On Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich_Philharmonic
Alternative Spellings Münchner Philharmoniker
Creation 1893
Participants Hans Winderstein - Conductor from 1893 to 1895
Hermann Zumpe - Conductor from 1895 to 1897
Ferdinand Löwe - Conductor from 1897 to 1898
Felix Weingartner (Paul Felix Weingartner, Edler von Münzberg) - Conductor from 1898 to 1905
Georg Schnéevoigt - Conductor from 1905 to 1908
Ferdinand Löwe - Conductor from 1908 to 1914
Hans Pfitzner - Conductor from 1919 to 1920
Siegmund von Hausegger - Conductor from 1920 to 1938
Oswald Kabasta - Conductor from 1938 to 1944
Hans Rosbaud - Conductor from 1945 to 1948
Fritz Rieger - Conductor from 1949 to 1966
Rudolf Kempe - Conductor from 1967 to 1976
Sergiu Celibidache - Conductor from 1979 to 1996
James Levine - Conductor from 1999 to 2004
Christian Thielemann - Conductor from 2004 to 2011
Lorin Maazel - Conductor from 2012 to 2014
Valery Gergiev - Conductor from 2015
City Munich, Germany
Country Germany

The orchestra was founded in Munich in 1893 by Franz Kaim as the Kaim Orchestra. In 1895, it took up residence in the city's Tonhalle (concert hall). It soon attracted distinguished conductors: Gustav Mahler first directed the group in 1897 and premiered his Symphony No. 4 and Symphony No. 8 with the orchestra, while Bruno Walter directed the orchestra for the posthumous premiere of Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde. Felix Weingartner was music director from 1898 to 1905, and the young Wilhelm Furtwängler made his auspicious conducting debut there in 1906. Meanwhile, Anton Bruckner pupil Ferdinand Löwe established an enduring tradition of Bruckner performance which continues to this day.

Throughout this time the orchestra, which by 1910 was known as the Munich Konzertverein Orchestra, was privately funded, but during World War I finances became tight and players were called for military service, forcing the orchestra to cease operation. After the war, the orchestra was taken over by the city of Munich and restarted under the leadership of composer Hans Pfitzner, soon replaced by Siegmund von Hausegger. In 1928, the orchestra acquired its current name.

After the rise of the Nazi party in 1933, the orchestra stamped its scores with swastikas. In 1938, the pro-Nazi conductor Oswald Kabasta became chief conductor, raising its musical standards even as World War II began.

During the war, the Tonhalle was destroyed and the orchestra was again shut-down for a period. After the war, fortunes recovered and in 1979, Sergiu Celibidache took over, raising the orchestra to the highest world-class standards. Notoriously demanding of his players, the Romanian created a unique sound for the orchestra.

After Celibidache's sudden death in 1996, James Levine took over as chief conductor of the orchestra, serving until 2004. Christian Thielemann became the orchestra's music director in September 2004, joined by Wouter Hoekstra as Intendant. However, in 2007, Hoekstra was dismissed from his post after reported disputes with Thielemann. In 2009, the orchestra announced the scheduled conclusion of Thielemann's tenure in 2011. In March 2010, Lorin Maazel was named the orchestra's next chief conductor, effective with the 2012–2013 season. On 23 January 2013, it was announced that Valery Gergiev will succeed Maazel as the principal conductor. Wikipedia