The BBC Philharmonic is a professional broadcasting symphony orchestra based in Manchester, England. It is one of five orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation. The 2ZY Orchestra was formed in 1922 for a Manchester radio station of the same name. It gave the first broadcast performances of many famous English works, including Elgar's Dream of Gerontius and Enigma Variations and Holst's The Planets. The orchestra was part-funded by the British Broadcasting Company (precursor of the BBC), and re-named the Northern Wireless Orchestra in 1926.
