Klarinet Archive - Posting 000978.txt from 1997/02

From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: symphony vs. philharmonic
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 15:00:05 -0500

On Wed, 26 Feb 1997, Mrs. Starr Schaftel Wayne, Dr. John Wayne wrote:

> Does anyone have a definitive answer to the question: Why are some
> orchestras called 'symphony orchestra' and others 'philharmonic
> orchestra'? I've been meaning to find out the answer to this for about
> 20 years.

No difference. It often is determined by what name sounds best with the
name of the city where the orchestra/symphony/philharmonic is located.
But, there is a slight additional connotation to the word "philharmonic."
Often, people use this to refer to a large,rich, dense string section
sound, which is what Ormanday seems to have had in mind for the
Philadelphia Orchestra (although, note that it was not the "Philadelphia
Philharmonic - that would be too alliterative).

Ed Lacy
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Dr. Edwin Lacy University of Evansville
Professor of Music 1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, IN 47722
el2@-----.edu (812)479-2754
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