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History. The Berlin Philharmonic was founded in Berlin in 1882 by 54 musicians under the name Frühere Bilsesche Kapelle (literally, "Former Bilse's Band"); the group broke away from their previous conductor Benjamin Bilse after he announced his intention of taking the band on a fourth-class train to Warsaw for a concert.
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, German symphony orchestra, based in Berlin and internationally acclaimed for its artistry. Its history as a major world orchestra began when noted pianist-conductor Hans von Bulow was its principal conductor (1887–92). Learn more about the orchestra and its history.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
It opened on 15 October 1963 with Herbert von Karajan conducting Beethoven's 9th Symphony. It was built to replace the old Philharmonie, destroyed by British bombers on 30 January 1944, the eleventh anniversary of Hitler becoming Chancellor. [2] .
It started with an act of rebellion: in March 1882 50 members of the ensemble run by the popular musical director Benjamin Bilse refused to sign their new contracts – they found the working conditions too unfavourable: they were to earn hardly more than day labourers.
The Liverpool-born conductor quickly established a trail-blazing educational programme and converted the orchestra into a public foundation, the Stiftung Berliner Philharmoniker. In January 2009, the Berlin Philharmonic initiated a forward-looking project: the Digital Concert Hall.
Discover the Berlin Philharmonic, the legendary German orchestra known for its charismatic conductors and special sound.
The Philharmonie Berlin is home to the world-famous Berliner Philharmoniker. Designed by Hans Scharoun it has been the musical heart of Berlin since 1963. Learn more.
