The Vienna Philharmonic was founded in 1842 by a group of Viennese musicians and intellectuals, with composer Otto Nicolai conducting its inaugural concert on March 28, 1842. The orchestra, whose members are drawn from the Vienna State Opera orchestra, moved into the Musikverein’s Golden Hall in 1870, an acoustically celebrated venue that remains its home. Its podium has been shaped by conductors including Hans Richter, Gustav Mahler, Wilhelm Furtwängler, and, in the modern era, a rotating roster of guest conductors rather than a single music director. Since 1939 it has presented the annual Vienna New Year’s Concert, an internationally broadcast tradition centered on music of the Strauss family, and it maintains distinctive traditional instruments and playing techniques.

Consistently ranked among the world’s greatest orchestras, the Vienna Philharmonic is a defining institution of Viennese musical culture and one of classical music’s most internationally recognized ensembles.

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna_Philharmonic