Yuri Temirkanov confers with his esteemed predecessor, Yevgeny Mravinsky. "I confess that Mravinsky's rehearsals made a great impression on me. Never in mylife have I seen anyone work so assiduously and punctiliously with an orchestra. That is what has made it such a first-class body of musicians." - Yuri Temirkanov
			The St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, led by Yuri Temirkanov, is recognized as among the greatest and most venerable orchestras of the world. Its official birthday, 1882, is preceded by a series of events that now comprise the history of musical life in the former capital of the Russian Empire. Inspired by Peter the Great who was determined to make St. Petersburg a European town when he laid the foundations in 1703, a group of influential Russians founded Europe's first philharmonic society in the city in 1802. While also concerning itself with charity and educational work, its principal aim was to acquaint the Russian public with German and Austrian classical music. The oratorios and symphony works of Handel, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven were given their Russian premieres in the townhouse rented by the society for its concerts. Located on the city's main thoroughfare, Nevsky Prospekt, the venue is now the Small Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic. One of the most important events in the history of the hall was the premiere of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis on March 26, 1824. Alexander Scriabin Dmitri Shostakovich Sergei Prokofiev Pyotr Tchaikovsky Gustav Mahler Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Sergei Rachmaninov In 1830, work was completed on the construction of a Noblemen's Assembly, now the Large Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, in the center of St. Petersburg. By the middle of the nineteenth century, the hall had become the center of musical life in St. Petersburg. Franz Liszt, Richard Wagner, Hector Berlioz, Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss all appeared on its stage. Additionally, the premieres of many works by the most famous Russian composers- Modest Mussorgsky, Alexander Borodin, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Alexander Glazunov, Sergei Rachmaninov, Alexander Scriabin- were held in the hall of the Noblemen's Assembly. Nine days before his death in October, 1893, Tchaikovsky conducted the premiere of his Sixth (Pathetique) Symphony at the Noblemen's Assembly. Among the members of the audience was the eleven-year old Igor Stravinsky. The list of guest conductors who have led the Orchestra comprises many of the 20th century's leading figures of the classical music world. Russian composers Dmitri Shostakovich and Sergei Prokofiev collaborated with the Philharmonia Orchestra which premiered their works on several occasions. In 1938, Yevgeny Mravinsky was appointed Principal Conductor of the Orchestra, a post he held for over fifty years until his death in January, 1988. In 1988, Yuri Temirkanov succeeded Maestro Mravinsky as Music Director and Chief Conductor of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic .