# Difference between philharmonic and symphony orchestra



## mahlernerd (Jan 19, 2020)

I have been wondering for a long time what the difference is between a symphony orchestra and a philharmonic orchestra. What is the difference, if there is one?


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

there is none....philharmonic refers to a specific organization...symphony orchestra is a general term...


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Heck148 said:


> there is none....philharmonic refers to a specific organization...symphony orchestra is a general term...


Answer within 52 minutes, well done.


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## Judith (Nov 11, 2015)

I thought it was that if there are two orchestras in the same area, then one would be a Philharmonic Orchestra and other Symphony Orchestra


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Like Manchester United and Manchester City.


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

Enthusiast said:


> Like Manchester United and Manchester City.


Surely that should be Halle Utd and Halle City - no?


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## Oldhoosierdude (May 29, 2016)

mahlernerd said:


> I have been wondering for a long time what the difference is between a symphony orchestra and a philharmonic orchestra. What is the difference, if there is one?


I've wondered myself. Looks like we have an answer. Locally we have a Symphony Orchestra and a Philharmonic Orchestra, the Symphony being much larger. I wondered if it had something to do with that.


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

The term is attributed to Phil Harmonic.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

And don't forget the Cleveland Orchestra.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

London had (has but perhaps not quite as strongly?) five first rate orchestras - The Royal Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, Philharmonia (sometimes the New Philharmonia), London Symphony, BBC Symphony - and at different times one or other was considered top dog.


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## fluteman (Dec 7, 2015)

mahlernerd said:


> I have been wondering for a long time what the difference is between a symphony orchestra and a philharmonic orchestra. What is the difference, if there is one?


New York City had both a New York Philharmonic Orchestra (originally and formally known as the Philharmonic Society of New York) and a New York Symphony Orchestra (formally the Symphony Society of New York), until they merged in 1928, resulting in the New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, (or formally and legally the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York). That unwieldy name remained in general use well into the 1940s, but eventually and thankfully, we once again know the ensemble simply as the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. However, the formal, legal name is still the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, as far as I know. How's that for confusing, and trivial?


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

It had something to do with the way the orchestra was funded and sponsored. "phil" came from love of something, and Philharmonic Societies were organized by music lovers who would then raise funds to pay for an orchestra. But the original meaning was lost somewhere in the 20th century, and maybe it's just too pretentious nowadays.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

jegreenwood said:


> And don't forget the Cleveland Orchestra.


They kick butt, along with the CSO.


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## fluteman (Dec 7, 2015)

Right, though I don't think the original meaning has been lost entirely. The NY Philharmonic and most other classical music orchestras are not-for-profit organizations that depend on contributions, and one at least would hope that most of the contributors are music lovers. It may well be pretentious, as you say, but I don't blame them for emphasizing and trying to preserve their history and traditions to some extent. After all, this is an orchestra that was founded in 1842.


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## Dimace (Oct 19, 2018)

There is a repertoire difference. Originally, a PO was targeting a wider variety of compositions, including also easy listening works. The SO was targeting to bigger scale works. But, nowadays, there is actually no difference, despite my belief that in Germany at least, one SO has bigger status than a PO. (Ok... BPO is an exception... )


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## Room2201974 (Jan 23, 2018)

What is the difference between a SO and a PO? About $50 a ticket in loge seating.


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## fluteman (Dec 7, 2015)

Heck148 said:


> there is none....philharmonic refers to a specific organization...symphony orchestra is a general term...


I guess to be painfully accurate, regarding the NY Phil anyway, the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York is the formal, legal, corporate name of the not-for-profit organization, which could, and does, put on chamber music concerts under the name "New York Philharmonic Ensembles", and also could do anything else consistent with its charter using the term "philharmonic". The NY Philharmonic Orchestra is the name that organization uses for its symphony orchestra, which is its main group. As others here have said, the term "philharmonic" is potentially broader than "symphony" and might refer to more than just a symphony orchestra, but that distinction has faded away in usage. For example, the Boston Symphony Orchestra has long used the name Boston Symphony Chamber Players for its chamber music activities.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Enthusiast said:


> Like Manchester United and Manchester City.


I find this post highly offensive. As every true football fan knows, there is only one team that has always played in the City of Manchester! The other lot play in a Meccano set in Trafford (which is not in the City of Manchester). I feel violated.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Just depends on what the founders of the ensemble wanted to call it.


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## Vincent3 (Jan 22, 2020)

Here's a longer answer to the question: https://www.wqxr.org/story/what-difference-between-symphony-philharmonic-orchestra/


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## fluteman (Dec 7, 2015)

Merl said:


> The other lot play in a Meccano set in Trafford]


Both an architectural and a geographic burn. Well played.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Room2201974 said:


> What is the difference between a SO and a PO? About $50 a ticket in loge seating.


Is there a third type beyond SO and PO? Seems I have heard of Radio Orchestra and Festival Orchestra. What else?


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## fluteman (Dec 7, 2015)

Fritz Kobus said:


> Is there a third type beyond SO and PO? Seems I have heard of Radio Orchestra and Festival Orchestra. What else?


I think we've established, after extensive analysis, that the Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonic Orchestra really aren't different types. I suppose Radio (or Radio and Television), Festival, Opera, Chamber and Pops Orchestras do have different functions. Then there is the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. And the Electric Light Orchestra.


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