Skip to content
    skip to navigation

    Classic FM

    Listen

    On Air Now

    Classic FM's More Music Breakfast with Tim Lihoreau 6am - 9am

    Classic FM's More Music Breakfast with Tim Lihoreau

    Now Playing

    Pomp & Circumstance March No.1 in D major Opus 39 Edward Elgar Download 'Pomp & Circumstance March No.1 in D major Opus 39' on iTunes

    Pomp & Circumstance March No.1 in D major Opus 39 artwork
    • Playlist
    • Schedule
    • Home
    • Radio
    • News
    • Discover Music
    • Composers
    • Artists
    • Lifestyle
    • Win
    • Charity
    • Podcasts
    • Events
    • Dating
    • Follow us on:
      Follow Classic FM on Twitter
      Follow Classic FM on Facebook
      Follow Classic FM on Instagram
      Follow Classic FM on Youtube

    Artists

    Philharmonia

    • Philharmonia Home
    • Music
    • News
    • Pictures
    • Album reviews
    • More Artists

    Our Orchestra on Tour turns 70 - let's hear it for the Philharmonia

    One of the world's great orchestras is celebrating an important birthday - and we think they're absolutely wonderful.

    1. Founded in 1945

      1. Founded in 1945

      After World War II, legendary classical music record producer Walter Legge was looking for a first-class orchestra for opera, concerts and recordings, and formed the Philharmonia. Here's the earliest known photo of the orchestra

    2. Stravinsky

      2. 70 years of working with classical music's finest

      Over 70 years the orchestra has worked with the greatest conductors, composers and musicians. Here's Igor Stravinsky on the podium. No pressure.

    3. Philharmonia

      3. Birthdays

      Here's a picture from the orchestra's 10th anniversary celebrations in 1955. Make ours a big slice, thanks.

    4. Esa-Pekka Salonen. Photo: Clive Barda

      4. Five incredible Principal Conductors

      Otto Klemperer, Riccardo Muti, Giuseppe Sinopoli and Christoph von Dohnányi have all been at the helm of this great orchestra - Finnish maestro Esa-Pekka Salonen is their current Principal Conductor

    5. Photo: Richard Haughton

      5. One of the world's busiest orchestras

      Every year the Philharmonia performs at more than 160 concerts, numerous outreach events, and records music for films, computer games and commercial CDs. Phew.

    6. Philharmonia Orchestra

      6. 70 years of redefining what an orchestra is

      Concert programmes have always been innovative, recordings have always been championed – and now the Philharmonia has added video game music to its repertoire, as well as a digital ‘virtual Philharmonia Orchestra’ and iOrchestra.

    7. Festival Hall Philharmonia Michael Collins

      7. A home at London's Royal Festival Hall

      Since 1995 the orchestra have been based in London's cultural hub at Southbank Centre, filling the Royal Festival Hall with splendid sounds.

    8. Philharmonia Orchestra Classic FM 2013 the perform

      8. And sounding good live

      They're regulars at Classic FM Live - and they sound fantastic thundering out the greatest music ever written in the Royal Albert Hall

    9. Philharmonia Orchestra

      9. And our Orchestra on Tour

      We're delighted that The Philharmonia has been one of our partner orchestras since 2003 - with a title that reflects their invaluable role in taking classical music to venues around the country

    Philharmonia Music

    See more Philharmonia Music

    Bach violin concerto

    Johannes Brahms: Symphony No.2 in D

    Brahms

    Sibelius

    Verdi - Nabucco

    Verdi

    Stravinsky Firebird

    Igor Stravinsky: The Firebird

    Philharmonia Pictures

    See more Philharmonia Pictures

    Inter-orchestra football match

    The ultimate orchestral football match!

    Michael Collins Classic FM Live 2013 the performan

    Philharmonia Orchestra and Michael Collins at Classic FM Live

    The Universe Of Sound

    Take a Trip Around the Philharmonia's Universe of Sound

    Philharmonia Album Reviews

    See more Philharmonia Album Reviews

    Offenbach Vert-Vert Toby Spence

    The magical world of Offenbach

    Richard Strauss Philharmonia Christoph von Dohnány

    Straight to the heart of Strauss

    hilharmonia Orchestra Christoph von Dohnányi Brah

    Dohnányi handles Brahms gently

    Brahms

    Back to top

    Also on Classic FM

    • Listen to Global Player
    • Alexander Armstrong on Classic FM
    • Google Doodle
    • Quizzes
    • Mozart
    • Debussy
    • Music theory
    • Instruments
    • Classic FM Live
    • Brahms
    • Vivaldi
    • Bach
    • LBC News
    • Tchaikovsky
    • Chopin
    • Andrea Bocelli
    • Florence Price
    • Beethoven
    • Best classical music
    • Classic FM Requests
    • Best pianists
    • Harry Potter music
    • Saturday Night at the Movies
    • Star Wars soundtrack
    • Composer or pasta
    • Music for Studying
    • Best violinists
    • Classical music tearjerkers
    • Relaxing classical

    Useful Links

    • Contact Us
    • Help
    • How To Listen
    • About Classic FM
    • Company Details
    • Cookies
    • Privacy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Advertise
    • Global Jobs

    Download the app

    Get it on the app store Get it on Google Play

    Follow Us

    Follow Classic FM on Twitter
    Follow Classic FM on Facebook
    Follow Classic FM on Instagram
    Follow Classic FM on Youtube
    © Global 2023
    30 Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7LA
    Privacy Manager