What's the difference between a philharmonic and a symphony orchestra?

[knock_knock]

Is there a difference between a symphony orchestra and a philharmonic? If so, what’s the difference? If they can be used interchangeably, why the two terms?

[commasense]

AFAIK, no difference. At least that’s what my dad, who was a music major, told me years ago.

[Askance]

According to my little dic, a symphony orchestra is one capable of performing a symphony, that is with all the sections and players necessary for the symphonic form as defined by Mozart and Haydn.

Philharmonic just means “fond of music”, so presumably encompasses the above plus other orchestra who perhaps might not have the right mix of players to perform a formal symphony.

[Eegba]

We did this a few months ago.

Short answer: None.

[don_t_ask]

Longer answer.

Both names refer to the performing body of diverse instruments called an orchestra. So for instance,the New York philharmonic orchestra and the Boston symphony orchestra consist essentially of the same group of instruments.

The histories of the terms are interesting though the word
“philharmonic” means “loving things musical” and was used as early as the 16th century in the name of a music academy.
The word “orchestra” was not regularly used to name a large group of instruments until the mid-18th century. Shortly thereafter,as more and more orchestras played the new works of music known as “symphonies,” orchestras began to use the word as an adjactive to describe themselves.

From:
“Demystifying The Arts” Wendi C. Thomas