From its beginnings as an amateur group, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra evolved into an orchestra of international stature in the 1970s and '80s under conductors Edo de Waart and David Zinman. The orchestra has a large recording catalog, with albums made for various labels including, most recently, Warner Classics.
The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra (in Dutch: Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest) was founded in 1918 by a group of musicians aiming at personal enjoyment of musical performance rather than renown or financial gain. Originally, musicians had to pay to become ...