We know that from the mid-1920s onwards, at Furtwängler’s initiative, the Berlin Philharmonic made a practice of regular tours. In principle there were two each year, in winter to northern Germany, the Netherlands and Great Britain, in spring to southern and western Germany, Italy, Switzerland and France. And rather than appearing only in the biggest centres, medium-sized cities were not neglected. His successor was to do away with this form of proselytism.
In the spring of 1951, the Philharmonic left for a month on the road! And they made a stop at Essen, where a brand new hall awaited them, its predecessor having been destroyed during the war.
Here is the facsimile of the programme