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Philharmonia Orchestra

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

The Philharmonia Orchestra is a British orchestra from London, founded in 1945 by Walter Legge, a record producer at EMI. Legge had already used the name in 1941 for a string quartet. He put the orchestra together from young musicians who were still in the armed forces and above all wanted to make good recordings. At first it did not exist as a permanent ensemble, but was called up each time from players on Legge's list. The first concert in 1946 was conducted by Thomas Beecham, but the orchestra did not want him as its permanent conductor. In its early days it worked with Richard Strauss, Wilhelm Furtwängler and Arturo Toscanini, and Herbert von Karajan became closely associated with it.

Music and breakthrough

From the late 1950s to the early 1970s Otto Klemperer was principal conductor. In 1964 Legge wanted to disband the orchestra, but the musicians carried on as a self-governing ensemble under the name New Philharmonia Orchestra. After thirteen years they regained the original name. Riccardo Muti revitalised the orchestra from 1972 to 1982. Giuseppe Sinopoli, Christoph von Dohnányi, Esa-Pekka Salonen and, from 2021, Santtu-Matias Rouvali followed.

Influence

The orchestra gives more than a hundred and sixty concerts a year, tours widely and has commissioned more than a hundred new compositions. In its first twenty years it was regarded as the best symphony orchestra in London.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to a recording of the Philharmonia Orchestra under Klemperer and notice the authority and calm with which the orchestra plays. Try to hear how the winds and strings keep each other in balance.

Discography

Studio albums

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