Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra is a symphony orchestra located in Tel Aviv, Israel. Its primary concert hall is the Charles R Bronfman Auditorium in Tel Aviv. The orchestra was originally founded as the Palestine Orchestra in 1936 by violinist Bronislaw Huberman in 1936. It remained the Palestine Orchestra from 1936 through 1948. The inaugural concert occurred in Tel Aviv in December 1936. The conductor was Arturo Toscanini. The orchestra’s first principal conductor was William Steinberg. Many of the first musicians on the orchestra had fled from Nazism and persecution of the Jews in parts of Europe. The orchestra performed over 100 times for Allied soldiers during World War II. When the State of Israel was formed in 1948, the symphony orchestra was dubbed the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
The Israel Philharmonic did not have a permanent conductor for its first 40 years. Instead, the orchestra was led by well-known guest conductors. This succession of leading conductors gave the orchestra great versatility and flexibility, although it lacked a consistent sound and cohesion. The two most famous conductors to lead the orchestra were Zubin Mehta and Leonard Bernstein. Bernstein took the orchestra to new heights when he led the ensemble in an important performance at the Lebanese border. He also led the orchestra in a legendary performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 following the 1967 war that captured Jerusalem. Bernstein remained associated with the orchestra for 40 years. Mehta acted as music adviser from 1968. He became its music director in 1977, and he was named music director for life in 1981.
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This music ensemble is a true philharmonic group in that it is a cooperative owned by the musicians who play in it. You can expect the highest quality performances of the world’s leading composers in venues with acoustics to enhance the experience. The Philharmonic is known for its superlative interpretation and execution of classical music.
An Israel Philharmonic stage performance typically runs between two to three hours with encore performances afterward. It depends upon the music selection.
Two of the most memorable performances occurred under Mehta’s leadership. In 1967, The Six-Day War led Mehta to view the conflict as a musical emergency. He hurried to catch an ammunition-filled military plane from the US to Israel. He conducted a celebratory performance and stayed in the basement of a local concert hall along with cellist Jacqueline de Pre and pianist Barenboim. Then in 1982 during the Lebanon War, Mehta took the musicians within a few kilometers from the border of Lebanon. The put up a stage and played for the local Lebanese citizens. After the performance, the concertgoers pushed onstage to hug the musicians.
The Israel Philharmonic is known for particularly excellent renditions of Swan Lake, the Overture to Die Fledermaus, Mozart’s Coronation Mass, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3, Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, and Falla’s Three-Cornered Hat.
Other philharmonic and symphony orchestras that play on the world stage would give similar performances. These would include The Vienna Philharmonic, The Berlin Philharmonic, The London Symphony Orchestra, The Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Chicago Symphony Philharmonic.