The Philharmonia Schrammeln have been an institution in Vienna for decades. The ensemble was given this name in the 1970s when the philharmonic violinist Alfons Egger took over the former Spilar-Schrammeln.
Alfons Egger played first violin for twenty years, hosted almost all concerts himself and also wrote numerous arrangements, many of which are still part of the ensemble's core repertoire. He was succeeded by Martin Kubik, who moved up from second to first violin and brought Andreas Großbauer into the ensemble as second violinist. Martin Kubik and Andreas Großbauer were appointed in 2010 and 2012 respectively by Johannes Tomböck (1st violin, member of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra) and Dominik Hellsberg (2nd violin, Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera).
The Philharmonia Schrammeln are in the fortunate position of being able to present largely original Viennese Schrammel music. Günter Haumer on the alto Viennese button accordion and Heinz Hromada on the contraguitar and Stefan Neubauer with A-flat clarinet. All instrumentation variations of the historical Schrammel quartet can thus be realized: A trio consisting of the two violins with contraguitar, optionally extended to a quartet by the G clarinet or the alto Viennese button accordion, but also the quintet instrumentation which is particularly interesting for the youngest arrangements.
Her music, which has been enthusiastically received by audiences, has been documented on numerous recordings, not least a 15 CD recording of the complete Wienerlieder from the famous "Kremser albums" with Angelika Kirchschlager, Walter Berry and Heinz Zednik.
In 2005, the Philharmonia Schrammeln were featured in the intermission film of the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert. Under the motto "Sound of Images", they led the audience through the Vienna Musikverein.
In 2008, the CD "Die Schrammelgeigen" was commissioned by the Music Collection for Early Instruments of the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna. It was recorded on the historic Zach violins of the Schrammel brothers, with surviving original manuscripts by Johann Schrammel used as sheet music. In 2015, the CD was awarded the Pasticcio Prize by OE1.
Inspired by the affinity between classical Schrammel music and Schubert's music, the Philharmonia Schrammeln recorded the CD "Seligkeit" with KS Angelika Kirchschlager in 2011. In addition to songs and instrumental pieces by Franz Schubert, it also contains songs by Johannes Brahms and Gustav Mahler.
Most recently, the instrumental CD "Wiener Künstler" was released by Deutsche Grammophon in fall 2017, featuring works by the Schrammel brothers and Strauss as well as a historical arrangement of Richard Wagner's Lohengrin prelude.
The centerpiece of the Philharmonia Schrammeln's musical activities is the concert cycle in the Brahms Hall of the Vienna Musikverein, which has now been running for almost 20 years.