Fleisher Collection
| Sunday | Closed |
| Monday | 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Thursday | 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Friday | 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | Closed |
Upcoming Closures
- Mon., May. 27 : Closed Memorial Day
- Wed., Jun. 19 : Closed Juneteenth
- Thu., Jul. 4 : Closed Independence Day
- Mon., Sep. 2 : Closed Labor Day
The Edwin A. Fleisher Collection of Orchestral Music is the world’s largest circulating collection of orchestral performance sets – with over 22,000 titles – and provides materials to recognized performance groups around the globe (this includes academic and amateur ensembles) for concerts and recordings. It houses virtually the entire standard repertoire, and is also known for its many rare and out-of-print works available for lending around the world. It is a unique source of 19th and 20th century American music, and has a longstanding commitment to promoting new, noteworthy, and overlooked works.
The lending service is available to music organizations upon receipt of a written request. View our conditions of loan.
Fleisher Collection Catalogs
We have a number of focused catalogs reflecting items of interest from the Fleisher Collection. Let us know if you have an idea for a focused catalog!
- Canadian Composers
- Composers of African Descent
- Women Composers
- Jazz-Inspired Works
- Latin American Works
- Oboe Concertos
- Violin Concertos
- Viola Concertos
- Trumpet Concertos
- Shakespeare
- Whitman-inspired works
Search the Online Catalog
Try searching our online catalog to browse additional Fleisher Collection materials.
- Open the Free Library of Philadelphia's online catalog
- Type in the composer, title, and/or keyword for which you are searching
- In the left column, Narrow Search to Collection > Fleisher
- Alternatively, browse and search the catalog for Fleisher materials only
Ordering
NEW! Click here to submit orders via our online request form. View the conditions of loan here.
Alternatively, requests may be sent via email. All orders must be in writing and include each of the following details to avoid delays:
Patrons should write to inquire about availability of works. All orders must be in writing. Send us an email at fleisher@freelibrary.org and include the following information:
- Composer(s) and title(s) of specific work(s)
- String count – maximum is 10.9.6.6.5 for orchestral works and 8.7.5.5.4 for concertos
- Concert date(s), conductor, and venue. Include soloist if applicable.
- Name of performing organization (please do not use acronyms or abbreviations)
- Name, title, and contact information (phone and email) for person responsible for order
- Shipping and billing address(es) – shipping address may not be a P.O. Box
- To ensure prompt and accurate processing be sure to include a detailed subject line in your email.
- For European patrons – the organization’s EORI number (Economic Operators Registration and Identification)
- Please provide details if the performance includes streaming and/or synchronization.
The standard loan period is eight weeks. We allow a two-week grace period for returns of materials after a concert. Please allow three to five business days for order confirmation.
To ensure prompt and accurate processing please be sure to include a detailed subject line in your email and provide complete information as bulleted above.
Digital Collections
Browse through portraits, certificates, and memorabilia from the Symphony Club founded by Edwin A. Fleisher via our Digtial Collections. Additionally, high-resolution images from the Free Library of Philadelphia's collections are available for publication and other uses, within copyright and licensing restrictions, via Reproduction Services.
Fleisher Discoveries
Now in its 20th season and its fourth as a podcast, Fleisher Collection Discoveries continues to uncover the unknown, rediscover the little-known, and take a fresh look at some of the remarkable treasures housed in the Fleisher Collection of Orchestral Music at the Free Library of Philadelphia. Since December 2020, we have been focused primarily on rare archival recordings from the American International Music Fund recently digitized by the Fleisher Collection. Composer and former Fleisher Curator Kile Smith hosts Fleisher Discoveries. The podcast is available around the world on SoundCloud, Spotify, and other podcast carriers.
Spotify
Follow Fleisher Discoveries on Spotify to listen to selected music and staff created playlists from our collections.
For more information, contact us via email: fleisher@freelibrary.org