Posted on 11/23/2008 7:49:08 AM PST by Borges
What would happen if a leading British-based music magazine ranked the world's leading orchestras and the "winning" U.S. ensemble didn't care?
That's basically what's happened when leaders of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra shrugged their collective shoulders over the London monthly the Gramophone saying that it's the top classical outfit in the United States.
"I think it is safe to say that we are not advocates or necessarily firm believers in lists of this sort, given the subjective nature of these types of rankings," said CSO President Deborah Rutter, using the sort of language that one usually hears from someone who's just been voted off the island, not named king of the hill.
Although such surveys are basically not much more than publicity gimmicks for the outlet conducting and trumpeting them, the Gramophone's December cover story list is a cut above many similar lists. (I've heard all 20 international orchestras on the list perform live, as well as two other excellent and historic U.S. orchestras that are odd omissions from the list, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Symphony.)
Coming out on top is Amsterdam's universally revered Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, a superb orchestra that was led for decades by the CSO's current principal conductor, Bernard Haitink. Not surprisingly, the top ensembles of Berlin, Vienna and London follow and Chicago pops up at No. 5 on the overall chart.
Perhaps the biggest winner in the pack, though, is the Concertgebouw's music director Mariss Jansons. The Latvian-Jewish conductor has two ensembles in the Gramophone's "Top 10" -- Munich's Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra was rated No. 6 overall, just behind the CSO and just before the exceptional Cleveland Orchestra.
The high ranking for the Dresden Staatskapelle (No. 10) seems reasonable after their outstanding showing at Orchestra Hall on Sunday. The Los Angeles Philharmonic at No. 8, three places above the far superior Boston Symphony Orchestra, seems a stretch, although well-traveled Los Angeles Times critic Mark Swed was on the Gramophone jury. A top 10 spot for the spunky Budapest Festival Orchestra is another oddity. Former CSO music director Daniel Barenboim's Berlin Staatskapelle is nowhere to be seen.
"As everyone should know," Rutter continued in an e-mail, "on any given evening anywhere and everywhere in the world there are 'best concerts' taking place by many great orchestras. Music is always a subjective experience, and that's why there isn't and can't be a World Series in our world to firmly, regularly rank orchestras.
"All that said, in any case, it is wonderful to have international recognition of our truly superb and peerless orchestra."
Philadelphia used to be right up there. No longer.
Sad.
I am more familiar with the Cleveland Orchestra, always preferred that to Chicago’s and New York.
Leonard Bernstein was the last superstar at the NY Philharmonic. (yes, FReepers I know he was gay)
Not all of them have.
James Levine, Leonard Slatkin, Klaus Tennstedt, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Kurt Masur, Seiji Ozawa, and many others are still stalking conductors podiums. Personally, I’ve worked with a few of the above mentioned, and AFAIC they’re every bit the titans Solti, Bernstein, Böhm, and HVK were.
I take it "conductors stalking podiums?" Will Philly rebound under Dutoit?
The Cleveland playing in its home of Severance Hall when it was under Herr Doktor Szell was a true aural miracle to behold.
Well they weren’t bad under Muti, who made a lean mean fightin’ machine out of them. their recording of Beethoven’s Fifth is one of the best of that hackneyed warhorse, (j/k), out there....if you can still find it.
In their last years under Ormandy they were almost a parody of the famous “Philly Sound”.
That being said, the Ormandy/Philly recording of the Sibelius Second Symphony will knock your socks off, especially that triumphant finale.
Ormandy was a true Philadelphian. Muti just flew in and out of the town to conduct the orchestra . .. turn around and he was gone.
Not much of a fundraiser for them either.
Philadelphia has gone down the drain for so many obvious reasons.
If I recall correctly, wasn’t the Cleveland Orchestra lavishly endowed by the Hanna family. At one point in time the position of conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra was the most sought position in the world. Likewise, the Cleveland Art Museum was so well endowed that when word got that Cleveland was interested in a work of art others merely dropped out.
You are absolutely correct in all respects.
The Cleveland is still one of the best, even if their management did have such momentary lapses in judgment as Lorin Maazel and Pierre Boulez.....
They’re still amazing under Franz Welser-Möst, who is one of the younger generation of conducting superstars. He’s also the Musikdirektor of the Vienna Staatsoper where they’ve just done a new production of Wagner’s “Ring”.
;-)
“I am more familiar with the Cleveland Orchestra, always preferred that to Chicago’s and New York.”
Yes, the ghost of George Szell still reigns in Cleveland.
Masur always struck me as mediocre. And Ozawa is just poor!
Well, Ozawa is great in some repertoire, horrible in others. He’s terrific in French music, especially Debussy and Ravel.
One of his problems is that he’s picked up all his teacher’s bad habits. He studied for a time with Herbert von Karajan, and has that same kid-glove treatment HVK had. It works with some stuff, but not well with others. Sometimes I have disagreements with his often overly-slow tempi, but he was an absolute joy to play the Schuman A minor under.....basically because he let me have my way. Yes, I know...typical soloist attitude, hehe.
Masur was terrific with the Leipzig Gewandhaus. I think many of his criticism here were his issues with the New York Philharmonic. But they’re an unruly bunch of obnoxious prima donnas who few conductors get along with.....even Uncle Lenny.
Typo. ShumanN A minor.
My bad.
I’ll get it right yet. Schumann A minor.
I think its time for a new keyboard. When I hit double letters I often only get one.
Thanks for your post. It reminded me that I really have to stop the Chicago/Obama connection over every thing Chicago.
I saw the pictures of Rachmaninoff on your home page. My mother was supposed to attend the premiere of the Pagannini Rhapsody in 1934 (Rachmaninoff on piano, Stokowski on the podium) when she was a high school student. But her mother wouldn't let her go out on the streets of Philadelphia at night, so she had to wait a few years to see Rachmaninoff play it at the Academy of Music. To the day she died in 2002, she was furious at being denied attendance at that concert.
Maybe he is, but he’s my favorite conductor, and asmf my favorite orchestra.
Jeesh, Seiji Ozawa... my least-favorite conductor. There’s a reason the NHK Symphony Orchestra is now considered the best in Japan...
Please put me on your ping list,
Thanks
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