The Berlin Philharmonic was founded in 1882. The orchestra began when 54 musicians broke away from conductor Benjamin Bilse's ensemble after objecting to traveling to Warsaw in poor conditions. They formed a new group in Berlin, initially called the Former Bilse Band, or Frühere Bilsesche Kapelle.
The newly organized orchestra received financial backing from manager Hermann Wolff and soon developed an ambitious artistic identity. Ludwig von Brenner became its first conductor, while Hans von Bülow took over in 1887 and helped establish its international reputation. Distinguished guest conductors included Johannes Brahms, Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Felix von Weingartner, and Hans Richter.
The orchestra's early home was a converted skating rink on Bernburger Straße, opened as a concert hall in 1882. Its later history included major tenures under Wilhelm Furtwängler, Herbert von Karajan, and Claudio Abbado. A common mix-up is confusing the orchestra's founding date with the later opening of its current Philharmonie concert hall, which dates from the 1960s.