Join us on Sunday, June 28 at 1 p.m. on WRTI 90.1, and Monday, June 29 at 7 p.m. on WRTI HD-2 for an encore presentation: Part Two of The Philadelphia Orchestra at 125, which celebrates a milestone, examining the evolution of “the Philadelphia Sound” through the performances and comments of the conductors who have nurtured it.
And for a limited time, listen below to Part One, which focuses on two of the Orchestra's earliest and most influential music directors, both of whom had unusually long terms: Leopold Stokowski (28 years) and Eugene Ormandy (44 years). The playlist of the first episode includes a highlight from Fantasia, Stokowski’s collaboration with Walt Disney and his army of animators, as well as the charismatic conductor’s absorbing take on Wagner. There’s also a spotlight on Ormandy’s Hungarian heritage and his relationship with Sergei Rachmaninoff, and a sample of Riccardo Muti’s white-hot way with Verdi.
In the second program, airing Sunday, June 28 at 1 p.m. on WRTI 90.1, and Monday, June 29 at 7 p.m. on WRTI HD-2, Wolfgang Sawallisch’s elegant and sympathetic interpretations of Dvorak and Schumann come to the fore, as well as dramatic Tchaikovsky from Christoph Eschenbach. And we’ll look back on some stylish Mozart from Yannick Nézet-Séguin, as well as the Orchestra’s recent focus on oft-overlooked Black composers. That’s just a taste of an amazing legacy, of course.
The legendary Philadelphia sound has been created over 125 years of collaboration under the leadership of a mere eight music directors. Just as crucial to this ensemble’s enduring personality are the hundreds of dedicated musicians who have played in its ranks, many with long tenures of their own. Their overlapping experience and rich institutional memory have led to an extraordinary continuity, as we also explore this week through a companion piece in our series Let Freedom Ring.
In these specials, we’ll hear the Orchestra’s music-making both in recordings and concerts through all the eras since its first recording more than a century ago. And we’ll hear the voices of most of the eight music directors who guided them through this remarkable history.
It’s been great fun for me personally to put these programs together, combing through these fascinating conversations and poring over the fantastic archive of performances available. For a long period the Philadelphians were the world’s most recorded ensemble, offering a rich resource to draw on. The Orchestra’s own live performances, some released commercially and others from WRTI’s broadcast archive, bring their own piquant flavors to the menu.
I’ve observed The Philadelphia Orchestra at close range for more than four decades. My first Philadelphia concert ticket was a nosebleed-section Friday-afternoon seat for an Ormandy return appearance, and I can recall so many memorable concerts since — more than I could ever describe during these special programs, though a few special memories found their way in. Be sure to tune in for some unforgettable listening! (Both programs will also be available for two weeks after initial airing. On WRTI’s home page, scroll down to “Listen to The Philadelphia Orchestra in Concert on Demand” to catch what you may have missed.)
WRTI PRODUCTION TEAM:
Melinda Whiting: Host
Alex Ariff: Senior Producer and Broadcast Engineer
Delia Joyce and Alana Beltran: Production Assistance
Tyler McClure, Robby Webb, and George Blood LP: Technical Assistance
Listen to The Philadelphia Orchestra in Concert broadcasts, every Sunday at 1 p.m. on WRTI 90.1, streaming at WRTI.org, on the WRTI mobile app, and on your favorite smart speaker. Listen again on Mondays at 7 p.m. on WRTI HD-2. Listen for up to two weeks after broadcast on WRTI Replay.
