NINETY-SEVEN YEARS AGO THIS MONTH . . .
On November 26, 1902, The Philadelphia Orchestra made its New York Debut at Carnegie Hall. Led by conductor Fritz Scheel, the orchestra, then barely three years old, "very promptly established itself as one of uncommon excellence," as The New York Times noted the next day.The program included works by Karl Goldmark, Franz Liszt, and Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, featuring Russian pianist Mark Hambourg.
The highlight of the evening, however, was the orchestra's performance of Brahms' Symphony No. 1 in C minor, which the Times critic called "a reading of real intellectual power."
Since this brilliant debut, The Philadelphia Orchestra has performed over 650 concerts in Carnegie Hall, and has presented over 130 premieres of new works. The original program for their 1902 debut concert is now on display in Carnegie Hall's Rose Museum.
