15 Facts About Philharmonia Orchestra

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

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

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.

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

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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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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.