Effective period / Period of releases: 1959 - 2005

Members: Stephen Saunders, John Wilbraham, Alan Dalziel, David Theodore, Sidney Sax, Eric Robinson (5), Charles Gerhardt, Hans Geiger, Terry Johns

The National Philharmonic Orchestra was a British orchestra formed in 1964 to be used solely for recording purposes. The orchestra was formed by Charles Gerhardt, a producer at RCA Records and Sidney Sax partially to fill the need of Reader's Digest. Before settling on the name in 1970 they went by a variety of other names including the RCA Symphony Orchestra and The London Promenade Orchestra. The orchestra had a variety of musicians and conductors over its lifetime and was used quite often for the soundtracks of films. The orchestra is no longer together.
(See also: National Philharmonic Chorus, The London Cinema Orchestra, National Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra & National Philharmonic Orchestra Baroque Ensemble.)