New York Symphony Society

The New York Symphony Society was an orchestra founded in New York City in 1878 by Leopold Damrosch . For several years it was in fierce competition with the older Philharmonic Symphony Society of New York . It was supported by Andrew Carnegie , who had Carnegie Hall (opened in 1891) built specifically for this orchestra. The Symphony Society put its musical emphasis on the more colorful orchestral works from France and Russia, while the Philharmonic Society concentrated particularly on the German repertoire. After Leopold Damrosch's death, his son Walter Damrosch took over the musical direction of the orchestra.

In 1903 the orchestra was reorganized and renamed the New York Symphony Orchestra . In 1920 it was the first American orchestra to tour Europe. In 1928, it finally merged with the Philharmonic Symphony Society to form the "Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York", later renamed the New York Philharmonic .

Web links

• The History of New York: Chapter on New York Orchestras ( Memento from May 27, 2007 on the Internet Archive )