15 Facts About Philharmonia Orchestra

1.

The Philharmonia became widely regarded as the finest of London's five symphony orchestras in its first two decades.

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2.

Philharmonia Orchestra has had many celebrated players in its ranks and has commissioned more than 100 compositions.

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3.

Name "Philharmonia Orchestra" was adopted by the impresario and recording producer Walter Legge for a string quartet he brought together in 1941, comprising Henry Holst, Jean Pougnet, Frederick Riddle and Anthony Pini.

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4.

Philharmonia Orchestra first assembled a "Philharmonia String Orchestra" for recordings in 1945, composed of musicians from the RAF orchestra.

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5.

Philharmonia Orchestra then recruited wind and percussion players, including some of the country's top instrumentalists who had been playing in other orchestras during the war.

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6.

Unlike the existing London orchestras, but like Beecham's Royal Philharmonic, the early Philharmonia was not a permanent ensemble: it was convened ad hoc from available players on Legge's list.

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7.

Philharmonia Orchestra chose to work mainly with the Philharmonia and came to London for long spells twice or three times a year giving concerts and making recordings.

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8.

Philharmonia Orchestra was succeeded as principal horn by his deputy, Alan Civil.

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9.

The Philharmonia entered into a new three-year contract with EMI on advantageous terms in 1960; the number of players applying to join the orchestra was increasing; its records sold well; and its concerts under Klemperer, Giulini, Sir John Barbirolli and others were well received by the public and the critics.

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10.

The Philharmonia Orchestra was ahead of some of its London rivals in admitting female players.

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11.

Nice comments that the Philharmonia Orchestra players "lent an unprecedented degree of tonal beauty" to their opera recordings with Sinopoli; they included Manon Lescaut, 1983; La forza del destino, 1985; Madama Butterfly, 1987; Cavalleria Rusticana, 1990; and Tosca, 1992.

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12.

Philharmonia Orchestra praised its "astute and canny" management, and commented that the orchestra had a large, loyal following in London, and had gained additional support elsewhere in Britain by extending its touring programme while the Festival Hall was closed for renovation between 2005 and 2007.

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13.

Philharmonia Orchestra first conducted the orchestra in 1983, when he was 25, and from 1985 to 1994 he was its principal guest conductor.

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14.

Since 2017, the Philharmonia has been a resident orchestra at the Garsington Opera festival.

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15.

In 1977, a recording of the First Movement of Beethoven's 5th Symphony by the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Klemperer was selected by NASA to be included on the Voyager Golden Record, a gold-plated copper record that was sent into space on the Voyager space craft.

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