“What is your naming preference: symphony, philharmonic, orchestra, or something else?” asks Laurie Niles in Sunday’s (2/26) Violinist.com. “If you look at a list of orchestra names, they tend to fall into several different categories: symphony, philharmonic and orchestra. I thought it would be fun to talk about the different names that various orchestras carry and what they mean. Also, I’d invite you to share any history you know about various orchestras and how they came by their names…. As a name for an orchestra, ‘Symphony’ is very often used in combination with ‘Orchestra’—as in ‘Symphony Orchestra.’ I suspect that this is because the dictionary definition of the word ‘symphony’ by itself refers to ‘an elaborate musical composition for full orchestra.’ My old-fashioned Merriam-Webster English dictionary carries six definitions of the word, and ‘a symphony orchestra’ or ‘orchestra concert’ is low on the list … The fifth meaning … speaks to a harmonious combination of elements, musical or not…. The word ‘philharmonic’ has a wonderful derivation: it comes from the Italian ‘filarmonico’ or ‘loving harmony’ and the French ‘philharmonique,’ which means the same thing. Love and harmony, what could be better?”
