Archive Photographs
Here are a few examples of Principal Conductors and Guest Artists taken from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Archive.
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Principal Conductors
J Zeugheer Herrmann
1805-1865
Born in Switzerland, the first Principal Conductor of the Liverpool Philharmonic is also the longest-serving one. Herrmann held the post from 1843 till his death in 1865.
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Alfred Mellon
1820-1867
Composer and Principal Conductor of the Liverpool Philharmonic from 1865 to 1867. He was also one time leader of the orchestra at Covent Garden, where his operas were performed.
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Sir Julius Benedict
1804-1885
German-born Principal Conductor of the Liverpool Philharmonic from 1867 to 1880. He was also a composer, and had studied with Weber and Hummel.
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Sir Henry Wood
1869-1944
The Philharmonic did not have a Principal Conductor between 1913 and 1942, relying instead on guests. Wood, who made his debut with the Liverpool Philharmonic in 1910 was one of the most renowned and popular of these guests.
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Sir Malcolm Sargent
1895-1967
Principal Conductor from 1942 to 1948. He championed British music during his tenure, and maintained a close association with the orchestra after he left. He was instrumental in getting women players into the orchestra.
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Guest Artists
Luisa Tetrazzini
1871-1941
Italian coloratura soprano, one of the greatest of her day. She had a dish named after her, something she shared with her great rival, Nellie Melba.
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Josef Hoffman
1876-1957
Polish-born pianist, regarded as one of the greatest who ever lived. A child prodigy, he first appeared in Liverpool in October 1887, aged 11, playing Beethoven’s 3rd Piano Concerto.
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Adelina Patti
1843-1919
One of the greatest sopranos of the 19th Century, and described by Verdi as the greatest singer he ever heard.
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Sergei Rachmaninoff
1873-1943
This was the second of the great conductor and pianist’s visits to Liverpool. At this concert, he played his 3rd Piano Concerto and conducted his 2nd Symphony, both being Liverpool premieres.
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Mstislav Rostropovich
1927-2007
One of the greatest cellists of the 20th Century, and a notable conductor. He also commissioned hundreds of new works from composers, including Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Britten, Dutilleux and Lutoslawski.
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Ignacy Jan Paderewski
1860-1941
Internationally-acclaimed pianist who became Prime Minister of Poland in 1919. He appeared twice at the Philharmonic, in 1890 and 1891.
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William Walton with John Pritchard
The Liverpool Philharmonic commissioned Walton’s Second Symphony in 1955. The premiere was given by the orchestra under Pritchard at the Edinburgh Festival in 1960.
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