History
In 2023 it was 150 years since the first concert was held in our Main Hall. Ever since, the stage has been filled with music from classical virtuosos to contemporary icons. From Maurice Ravel to Arthur Rubinstein, from Sergei Rachmaninoff and Igor Stravinsky to Georges Moustaki, and from Gilbert Bécaud to Marillion and Ben Howard.
Foundation
In 1856, the Society Association was founded, a gentlemen's club for middle-class members, modeled on English clubs. The building on Lange Begijnestraat, purchased for 8,000 guilders, provided accommodation for numerous activities, ranging from music practice to a shooting range for the members of the Society.
Due to the large influx of new members, space became scarce, and adjacent plots were purchased and built upon, including a new concert hall. Architect Adriaan van der Steur designed the large concert hall, which from the beginning in 1873 was a tremendous asset. The concert hall evolved into the cultural hub of the city where numerous theater and music companies performed.
Municipal Concert Hall
Then an opportunity arose: the municipality of Haarlem could acquire the Cavaillé-Coll organ, which was located in the Palace of Industry in Amsterdam, for free, provided they had a suitable hall at their disposal over which the municipality had control. This led the municipality in the 1920s to decide to purchase the building. In 1923, the building on Lange Begijnestraat continued as the Municipal Concert Hall, and the Society Association moved to Zijlweg.
Classical virtuosos
The arrival of the famous organ attracted celebrities to the Municipal Concert Hall. Among others, Maurice Ravel, Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Rachmaninoff, the Concertgebouw Orchestra, and Arthur Rubinstein have performed on stage. In addition to their performances, events ranging from flower exhibitions to SDAP congresses and from circus acts to fencing competitions were organized.
House Orchestra
For over 140 years, the Concert Hall also had a house orchestra: one of the regular performers of the PHIL is the Haarlem Orkest Vereniging (HOV). At the beginning of the last century, HOV continued as the symphonic North Holland Philharmonic Orchestra, and after several mergers, Het Balletorkest was established in 2013. The orchestra rehearses almost every day in the Great Hall and performs with, among others, Aafje Heynis, Mstislav Rostropovich, Marco Bakker, Berdien Stenberg, and Hans Liberg.
"Playing in the orchestra was the best time of my life" Renée Hesmerg (77) was a flutist for decades with the Noordhollands Philharmonisch Orkest (later Holland Symfonia).
Renovation
The building was due for renewal around the turn of the century: due to many small renovations, it had become a maze of spaces. In 1999, architect Frits van Dongen was assigned the task of a thorough renovation. In addition to a comprehensive renovation and restoration of the existing structure, an expansion took place with the addition of the Small Hall.
The glass facades of the new construction are printed with a graphic representation designed by Karel Martens of the composition 'Klokken voor Haarlem' by Louis Andriessen, based on the Damiate melody that has been heard for centuries from the nearby St. Bavo Church. This form of contemporary sheet music connects the Philharmonie with the location where one of the oldest music publishers in Europe was once based.
Name Change
In 2005, the Concertgebouw Haarlem was opened under the new name Philharmonie. In 2023, the name is shortened to PHIL: a new name and identity, distinct from the City Theater, reflecting the new direction: PHIL aims to position itself as a contemporary music house in the coming years to reach a broader and more diverse audience.
Even after more than 150 years, PHIL is still the heart of musical Haarlem, known for classical music, a large and growing offering of pop music, and very suitable for parties, events, and conferences. A contemporary meeting place and multifunctional hall, exactly as it was conceived in the 19th century.