One thing about the Concertgebouw that I really like is the they serve free wine and beer as well as coffee at intermission. Nice touch and makes the music in the second half of the program so must more enjoyable.

I'm very fortunate to live in a town that over the last 10+ years has a Budapest Festival Orchestra 'festival' at the end of the season, where they have a thematic 3 day concert series. They truly are wonderful.

Dave, this installment is thoroughly enjoyable.

I will attempt to describe the characteristic quality of my favorite orchestras in one word. The representative piece provided is one that has stuck with me recently. 10. Boston: incisiveness (Munch, Berlioz Roman Carnival Overture) 9. Dresden Staatskapelle: charm (Colin Davis, Humperdinck Hansel and Gretel) 8. Czech Philharmonic: rusticism (Belohlavek, Brahms First Serenade) 7. San Francisco: virtuosity (Blomstedt, Strauss Alpine Symphony) 6. Minnesota: precision (Vanska, Beethoven 9) 5. Vienna Phil: burnish (Stein, Bruckner 6) 4. Chicago: juggernaut (Solti, Strauss Till Eulenspiegel) 3. Berlin Phil: cohesion (Tennstedt, Wagner Tannhauser Overture) 2. Bavarian Radio Symphony: passion (Jansons, Haydn Harmoniemesse) 1. Cleveland: fidelity (Szell, Mozart Posthorn Serenade)

I love everything about this list. And the fact that you included Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is a shocking and pleasant surprise. I’ve had the honor of attending the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performances since college in the 1980s. Jansons was amazing, and I love what Manfred Honeck has done and continues to do with them. I’m chain smoking these videos and really need to slow down with them. Thanks for what you do.

A thoroughly enjoyable, thought-provoking piece. Many thanks

26:45 is what we're here for

1. Czech Philharmonic Orchestra - Ancerl/Dvorak: Symphony No. 6 2. Dresden Staatskapelle - Sawallisch/Schumann Symphonies; Kempe/Strauss: Oboe Concerto 3. Boston Symphony Orchestra - Tilson Thomas/Debussy Images 4. Concertgebouw Orchestra - Haitink/Tchaikovsky: Marche Slave 5. Los Angeles Philharmonic - Carlo Maria Giulini/Brahms: Symphony No. 2

I found this channel a couple months ago and have been binging on it ever since. This is so much fun and so educational. Thanks, David for all the knowledge and enthusiasm! You have a great list and I will be duplicating a few of those on my own. This is my first post on this channel. I can't resist such a ridiculous assignment, to make my list of the greatest. First a brief defense. My choices were trending towards roughly 60's to 80's, so I decided to just make that a rule and go with it. These are "the best" orchestras from that time period. They're all records that made me fall in love with orchestras and orchestra playing, and for me that started in mid '70's when I was in high school. Maybe the "best" orchestras as of 2020-ish is a different list, but that doesn't change how great these are. Chicago Symphony: Barenboim/Bruckner 4 - POWERFUL First on the list - no contest. Just monstrous, with epic brass playing and a huge range of colors. The feeling of a great horse being given its head and just going for it. Thrilling playing. (honorable mention: Giulini/Pictures, Abbado/Mahler 2 or Kije) Cleveland Orchestra: Szell/Schubert 9 - Controlled Beautiful touches everywhere. OMG that little trombone line in the first movement - takes my breath away. (honorable mention: Till Eulenspiegel, of course, and also Maazel/Pictures) Boston Symphony: Steinberg/The Planets - Colorful (honorable mention: Ozawa/Beethoven Emperor Concerto w/ Serkin... Might not be everybody's favorite Emperor - but the orchestra makes a beautiful noise and it's a gorgeous recording. ) Philharmonia: Giulini/Mozart Marriage of Figaro - Singing. Perfect recording of a perfect opera. The orchestra has its own role in the comedy - singing, laughing, crying, commenting. Minnesota Orchestra: Skrowaczewski/Ravel complete works. Poised. A nod to my home team, but the orchestra plays great and these are all such nice clean beautifully put together performances. Staatskapelle Dresden: Blomstedt/Bruckner 4 - Warmly opulent (honorable mention: Janowski/Wagner Ring Concertgebouw Amsterdam: Haitink/Debussy - Refined. (honorable mention - Davis/Haydn London symphonies) Vienna Philharmonic Bohm/Mozart Piano Concertos 19 & 23 w/ Pollini Elegant. Gosh I love these performances. Everything is perfectly in place and the orchestra is polished and very detailed in its back and forth with the soloist. (honorable mention Giulini/Bruckner 8) London Philharmonic: Jochum/Haydn London symphonies Sparkling Are they among the greatest? Oh, what do I know - probably not, but I had to get this recording in there. The strings are lithe and buoyant, the woodwinds are piquant. They sound like they are just having loads of fun. Berlin Philharmonic: Karajan/Beethoven 7 (70's version) Dynamic Exciting, dynamic playing. Loads of smooth, subtle power.

