Philharmonia Orchestra
The Philharmonia is an orchestra based in London. Since 1995 it has been based in the Royal Festival Hall. In Britain it is also the Resident Orchestra at De Montfort Hall, Leicester and the Bedford Corn Exchange.
The orchestra was founded in 1945 by Walter Legge, and although it did give the occasional live concert, it was mainly intended to be a recording orchestra for EMI, where Legge was an executive. Thomas Beecham led its debut concert in 1946, but he was ruled out as a long-term conductor of the group when he tried to take control of the orchestra and change its name [1]. (Beecham instead went on to found his own Royal Philharmonic Orchestra).
In its early years, many prominent conductors made recordings with the ensemble, including Arturo Toscanini and Wilhelm Furtwängler. However it was Herbert von Karajan (who was not allowed to work in Germany or Austria at the time because of his Nazi record) who was most associated with the Philharmonia in its early years. Karajan built the orchestra into one of the finest ensembles in the world, and made numerous recordings, including all the Beethoven symphonies.
In 1954 Karajan left to lead the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Needing to find a new conductor for the orchestra, Legge turned to Otto Klemperer, whose career was flagging at the time. This proved to be an inspired decision, and Klemperer's name became indelibly linked with the orchestra during an "Indian Summer" of great recordings. In 1959 Klemperer was named music director for life.
On Tuesday 10 March 1964, Legge announced that he was going to suspend the Philharmonia Orchestra. At a recording session with Otto Klemperer, a meeting was convened where those present unanimously agreed that they would not allow the Orchestra to be disbanded. Klemperer gave his immediate support, and on 17 March 1964 the Orchestra elected their own governing body and adopted the name "New Philharmonia Orchestra". The inaugural concert of the New Philharmonia Orchestra under its own auspices took place on 27 October 1964. It was a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, conducted by Klemperer, who was now Honorary President of the Orchestra.
The orchestra gave many more live performances after it became self-governing than it had under Legge's stewardship. Continuing as the "New Philharmonia Orchestra," it reacquired the rights to the name "Philharmonia Orchestra" in 1977, and has been known by that name ever since.
Klemperer retired from conducting in 1971, but was officially still its principal conductor until his death in 1973. For those two intervening years, Lorin Maazel held the post of Associate Principal Conductor (1971-73), and was effectively the principal conductor. Riccardo Muti was principal conductor from 1973 to 1982; he was followed by Giuseppe Sinopoli (1984-94). In 1997, Christoph von Dohnányi took up the post.
The Philharmonia is the most recorded orchestra in the world, with over one thousand recordings. It has also been heard on the soundtracks of many films, performing the musical scores of such classics as Laurence Olivier's 1944 film version of Shakespeare's Henry V, and David Lean's film version of Oliver Twist (1948 film).
Other London-based orchestras include the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the English Chamber Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
Principal Conductors/Music Directors
- Christoph von Dohnányi (1997–)
- Giuseppe Sinopoli (1984–1994)
- Riccardo Muti (1973–1982)
- Otto Klemperer (1959–1973)
External links
References
- ^ Norman Lebrecht, The Maestro Myth,p. 160