Tony Duggan on the Philharmonia:

>I have always thought the orchestra bought back the title from the man
>Legge sold it to.  Interestingly he had forgotten to sell the title
>"Philharmonia Chorus" so the famous chorus always retained it.

"The New Grove" has it thus: "Philharmonia Chorus - an amateur choir
founded in 1957 by Walter Legge ...  When Legge relinquished control in
1964 the chorus (renamed the New Philharmonia Chorus), under its chairman,
Charles Spencer, maintained its existence as an independent body tied
neither to the New Philharmonia nor to any other orchestra ...  In 1977
it reverted to its original name." I do have reason to believe that this
account is correct.

In former times the Chorus claimed to be unique among British choirs in
that its Chief Chorus Master was always from Germany or Austria.  They
claimed that this difference in tradition gave the chorus a special sound.
In more recent years, however, they have been appointing British chorus
masters, notably David Hill (of Winchester Cathedral), who was succeeded
in the past couple of years by Robert Dean, when Hill succeeded Sir David
Willcocks at the Bach Choir (which is due to celebrate its centenary next
year with a performance of the Berlioz Requiem conducted by Sir Colin
Davis).  The former chairman of the (New) Philharmonia Chorus, Charles
Spencer, left that Chorus some years ago and became associated with the
Pro Musica Chorus (IIRC).

The Philharmonia Chorus continues in existence but seems to be doing very
little work with the Philharmonia Orchestra these days, as far as I can
tell.  Certainly the Orchestra has appeared in London with other choirs,
for example the London Symphony Chorus, and that combination of orchestra
and chorus has also recorded, e.g.  the Sea Symphony under Richard Hickox.

Even after it dropped the "New" the orchestra has seemingly varied its
name.  On that Sea Symphony recording, for example, it is billed as "The
Philharmonia" (no "Orchestra").  More recently, its concert programmes give
the orchestra's name as "Philharmonia Orchestra" (no "The") but the name of
the charitable company as Philharmonia Limited (no "Orchestra").  No wonder
some of us are a little confused!

Alan Moss