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Philadelphia Orchestra Association records (audiovisual recordings)
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Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]3420 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6206
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
The Philadelphia Orchestra was founded in 1900, and has developed and maintained its status as a prominent symphonic ensemble throughout its existence. Its history informs and intersects with the broader history of music in the twentieth century, as well as numerous historical movements, events and developments on a regional, national and global scale. The Orchestra's roots date to 1893, when Gustav Hinrichs, Henry Gordon Thunder and William Gilchrist founded the amateur Philadelphia Symphony Society, which performed a series of concerts conducted by Fritz Scheel. In 1899 Scheel assembled a more professional group, which formed the basis of The Philadelphia Orchestra. Fundraising efforts allowed it to achieve permanent status in 1900. Backed financially by wealthy Philadelphians and the supportive efforts of its Women's Committee, The Philadelphia Orchestra grew and established itself under Scheel's leadership, performing regularly at the Academy of Music, traveling to give concerts in nearby cities, and drawing prominent guest conductors such as Richard Strauss (1904) and soloists such as Artur Rubinstein (1906). When Scheel died in 1907, he was followed briefly by Karl (sometimes "Carl") Pohlig, who was forced out in 1912 after a romantic affair caused a public scandal. At this point the Board of Directors recruited Leopold Stokowski, whose nearly three decades as music director saw its rise in status, its active production of early orchestral sound recordings – culminating in the soundtrack to Disney Studios' Fantasia (1940) – its undertaking of North American tours, and its creation of special concert series for children. Stokowski and the Orchestra also strove to premier orchestral works in the United States, including those by Gustav Mahler, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Jean Sibelius and Igor Stravinsky. Stokowski's musical direction of the Orchestra developed what came to be known as the "Philadelphia Sound," which was further shaped by his successor.
In 1931, Eugene Ormandy stepped in as a last-minute replacement for acclaimed New York Philharmonic music director Arturo Toscanini, who had been engaged as a guest conductor for The Philadelphia Orchestra while Stokowski was on vacation and had fallen ill. Although he had guest-conducted The Philadelphia Orchestra at Robin Hood Dell the prior two summers, Ormandy was virtually unknown to regular concert audiences, having only served as a guest conductor of symphonic orchestras following an earlier career playing violin in a movie theater pit orchestra and conducting radio broadcast performances for the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS). The success of this engagement launched his career as a conductor of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, and subsequently led to his return to Philadelphia to share the role of conductor with Stokowski beginning in 1936, and then assume musical leadership of the Orchestra from 1941 until 1980.
During Ormandy's long tenure, The Philadelphia Orchestra became the most-recorded symphonic orchestra in the United States, producing over 1,200 recordings. It also undertook major international tours – including its historic 1973 People's Republic of China Tour – and continued its summer residency at Robin Hood Dell and Robin Hood Dell West (later the Mann Music Center) in Philadelphia, and established an additional summer residency at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, New York. Ormandy also strengthened the Orchestra's relationship with Sergei Rachmaninoff, initially established by Stokowski, by performing and recording works composed by and, in some instances, performed or conducted by the renowned composer and pianist.
In 1957 The Philadelphia Orchestra Association purchased the Academy of Music, which up to that point was privately owned and operated; the Orchestra had leased performance and practice space each concert season. On finalizing its purchase, the Orchestra restored and renovated the Academy – built in 1857 – and established a separate administration to manage it. The 1960s were rocked by labor disputes and strikes, punctuated by the landmark contract generated in 1963 which guaranteed Orchestra musicians fifty-two weeks of employment each year and paid vacations. In January 1973 the Orchestra played at President Richard Nixon's second inauguration, a performance which a number of musicians vehemently opposed due to Nixon's role in the Vietnam War. In 1980, after serving as a regular guest conductor for the Orchestra for eight years, Riccardo Muti was named music director, and Ormandy assumed the position of conductor laureate, which he maintained until his death in 1985.
Muti served as the Orchestra's music director until 1992, and was succeeded by Wolfgang Sawallisch, who in turn became conductor laureate when Christoph Eschenbach assumed the role in 2003. During the 1980s, 1990s and the 2000s, the Orchestra continued its tradition of extensive touring with its 50th Anniversary transcontinental tour in 1986 and anniversary tours of China in 1993 and 2008; it also became the first American orchestra to visit Vietnam in 1999. Through the turn of the century, it continued its focus on recording, producing albums including a 1988 recording of all nine Beethoven symphonies – the first by an American orchestra – on compact disc (CD), as well as outreach, establishing a series of neighborhood concerts in 2000 to connect with communities outside of traditional performance venues. In 2001 the Orchestra moved into its new primary performance venue at The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Philadelphia.
Charles Dutoit began a brief term as chief conductor in 2008, followed by Yannick Nézet-Séguin's appointment as music director designate in 2010 and music director in 2012. He assumed leadership responsibilities amidst the Orchestra's declaration of chapter 11 bankruptcy in the spring of 2011, from which it emerged the following summer after reorganizing. As of July 2024, Nézet-Séguin remains the music and artistic director of The Philadelphia Orchestra.
