Two Major Orchestras Founded

The year 1842 saw the founding of two of the world's most distinguished orchestras, the New York Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic. Both institutions would go on to become pillars of the symphonic tradition, performing continuously for well over a century and a half.

The New York Philharmonic, established as the Philharmonic Society of New York, was among the earliest orchestras in the United States and helped bring European symphonic music to American audiences. The Vienna Philharmonic, drawn from the players of the Vienna Court Opera, became renowned for its rich sound and its association with the Austrian capital's musical heritage.

Together these orchestras reflected the nineteenth-century growth of the permanent professional orchestra as a central cultural institution. Each developed a distinctive identity and a celebrated repertoire, and both remain among the most prestigious ensembles in the world today.