakefront Airport, among others.^[22] Following World War II, the city experienced a prosperous economy. In sports, the Indians won the 1948 World Series and the Browns dominated professional football in the 1950s. Businesses proclaimed that Cleveland was the "best location in the nation".^[23][24][25] In 1940, non-Hispanic whites represented 90.2% of Cleveland's population.^[26] The city's population reached its peak of 914,808, and in 1949 Cleveland was named an All-America City for the first time.^[27] By the 1960s, the economy slowed, and residents sought new housing in the suburbs, reflecting the national trends of urban flight and suburban growth.

During the African-American Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, Cleveland witnessed social unrest, culminating in the Hough Riots from July 18, 1966 – July 23, 1966 and the Glenville Shootout from July 23, 1968 – July 25, 1968. In December 1978, Cleveland became the first major American city to enter into a financial default on federal loans since the Great Depression.^[9] Suburbanization changed the city in the late 1960s and 1970s, when financial difficulties and a notorious 1969 fire on the Cuyahoga River challenged the city. This, along with the city's struggling professional sports teams, drew negative national press; as a result, Cleveland was often derided as "The Mistake on the Lake".^[28]

By the beginning of the 1980s, several factors, including changes in international free trade policies, inflation and the Savings and Loans Crisis contributed to the recession that impacted cities like Cleveland.^[29] While unemployment during the period peaked in 1983,^[30] Cleveland's rate of 13.8% was higher than the national average due to the closure of several production centers.^[31][32][33]

Cleveland's current skyline as seen from the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge

The metropolitan area began a gradual economic recovery under Mayors George Voinovich and Michael R. White. Redevelopment within the city limits has been strongest in the downtown area near the Gateway complex—consisting of Progressive Field and Quicken Loans Arena, and near North Coast Harbor—including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland Browns Stadium, and the Great Lakes Science Center. Cleveland has been hailed by the media as the "Comeback City,"^[34] while economic development of the inner-city neighborhoods and improvement of the school systems are municipal priorities.^[35] In 1999, Cleveland was identified as an emerging global city.^[36]

In the 21st century, the city has improved infrastructure, a more diversified economy, and has invested in the arts. Cleveland is generally considered an example of revitalization. In studies conducted by The Economist in 2005 Cleveland was ranked as one of the most livable cities in the United States,^[37] and the city was ranked as the best city for business meetings in the continental U.S.^[38] The city's goals include additional neighborhood revitalization and increased funding for public education.^[39]

Geography[link]

Topography[link]

Panorama of Public Square in 1912

According to the United States Census Bureau,^[1] the city has a total area of 82.4 square miles (213.4 km²), of which, 77.6 square miles (201.0 km²) is land and 4.8 square miles (12.4 km²) is water. The total area is 5.87% water. The shore of Lake Erie is 569 feet (173 m) above sea level; however, the city lies on a series of irregular bluffs lying roughly parallel to the lake. In Cleveland these bluffs are cut principally by the Cuyahoga River, Big Creek, and Euclid Creek. The land rises quickly from the lakeshore. Public Square, less than a mile (2 km) inland, sits at an elevation of 650 feet (198 m), and Hopkins Airport, only 5 miles (8 km) inland from the lake, is at an elevation of 791 feet (241 m).^[40]

Climate[link]

Cleveland possesses a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfa), typical of much of the central United States, with very warm, humid summers and cold, snowy winters. The Lake Erie shoreline is very close to due east-west from the mouth of the Cuyahoga west to Sandusky, but at the mouth of the Cuyahoga it turns sharply northeast. This feature is the principal contributor to the lake effect snow that is typical in Cleveland (especially on the city's East Side) from mid-November until the surface of Lake Erie freezes, usually in late January or early February. The lake effect also causes a relative differential in geographical snowfall totals across the city: while Hopkins Airport, on the city's far West Side, has only reached 100 inches (254 cm) of snowfall in a season three times since 1968,^[41] seasonal totals approaching or exceeding 100 inches (254 cm) are not uncommon as the city ascends into the Heights on the east, where the region known as the 'Snow Belt' begins. Extending from the city's East Side and its suburbs, the Snow Belt up the Lake Erie shore as far as Buffalo.

The all-time record high in Cleveland of 104 °F (40 °C) was established on June 25, 1988, and the all-time record low of −20 °F (−29 °C) was set on January 19, 1994. On average, July is the warmest month with a mean temperature of 73.5 °F (23.1 °C), and January, with a mean temperature of 28.1 °F (−2.2 °C), is the coldest. Normal yearly precipitation based on the 30-year average from 1981 to 2010 is 39.14 inches (994 mm).^[42] The least precipitation occurs on the western side and directly along the lake, and the most occurs in the eastern suburbs. Parts of Geauga County receive over 44 inches of liquid precipitation annually.^[43]

Occasionally, severe thunderstorms strike Cleveland bringing with them the threat of large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes. The threat is greatest during spring and early summer.