A Brief History of the New York Philharmonic

As the most populous city in the United States, itIn 1909, several wealthy New York society
makes sense that New York would be a focalmatrons were influential in changing the
point for the musical arts. From its very beginningorchestra's charter from a musician-based
in 1842, the New York Philharmonic has fulfilledcooperative to a corporate-style management
the role of the nation's top orchestra-although notstructure. Sufficient funds were raised to allow
always its most innovative. Its list of musicthe Philharmonic to expand its season from fewer
directors is a veritable Who's Who of thethan twenty concerts per season to more than
conducting world, especially since the beginning offifty, and also hire Gustav Mahler as its music
the 20th century. These have included suchdirector and chief conductor. Although he died
luminaries as Gustav Mahler [1909-11], Arturounexpectedly after only two years in the position,
Toscanini [1928-36], Leopold Stokowski [1949-50],Mahler's emphasis on programming the music by
and perhaps the most iconic of all, Leonardthe German Romantic masters continued with his
Bernstein [1958-69].successors.
Having begun as the Philharmonic Society of NewThe orchestra was one of the first to make
York the ensemble gave its first concert onextensive use of the new process of making
December 7, 1842, at a rented hall in lowerrecords of classical music; many of the early
Manhattan. Numerous attempts to raise moneyrecordings were done in Carnegie Hall. The
for a permanent home for the Philharmonic wereorganization began its long relationship with RCA
thwarted by events such as the American CivilVictor in 1927. During this era, the New York
War and the rise of a competing orchestra-thePhilharmonic also instituted a series of free
Symphony Society of New York-begun byoutdoor concerts, a policy that continues to this
Leopold Damrosch, a close friend of composerday. Music director Arturo Toscanini was a leader
Franz Liszt and someone who had led thein innovation-he not only convinced management
Philharmonic several years earlier [1876-77].that recordings were an important part of the
Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie was talked intooverall picture, but also arranged for concerts to
building such an edifice, and New York's Music Hallbe broadcast via radio. In 1930, the Philharmonic
opened on May 5, 1891. The building would soonmade its first concert broadcast over CBS, and
be renamed Carnegie Hall, and it remained thethe legacy of Sunday afternoon programs on
official home of the New York Philharmonic forradio continued without interruption until 1968.
the next 71 years.