For many years it was a rival to the older Philharmonic Symphony Society of New York.
The Symphony was known for performing more colorful French and Russian works than the Philharmonic, which excelled in German repertoire.
[citation needed] Upon his death in 1885, Leopold Damrosch was succeeded as musical director by his son Walter Damrosch.
In 1903, during a reorganization, it was renamed the New York Symphony Orchestra, and its first recordings were made that year as the "Damrosch Orchestra" for Columbia Records (of which only one was commercially issued, the prelude to Georges Bizet's Carmen).
In 1920 it became the first American orchestra to tour Europe, and radio broadcasts of its concerts began in 1923.