What's In A Name?

Philharmonic vs. Symphony vs. Orchestra

Symphony, Orchestra, Philharmonic, Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra - the orchestra world is rife with seemingly endless variations on professional orchestra names. I've always wondered why the terms are used so seemingly interchangeably, the actual difference between them, and why an organization might choose one combination or another. Google is great for answering the basics, but we all know that can lead to a giant rabbit hole of information. So to help our friends quickly navigate these same questions, we have taken that Google trip for you and put it all together in one place.

First, a simplified definition of Symphony, Orchestra, and Philharmonic:

Symphony: Greek in origin, loosely meaning "harmony of sound." It refers to a long, large work with three or four movements. These works also typically require a large group of musicians to perform (i.e., a symphony orchestra).
Orchestra: a broad term for an ensemble of musical instruments that features a big string section. Chamber orchestras are smaller in size when compared to a full symphony orchestra (more on that in another post).
Symphony Orchestra: a traditional term for describing a large orchestra, often required to perform classical symphonies. It can be a part of a proper name but is also a generic term. Many ensembles have chosen to drop "orchestra (i.e., California Symphony)
Philharmonic: can be used interchangeably with symphony orchestra but is always a part of a proper name. Philharmonics play the same kind of music as Symphony Orchestras. The term is often used to differentiate between two groups in the same city (i.e. New York Philharmonic and the New York Symphony Orchestra).

Why did we choose Philharmonic, and what happened to SPO?

First, let's start with some history. As of the date of this blog, we are 90+ years into our legacy as an organization. But, the Spartanburg Philharmonic hasn't always been our name. In fact, we've gone through a few changes over the years. Originally called the Spartanburg Symphony Orchestra, although some patrons may remember us as The Greater Spartanburg Philharmonic or the Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO), among others. We adopted our current name in 2018, and the streamlined moniker is a perfect fit for who we are as an organization.

What makes it a perfect fit, you ask? Because while Symphony and Orchestra are all excellent terms for what we do - Philharmonic describes exactly who we are. A very simplified version of the word's French and Italian roots are: Phil=love, while Harmonic = music. Quite simply, we love music. It is who we are. We are grand symphonies, elegant concertos, fascinating chamber pieces, folksy roots-inspired music, jam-driven Bluegrass songs, and more than we can possibly list. As the Spartanburg Philharmonic, we enrich and inspire our community with the music we love. And who knows what the future will hold as we get closer to marking 100 years.

As the Spartanburg Philharmonic, we embrace a broader, more diverse scope of music, but our roots will always be as the Greater Spartanburg Symphony Orchestra. It is the foundation of our 90+ year legacy and one we are committed to continuing. Join us for a concert, and you'll understand exactly what we mean

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