Reference sources consulted:
Ardoin, John, editor. The Philadelphia Orchestra: A Century of Music. Temple University Press, 1999.
"History of The Philadelphia Orchestra." The Philadelphia Orchestra, September 2022. https://www.philorch.org/about-us/meet-your-orchestra/. Accessed August 1, 2023.
"History of the Philadelphia Orchestra." Philadelphia Orchestra Musicians, September 6, 2016. http://www.pomusicians.org/news/history-of-the-philadelphia-orchestra. Accessed August 1, 2023.
Wakin, Daniel J. "Details Emerge of an Orchestra's Bankruptcy Plea." The New York Times, April 20, 2011. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/21/arts/music/philadelphia-orchestra-papers-give-bankruptcy-details.html. Accessed August 1, 2023.
Wakin, Daniel J. "Philadelphia Orchestra Submits Reorganization Plan." The New York Times, May 23, 2012. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/24/arts/music/philadelphia-orchestra-submits-reorganization-plan.html. Accessed August 1, 2023.
Wister, Frances A. Twenty-Five Years of the Philadelphia Orchestra, 1900-1925. Published under the auspices of the Women's Committees for the Philadelphia Orchestra, 1925.
The records of The Philadelphia Orchestra Association document its history. This portion of the collection contains audiovisual recordings of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Over 11,400 non-commercial recordings are currently processed and available. A majority are audio and audio-visual recordings of performances, rehearsals and broadcasts of The Philadelphia Orchestra. A small number represent other music ensembles such as the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra and the Philly Pops. Another small group of recordings include commentaries and remarks, intermission features, announcements, background noises, recordings for advertising and promotion, and recordings produced for applications for grants and awards. In addition, there are roughly 230 interviews or excerpts of interviews with conductors, composers, musicians and other musical figures. While four recordings were created in 1949, the remainder date from the 1960s through the 2010s.
To view access points for the entirety of the Gift of the Philadelphia Orchestra Association, see: Philadelphia Orchestra Association and Academy of Music Archives
This collection is not fully processed. While materials listed here have been processed and are available for research, a portion of the collection, labeled "unavailable," remains in process and cannot be consulted at this time. As soon as additional portions of the collection are completed they will be made available via additions to this finding aid. The last addition of completed materials occurred on June 18, 2025.
The collection is arranged into 14 series. *Series 15 is found here. See links below for other available areas of the collection.
2. Administrative records arranged chronologically [Series 2-11 can be accessed here.]
3. Financial management and accounting
4. Ticket sales and subscriptions, box office and patrons
5. Legal
6. Labor unions
7. Buildings, real estate, facilities and equipment
8. Tours, out-of-town performances and venues
9. Radio and television broadcasts, recordings and films (administrative files)
10. Organizations, companies and institutions external to The Philadelphia Orchestra Association
11. Studies, surveys, statistics, reports and research inquiries
12. Personnel files
13. Publicity, outreach, promotional and educational material
*14. Audiovisual recordings
The arrangement of different groups of materials varies. Most groups are arranged either alphabetically, chronologically by creation date, or chronologically by event date. When consulting files arranged by performance date, please note that full performance seasons commenced in the fall of one year and ended the spring of the next year. For example, a file relating to the 1950-1951 performance season is understood to have commenced in September 1950 and concluded in June 1951. Please see the Arrangement notes for specific areas of the collection for more detailed accounts of how they are organized.
Gift of The Philadelphia Orchestra Association, 2021
The Philadelphia Orchestra Association's staff have created and organized files in many different ways over a century of recordkeeping. Wherever collection materials possessed a discernible organizational logic or belonged to an obvious filing system, the original order has been maintained by the processor. Where no obvious order existed, the processor has imposed organizational order to facilitate access and use.
Organization
Subject
- Publisher
- University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts
- Finding Aid Author
- Anna Juliar
- Access Restrictions
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This collection is not fully processed. While materials listed here have been processed and are available for research, a portion of the collection, labeled "unavailable" remains in process and cannot be consulted at this time. As additional portions of the collection are completed they will be made available via additions to this finding aid. The last addition of completed materials occurred on June 18, 2025.
Use of the original audiovisual recordings formats (1/4 inch audiotape large; 8mm film; AIT; Audiocassette; Betamax; Compact disc; Computer audio files; DAT; DVD; Hard drive; LTO; Phonograph record; U-matic; and VHS) is restricted. If the original does not already have a copy, it may be sent to an outside vendor for copying. Patrons are financially responsible for the cost. The turnaround time from request to delivery of digital items will depend on the nature of the material and is subject to review for condition. Patrons should write to kislak@pobox.upenn.edu for cost estimates and ordering. Patrons should be aware of specifics of copyright law and act accordingly.
- Use Restrictions
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Copyright restrictions may exist. For most library holdings, the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania do not hold copyright. It is the responsibility of the requester to seek permission from the holder of the copyright to reproduce material from the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts.