What's the difference between a symphony orchestra and a philharmonic orchestra?

Do you often hear symphony orchestras and philharmonic orchestras referred to, without knowing what actually distinguishes the two types of ensemble? 

Contrary to popular belief, the difference between a symphony orchestra and a philharmonic orchestra is not always a question of size or choice of repertoire. 

Whether it's a classical concerto, a romantic or modern work, with or without chorus, discover the symbolic subtleties that differentiate the symphony orchestra from the philharmonic orchestra.

What are the different types of orchestras? 

An orchestra is agroup of instruments performing a musical work or symphonic concert. And within this large family of orchestras, there are different forms of ensemble, varying in size and repertoire.

🎹 Chamber orchestra

Generally smaller than a symphony orchestra, the chamber orchestra is made up of around 15 to 40 musicians. These orchestras are suited to playing music written for small ensembles, performing works from the Baroque period (from the XVIIᵉ century onwards) to the present day. A chamber orchestra brings a more intimate atmosphere between musicians.

🎶 Baroque orchestra 

Typical of classical music from the Baroque period (between the XVIIᵉ and XVIIIᵉ centuries), Baroque orchestras are characterized by historic instruments and playing techniques of the period. Instruments such as the harpsichord, Baroque violin and viola da gamba are therefore frequently used by Baroque orchestras. Repertoire includes works by composers such as Bach, Handel and Vivaldi.

🎻 The symphony and philharmonic orchestras

Led by a conductor, a symphony orchestra is a large musical group designed to play a wide range of classical music. This type of orchestra brings together string, woodwind, brass and percussion sections. These orchestras play a wide repertoire, from classical music to contemporary works, including symphonies and concertos.

Although very similar to the symphony orchestra in terms of size and repertoire, a philharmonic orchestra is often associated with a philharmonic society or organization.

💡 Symphony orchestra and philharmonic orchestra are both made up of all the different instrument families, namely strings, woodwinds, percussion and brass.

What's the difference between a symphony orchestra and a philharmonic orchestra? 

A little history...

Although today they are used to designate similar forms of classical music orchestra, historically, the terms symphonic and philharmonic refer to slightly different terminologies. 

The term symphonic refers to the type of music played, i.e. symphonic music, which includes symphonies, concertos and other classical works. A symphony orchestra is generally a large ensemble including strings, wind instruments and percussion, designed to play a wide range of classical and contemporary music.

The word philharmonia comes from the Greek "phile", meaning to love, person who loves; and "harmonie", meaning union, but also music in a more recent sense. Today's concert halls use the term philharmonic to evoke the music lovers who gather there .

Philharmonic orchestra was first used to name orchestras that were formed by societies, ensembles or groups of musicians. The term was first used in the XIXᵉ century for European orchestras. Examples include the Berlin Orchestra, founded in 1882, or the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, originally a philharmonic academy in 1842.

💡 Did you know? In the XIXᵉ century, the development of musical "societies" and new ensemble sizes gave rise to the common use of the term "Philharmonic Orchestra". New brass instruments, new percussion, increased string sections and sometimes the addition of choirs are often associated with the term " philharmonic".

Symphony orchestra and philharmonic orchestra: a historical difference

Symphonic and philharmonic orchestras are often distinguished by their degree of importance, with the philharmonic work considered more prestigious. While philharmonic orchestras are frequently associated with a more modern repertoire than symphonic orchestras, which tend to refer to a classical repertoire (up to the XIXᵉ century), their difference lies above all in their history. 

Two prestigious German orchestras were born in Berlin in the XIXᵉ and XXᵉ centuries: the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (Berliner Philharmoniker), founded in 1882, and the German Symphony Orchestra (Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, DSO), founded in 1946. Equally prestigious, the two orchestras differ in terms of history, repertoire and style.

So the difference between a symphony orchestra and a philharmonic orchestra is not just one of size or repertoire. These orchestras generally play similar repertoires and are of comparable size. The choice of name often depends on the orchestra's tradition or history, rather than its structure or repertoire.

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