What does an orchestra do when it's not on stage? Since its inception, the Philharmonia has been renowned for its work as a recording orchestra. We can regularly be found in the studio recording for film and video games, as well as recording concert works. Join Patrick Bailey to explore the off-stage work of the orchestra, featuring music by compos…

How do 60 individual violins, violas, cellos and basses transform into the lush sound of an orchestral string section? Who do they follow? What makes them all move together? Find out all of their secrets in this film. And subscribe to our YouTube channel to be alerted when our brand new series on the sections of the orchestra continues with the woo…

Mahler’s The Song of the Earth is an hour-long, soul-searching journey in the company of a composer examining his own mortality and love for life from all angles. --- While we can't perform it for you tonight, conductor Xian Zhang spoke to us about the challenges of conducting the piece, as well as her time learning her craft under the tuition of L…

Last, but certainly not least. Join presenter Paul Rissmann to discover the final symphony from the remarkably prolific composer, Joseph Haydn. You’ll learn the importance of symmetry within the work, Haydn’s creative use of tiny motifs, and the importance of silence.Philharmonia Orchestra

Philharmonia Orchestra

Philharmonia Orchestra

Philharmonia Orchestra

Philharmonia Orchestra

Philharmonia Orchestra

Philharmonia Orchestra

Philharmonia Orchestra

Philharmonia Orchestra

Philharmonia Orchestra

Philharmonia Orchestra

Enjoy this wide-ranging talk with conductor Pablo Heras-Casado and Natasha Riordan-Eva, delving into the life of the French composer Lili Boulanger, French impressionist music and early music. Heras-Casado also talks about his extensive recording work and what to do when you've just had too much music! www.philharmonia.co.uk…

Conductor Elim Chan speaks to John Florence at De Montfort Hall in Leicester in a fascinating pre-concert talk that covers ballet, dreams of being a coroner and why conducting orchestras can be like dating. www.philharmonia.co.ukPhilharmonia Orchestra

Celebrating 75 years of the Philharmonia

Seasons Greetings from everyone at the Philharmonia Orchestra! Enjoy our 2019 Christmas Card, filmed in the ancient church of St Bartholomew the Great in London, with the Philharmonia’s four horns – Nigel Black, Kira Doherty, Diego Incertis Sánchez and Carsten Williams. In Dulci Jubilo was arranged by Philharmonia No. 3 Cello, Richard Birchall. Hea…

Meet Tom Blomfield, Principal Oboe of the Philharmonia Orchestra, to learn more about what it’s like to be an oboist and to discover the fascinating story behind the Strauss Oboe Concerto. Created in the aftermath of World War II, this nostalgic piece is one of the few opportunities an oboe soloist gets to stand in front of a symphony orchestra. Th…

Philharmonia No. 2 Horn, Kira Doherty, meets up with Richard Watkins, Principal Horn of the Philharmonia Orchestra from 1985-1996, at the Museum of the Royal Academy of Music in London to dive into the legacy of the first Principal Horn of the Philharmonia, Dennis Brain. This is a rare opportunity to hear the instrument Brain played in the 1950s be…

Meet Richard Watkins, Principal Horn of the Philharmonia Orchestra from 1985-1996, as he chats with composer and friend, Mark-Anthony Turnage at the Philharmonia offices in London. Turnage has composed a new piece for horn and orchestra called 'Towards Alba', which he wrote for Richard Watkins. The piece was commissioned by the Philharmonia Orchest…

By popular demand, we present a full-length guide to the bass clarinet, presented by Philharmonia Orchestra Principal Bass Clarinet, Laurent Ben Slimane. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Intro 00:48 – What is a bass clarinet? 01:13 – How do you put it together? 02:33 – How does the sound get created? 03:55 – How does the pitch get changed? 04:43 – What is a transpo…

Gavin Plumley, Series Advisor to the Philharmonia Orchestra's series Weimar Berlin: Bittersweet Metropolis, presents another look at Alban Berg's Violin Concerto, demonstrating how the simple dedication, "To the memory of an angel," tells only part of the story. Written after the early death of Alma Mahler and Walter Gropius's daughter, Manon, Plum…

