Historical Snapshots Gallery

75 Years: Historical Snapshots

To celebrate our 75th anniversary season, the Sydney Symphony published a series of short historical articles in the program books for 2007. These articles, by David Garrett, were accompanied by photographs from the Sydney Symphony’s history, many sourced from the rich collection in the ABC’s Document Archives. There were nine articles in all.

David Garrett, a historian and former programmer for Australia’s symphony orchestras, is studying the history of the ABC as a musical organisation.

Archival photographs reproduced by kind permission of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Historical Snapshots articles

Historical Snapshot 1: Accident or inevitability?
Photo by ABC Document Archives
The Australian Broadcasting Commission’s first studio orchestra, dressed formally for an evening broadcast – the ‘done thing’ in the early days of radio.
Historical Snapshot 2: Bernard Heinze
Photo by ABC Document Archives
Bernard Heinze rehearses for a 1935 concert with the 19-year-old Yehudi Menuhin. | Private entrepreneurs brought Menhuin to Australia and the ABC negotiated for one concert with its Melbourne Orchestra, provoking jealously provincial criticism from Sydney's Daily Telegraph.
Historical Snapshot 3: Listening In
Photo by ABC Document Archives
Television usually required studio production rather than simply putting microphones (and cameras) in front of a live concert. This photo shows the SSO in a television concert from the 1960s.
Historical Snapshot 4: Keep Music Alive
Photo by ABC Document Archives
Campaigning to ‘Keep Music Alive’, in concert, Sydney Town Hall, December 1978
Historical Snapshot 5: Composers Up Front
Photo by ABC Document Archives
Igor Stravinsky (left) and cellist John Painter look over music for the 1961 Stravinsky concert in Sydney
Historical Snapshot 6: On Tour
Photo by ABC Document Archives
In 1947 the SSO visited Newcastle for the city’s 150th anniversary celebrations. Conductor Eugene Goossens (left) travelled from Sydney for the concert with the driver of the inter-city express, J. Guilfoyle.
Historical Snapshot 7: Chief Conductors
Photo by ABC Document Archives
The glint in a young Mackerras’ eye: Sydney and the world
Historical Snapshot 8: At Home
Photo by ABC Document Archives
The Arts Club in Pitt Street was big enough to accommodate the 70-piece orchestra for Sir Hamilton Harty, which was the ABC’s first major orchestral venture, in 1934.
Historical Snapshot 9: History records, music flows on
Photo by National Library of Australia
Eugene Goossens conducting the Sydney Symphony Orchestra for a recording session at Sydney University's Great Hall in 1952. Fifty-five years on the Sydney Symphony continues to realise the importance of plans and relationships that will keep permanent its sound in recordings