The Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg (Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra) is an internationally renowned symphony orchestra based in Hamburg. From 2015 to 2025, Kent Nagano was General Music Director (Generalmusikdirektor) and chief conductor (Chefdirigent). The Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra also serves as the orchestra of the Hamburg State Opera. The orchestra is one of three major orchestras in Hamburg, the others being the Hamburger Symphoniker and the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra.

History The forerunner organization, die Philharmonische Gesellschaft (The Philharmonic Society), was founded on 9 November 1828, and was led by Friedrich Wilhelm Grund. In 1905, Gustav Mahler conducted the Hamburg premiere of his Symphony No. 5.

In 1934 it merged with the Stadttheater-Orchester to become the Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg. Under this name a celebrated Eighth Symphony of Anton Bruckner under Eugen Jochum in 1949 was recorded.

Chief conductors Die Philharmonische Gesellschaft (1828) 1828–1862: Friedrich Wilhelm Grund 1867–1895: (1830–1902)

Vereins Hamburgischer Musikfreunde (1896) 1908–1921: 1904–1922: Max Fiedler 1922–1933: Karl Muck

Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg (1934) 1934–1949: Eugen Jochum 1951–1959: Joseph Keilberth, Artistic Director 1961–1973: Wolfgang Sawallisch 1973–1976: Horst Stein 1976–1982: Aldo Ceccato 1984–1988: Hans Zender, GMD 1988–1997: Gerd Albrecht, GMD 1997–2005: Ingo Metzmacher, GMD 2005–2015: Simone Young, GMD 2015–2025: Kent Nagano, GMD 2025–: Omer Meir Wellber, GMD

Honorary conductors 1967 Karl Böhm 2003 Wolfgang Sawallisch 2023 Kent Nagano

See also

References "Eugen Jochum Talks to Alan Blyth," by Alan Blyth (1929–2007), Gramophone, Vol. 50, N° 591, August 1972, pg. 319;

Geschichte des Musik- und Concertwesens in Hamburg vom 14. Jahrhundert bis auf die Gegenwart (History of the Music and Concert System in Hamburg from the 14th Century to the Present), by Josef Sittard (1846–1903), Altona and Leipzig: Verlag von A.C. Reher (né August Christian Reher; 1828–??) (publisher) (1890);

"Keilberth, Joseph" (entry heading), The Oxford Dictionary of Music (6th ed.), by Michael Kennedy (1926–2014) and wife, Joyce Bourne Kennedy (1933–1999); Tim Rutherford-Johnson, PhD (ed.), Oxford University Press (2013), pg. 448;

Das Stadttheater in Hamburg, 1827–1877: Ein Beitrag zur deutschen Culturgeschichte , by Hermann Uhde (1845-1879), Stuttgart: Verlag der J. G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung (de) (1879);

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