The Philharmonia Orchestra and Raze Collective present a queer extravaganza of contemporary cabaret on Mon 23 Sept in the Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer, Southbank Centre, London, at 8:45pm. This free show is inspired by the cabaret scene of Weimar Berlin and is a collaboration between Philharmonia players and London-based performance artists. Our docu…

The Weimar Republic was a time of great social and artistic advances, but shaky politics and a disastrous economy made it ripe for the rise of National Socialism – the Nazis. Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933, which brought an end to the Weimar Republic. As part of his swift project of cultural eradication, books were burned and peo…

Cabaret was hugely important during the Weimar Republic as a form of social protest and social critique. Its influence went beyond bars and music halls – film and theatre quickly adopted its rougher aesthetic and its subject matter. One of the most prominent collaborations of the day was between composer Kurt Weill and playwright Bertolt Brecht, wh…

In 1919, not only was the Weimar Republic founded, but Walter Gropius, the architect, also founded what would become a game-changing art school – the Bauhaus. In this film we travel to Weimar and Dessau to uncover what it was like to be a student at the Bauhaus, especially as a woman. Historian Philipp Blom and writer Theresia Enzensberger explain …

In January 2019, the Philharmonia Orchestra and Soft Touch Arts (Leicester, UK) embarked upon another season of Symphonize, a pioneering creative partnership enabling young people from across Leicester to work alongside producers and musicians to create, compose, produce and perform their own original tracks and video art. Following a series of tas…

Series Advisor Gavin Plumley launches the Philharmonia Orchestra's Weimar Berlin: Bittersweet Metropolis concert series with a pre-concert talk with historian, Philipp Blom, author of Fracture: Life and Culture in the West 1918-1938. The two draw clear parallels between Weimar Germany and today's changing world. The series continues in June and Sep…

Berlin. An epicentre. A capital city. A playground. The city of Berlin was the Weimar Republic’s hub, transforming itself into a multicultural melting pot where rules could be bent and new ways of being were more accepted. However, people questioned this modern way of living and were sceptical of the rise of technology and a more relaxed approach t…

The composers of the Weimar Republic provided a soundtrack for the events that unfolded in Germany between 1919 and 1933. During this tumultuous, exciting time, composers such as Kurt Weill, Paul Hindemith and Alban Berg thrived and produced works that still thrill us today. The sounds of cabaret and jazz infused Weill’s Threepenny Opera while Paul…

Join cultural historian Gavin Plumley and the Philharmonia on a journey around Germany and discover the sights and sounds of the Weimar Republic in the first of a series of six films. Following World War I, Germany was in tatters. What emerged from the ashes was a new republic, founded in Weimar with the aim for a more progressive, modern Germany. …

Conductor Pablo Heras-Casado chats with John Florence ahead of a concert at De Montfort Hall in Leicester with the Philharmonia Orchestra. They discuss how Pablo got his slightly unusual start in conducting, his love of early music, and the importance of the conductor to champion less popular repertoire.…

John Florance talks to Conductor Xian Zhang ahead of her concert at the De Montfort Hall in Leicester on 29th March 2019.Philharmonia Orchestra

The Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Philharmonia Orchestra, Esa-Pekka Salonen, talks to BBC Radio 3 presenter Andrew McGregor about his Cello Concerto which took place at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Sunday 24th February.Philharmonia Orchestra

Organist James McVinnie introduces the UK premiere of Peter Eotvos' Multiversum, which happened at the Royal Festival Hall in London on 7 February 2019.Philharmonia Orchestra

Katy Hamilton talks to Principal Guest Conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali and Pianist Alice Sara Ott ahead of the Sibelius & Ravel concert at the Royal Festival Hall in London on 24 January 2019.Philharmonia Orchestra

