柏林愛樂八重奏已經創立超過 70 年，也是柏林愛樂設立的第一個室內樂團體，在歐洲各個主要的城市演出。柏林愛樂八重奏的成員隨著年歲偶有更迭，新成員必定從柏林愛樂挑選：歷年來有許多柏林愛樂的樂團首席加入此團，包括史畢瓦柯夫斯基（Nathan "Tossy" Spivakovsky, 1906-1998）、羅恩（Erich Rohn, 1910-1985）、包里斯（Siegfried Borries, 1912-1980），以及著名樂團成員包括大提琴家皮亞堤高斯基（Gregor Piatigorsky, 1903-1976）、格勞登（Nikolai Graudan, 1896-1964）、德馬舒拉（Tibor de Machula, 1912-1982）、豎笛演奏家畢爾克納（Alfred Buerkner）、低音管演奏家羅天舒坦納（Oskar Rothensteiner）。

在第二次世界大戰之後，柏林愛樂八重奏更家活躍，拓展了巡迴演出的地點，前往美國、加拿大、非洲、日本、韓國、中國、馬來西亞、紐西蘭與澳洲。1978 年柏林愛樂八重奏在以色列與蘇聯舉行首演。他們也固定地出現在薩爾茲堡、琉森、愛丁堡與柏林等地的音樂節。亨德密特在 1958 年譜寫一首八重奏，題獻給柏林愛樂八重奏，在柏林舉行此曲的世界首演時，亨德密特也擔任中提琴演出。其他為柏林愛樂八重奏譜寫作品的作曲家包括韓策、布拉赫、塔瑞欣、瓦倫、史托克豪森、尹伊桑等。

The Berlin Philharmonic Octet was founded more than 70 years ago and was the first chamber association of the Berliner Philharmoniker to appear in all major European cities. Since then the ensemble has continually renewed itself, drawing again and again from the Berliner Philharmoniker’s membership: its chronicle features such great names and world-famous musicians as the former concertmasters Spivakovsky, Rohn and Borries; the cellists Piatigorsky, Graudan and de Machula; the clarinettist Bürkner and the bassoonist Rothensteiner.

After World War II, the ensemble expanded its already vigorous touring activities within Europe to take in other continents, visiting the USA, Canada, Africa, Japan, Korea, China, Malaysia, New Zealand and Australia. In 1978 the Philharmonic Octet gave its first concerts in Israel and the Soviet Union. It has appeared regularly at the festivals of Salzburg, Lucerne, Edinburgh and Berlin. Paul Hindemith dedicated his Octet to the ensemble in 1958 and played first viola when they gave the premiere in Berlin. Other composers who have written for them include Hans Werner Henze, Boris Blacher, Werner Thärichen, Karl Heinz Wahren, Karlheinz Stockhausen and Isang Yun.