Philharmonia Hungarica
| Company type | Symphony orchestra |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music, Performing arts |
| Founded | 1956 |
| Founder | Zoltán Rozsnyai |
| Defunct | 2001 |
| Headquarters | Marl , Germany |
Area served | Europe, North America |
Key people | Zoltán Rozsnyai (founder and conductor), Antal Doráti (honorary president), Miltiades Caridis, Alois Springer, Reinhard Peters, Uri Segal, Gilbert Varga, George Alexander Albrecht |
| Products | Classical music performances and recordings |
The Philharmonia Hungarica was a symphony orchestra situated in Marl, Germany, operating from 1956 until 2001.
History
Established in Baden bei Wien near Vienna by Hungarian musicians who escaped following the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, the Philharmonia Hungarica brought together Hungary’s finest artists under the baton of conductor Zoltán Rozsnyai, previously affiliated with the Hungarian National Philharmonic. After two years, the ensemble moved to Marl, supported financially by North Rhine-Westphalia. With Rozsnyai and honorary president Antal Doráti at the helm, it rapidly gained recognition as one of Europe’s premier orchestras.
Doráti made numerous recordings with the orchestra, featuring works such as two Bartók LPs, compositions by Respighi, Haydn symphonies, Tchaikovsky, and Arensky on Mercury Records. Among significant recordings were a shortened German version of Orphée aux Enfers and Wiener Blut, performed with distinguished soloists. During the 1970s, under a contract with Decca Records, Doráti and the Philharmonia Hungarica achieved the rare feat of recording the complete symphonies of Joseph Haydn, a milestone matched by only a few orchestras. Additionally, they recorded Zoltán Kodály's orchestral repertoire in 1973.
The orchestra toured extensively across Europe and North America and participated in prominent music festivals. It premiered notable compositions including von Einem's Hunyadi László (1982), Klebe's Clarinet Concerto (1986), and Meyer's Piano Concerto (1992). In 1976, it produced Jon Lord's celebrated 'Sarabande' album, which fused classical music with rock influences.
During the Cold War era, West Germany provided substantial funding to the orchestra as a cultural emblem opposing the Soviet Union, a financial commitment that persisted beyond 1990. Nevertheless, in 2001, funding cuts combined with diminishing audience numbers led to critical financial difficulties.
Following Rozsnyai, chief conductors included Miltiades Caridis (1960–67), Alois Springer (1968–74), Reinhard Peters (1975–79), Uri Segal (1979–85), Gilbert Varga (1985–91), and ultimately George Alexander Albrecht.
The Philharmonia Hungarica concluded its activities after a final concert held in Düsseldorf on 22 April 2001. This event featured Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 9, incorporating its finale edited by Nicola Samale and collaborators. Attendance was approximately 150 in a venue designed for 2,000 spectators, partially due to erroneous rumors about cancellation. Attempts to preserve the orchestra were unsuccessful amid declining political backing.