Greatest Orchestra In The World

[Kromme]

I recently saw an article which states Wiener Philharmo****r as the greatest band ın the world and wonder what do you guys think about it?Which one do you think is the best?

[rojo]

Hi Kromme,

Great poll; I`m not sure how to answer, because I like different orchestras playing different things... that being said, I`ll vote for BSO, because I love their recording of Debussy`s La Mer (from a while ago though).

I`m not sure which criteria goes into what makes the greatest orchestra though...

[Kromme]

Hi Rojo,

I am not sure what was the criteria either but i do not think there are big technichal superiorities between orchestras of this calibre and it was decided on vote so possibly the criteria was the taste of voters and what i meant was exactly that:"Which one is the most to your tastes?"

I voted in favour of Concertgebouworkest because they are one of the three best reputated orchestras in Europe alongside with Berliner Philharmo****r-which i think poorly conducted by Simon Rattle- and Wiener Philharmo****r-which i think fails miserably when it coms to play Russian music-.I prefer the traditional style of Europe rather than American taste so to my taste Concertgebouworkest is the greatest band around now.

I was really surprised to see that the option of "other" is voted, wondered which orchestra it might be and came to see there are several world-class bands i have forgotten such as St.Petersburg Philharmonic,Royal Philharmonic,Leipzig Gewandhausorchester and Orchestra National de France.I would appreciate the voter of the "other" option to post which orchestra he/she thinks is the best and why?

Also i figured that i was a bit biased for MPhil and NYPhil.They were amongs the very best in the tenures of thier legendary conductors Celibidache and Bernstein but after them they both could not keep up their high levels of artistic quality i believe so right now they may not deserve to be on that list

Kindest regards
A.Atabey

[Krummhorn]

Hi Kromme ...

Wow, what a choice to make. Well, I did opt for NY Phil as I always had great admiration for Leonard Bernstein, his talent and what he was able to achieve during his lifetime.

My other option, which was not on the list, would be for LA Phil - I had season tickets for every year when Zubin Mehta was conductor at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Los Angeles.

[Kromme]

Hi Krummhorn,

It should have been quite good for LA Phil after Mehta,with Giulini,Previn and Salonen all being quite fine conductors but i did not put them on the list because although i heard of them as a world-class band i never heard anyone who says they are the best in the world.

I can not say that i fully appreciate Leonard Bernstein but i must admit that he formed NY Phil to an excellent stature but as i mentioned earlier i think they have been falling since his departure as a result of his successors' failure to put on his work.

It seems that the orchestra which will get the second vote will win the poll.



PS:Although i visit LA regularly i did not have a chance to hear LA Phil so Krummhorn would you mind giving me advice on recordings of them?
Thank you

Kindest regards
A.Atabey

[Sybarite]

The best? Who knows! My personal favourite is the Berlin Phil.

[giovannimusica]

WhooooWeeee!!!!!!!

That's a real tough question. I had lived in Manhattan for many years but I never really thought that the New York Phil was the greatest. Personally, I feel the Berlin Phil really kicks butt. Chicago Phil is a really great band as is Valery Gergiev's Kirov band. The Rotterdam Phil and the Prague Phil are right up there with the *stars*. The Vienna Phil is really nice but London Phil is better.

So you see, it's a really hard question to answer. I regret if anyone feels slighted but I expect alot of professionalism and above all, musicianship from the Orchestra these days. I'm tired of the *slackers*.

[Krummhorn]

Although i visit LA regularly i did not have a chance to hear LA Phil so Krummhorn would you mind giving me advice on recordings of them?

Kromme,
Well, Mehta's time at the baton for LA Phil was over 30 years ago -discrography, what exists today would be on vinyl and possibly hard to find.
I lived on So California then - haven't lived there going on 30 years - haven't heard them [live] since. Hadn't heard them referred to as world class band until this post ... at least when I was there at their performances, I though it was pretty world class for my ears.

Best Regards,
Lars

[Kromme]

Thank you Krummhorn,
Then i think i'll make another visit to L.A. and try to hear them live.I think it will be fine because Salonen is a quite solid conductor.