Philharmonia Orchestra Principal Trumpet Alistair Mackie talks with Principal Guest Conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali ahead of an all-Strauss programme at De Montfort Hall in Leicester on 5 December 2018.Philharmonia Orchestra

“He was born into the wrong time” The greatest composer you’ve never heard of: our Principal Guest Conductor Jakub Hr?ša guides you through the inspiring musical life and heartbreaking story, of Miloslav Kabelá?. Explore his revelatory music on 22 November, when we follow The Mystery of Time with Dvo?ák’s Slavonic Dances and Shostakovich’s Second P…

“It doesn’t belong just to the Chinese, it’s kind of a present for all the people.” Go beyond Western traditions and discover the ancient Chinese sheng, as acclaimed artist Wu Wei reveals his instrument's secrets in conversation with bassist Mike Fuller in our brand new film. Hear Wu Wei perform live with us on 5 April, in a concert showcasing the …

Katy Hamilton opens the Philharmonia Orchestra's 2018/19 Royal Festival Hall season with an Insights Talk on Esa-Pekka Salonen's concert programme of Wagner, Schoenberg and Bruckner.Philharmonia Orchestra

“Just be there and Bruckner takes care of you” Esa-Pekka Salonen introduces his love of Bruckner’s music ahead of our 2018/19 London Season opening concerts. Hear him conducts Bruckner’s Sixth (27 Sep) and Seventh (30 Sep) symphonies live at Southbank Centre: https://www.philharmonia.co.uk/concerts/1819opening…

"The link is Wagner, tying everything together." Esa-Pekka Salonen introduces his programmes - of Bruckner, Schoenberg & Wagner - to open our 2018/19 London Season at Southbank Centre on 27 and 30 September 2018: https://www.philharmonia.co.uk/concerts/1819openingPhilharmonia Orchestra

In this film, Nigel Woodhouse introduces the banjo. The banjo is a rare visitor to the orchestra, but has been used by composers in the 20th century onward to evoke American folk music and jazz especially. All of our instrument films: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqR22EoucCyccs5J639SCefaM7mD9dMSz…

Broadcaster Gavin Plumley tells the story behind the creation of Arnold Schoenberg's extraordinary Gurrelieder, performed by the Philharmonia and Esa-Pekka Salonen to close the Philharmonia Orchestra's 17/18 London concert season.Philharmonia Orchestra

“Bright and vibrant and energetic – exactly how I planned it.” – Hannah Kendall, composer British composer Hannah Kendall on her music, her love of teaching, and on growing up in London – what inspires and drives her as an artist. Following the Philharmonia Orchestra’s world premiere of her new piece, Baptistry, in May, we’re looking forward to per…

In this film, Nigel Woodhouse introduces the mandolin. The mandolin has been used by many composers across the centuries to give special colour to the orchestra, often evoking folk music. TABLE OF CONTENTS: 00:00 Orchestral Extract: Mozart, Don Giovanni, Deh, vieni, alla finestra 00:46 Composers who wrote for the mandolin 01:08 The Neopolitan mando…

"You expect Frank Sinatra to sing this sort of music, these sorts of harmony changes. But it’s a Prokofiev Violin Concerto." - violinist Pekka Kuusisto on Prokofiev's First Violin Concerto Pekka Kuusisto takes a very personal look at Prokofiev's light-filled First Violin Concerto, which he performs with the Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Vlad…

The Philharmonia Orchestra’s Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor, Esa-Pekka Salonen, chats with journalist John Florance ahead of a concert of Mahler’s 1st Symphony and Beethoven’s 2nd Piano Concerto at De Montfort Hall in Leicester on 10 April 2018. Topics cover Gustav Mahler and Jean Sibelius’s famous encounter in Finland and their differing…

“Strauss can be conducted by an orangutan and it still sounds pretty nice. Mahler... not so.” Esa-Pekka Salonen reveals why so many conductors fall in love with Mahler’s enigmatic music. Join us as he brings to life the raucous First Symphony in Leicester, Basingstoke and London next week: https://www.philharmonia.co.uk/concerts/soloist/63/fray__da…