Awesomely entertaining and educational vid! Thanks, Dave!

Ha! Another great survey, and highly entertaining. I was stunned when you selected the Staatskapelle Dresden/Suitner recording of The Rite of Spring. I found this in a bargain-bin while I was in my university bookstore back in early 1990s. It has so much character and distinction, and I just love the hard-stick timpani at the end of Part 1. Also, great to see Pittsburgh and the Royal Scottish National on your list, both orchestras with a wonderful recorded legacy, that have led me on many explorations in classical music. If I was to amend your top 10 in just two spots, it would be the Montreal Symphony instead of the Paris orchestra, and perhaps the Bergen Philharmonic (or Oslo Philharmonic, tough choice) instead of the Budapest Festival. Both the Norwegian orchestras have a great history, recorded tradition and wonderful sound. I've been lucky to hear them both in concert on several occasions, and I love how they blow a fanfare at the end when the concert has been an unalloyed success! It's a Scandinavian thing, I am told. For reference recordings, I will go for the Ravel collection (Double Decca), a high point in the Montreal/Dutoit partnership, and a wonderful Rachmaninov 2 (coupled with Lyadov's Enchanted Lake), which came at the end of Andrew Litton's successful tenure in Bergen. David, keep up the great and highly controversial work!

The ones that gave me the most enjoyable listening experiences, either in recordings or live concerts: 1. Berlin Phil (Prokofiev 5 Karajan); 2. Vienna Phil (Beethoven 7 Kleiber); 3. Philadelphia (Mussorgsky Pictures Ormandy); 4. Concertgebouw (Bartok Concerto for Orchestra Chailly); 5. New York Phil (Bartok Mandarin Boulez); 6. Munich Bach Orchestra (Bach Brandenburg Richter); 7. Chicago Symphony (Mahler 8 Solti); 8. Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (Haydn Sym 53, 73, 79); 9. Los Angeles Phil (Beethoven 5 Giulini); 10. São Paulo Symphony (Villa-Lobos Bachianas - No. 4 I saw as live concert - Neschling).

Staatskapelle Dresden is the most focused group of orchestral performers I've ever heard in person. I heard them in NYC (conducted by, of all people, Andre Previn, who clearly let them do whatever they wanted) and the level of sheer *attention* was spectacular. It was thrilling.

Great choices and nicely done!

Thanks for your great videos and greetings from Germany/Frankfurt!

Love your channel, Dave, and, as you have so often mentioned, I love the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra. Please consider doing a special segment on what you find to be their best and / or most characteristic recordings, the ones that exemplify their unique tone. Cluytens' Ravel discs come to mind immediately. Thank you.

Fascinating stuff. Being a Londoner, I feel the need to show total bias, and register a vote for the LSO, who had a particular renaissance in the 60s/70s during the tenures of people like Previn and Kertesz. Kertesz's Dvorak Symphonies and Kodaly recordings were particular highlights.

My top: 1.- Wiener Philharmoniker, Abbado, Webern Orchestral works (DG) 2.- Concertgebouw, Jochum, Das Lied von der Erde (DG) 3.- Chicago Symphony, Giulini, Mahler's 9th (DG) 4.- Czech Philharmonic, Ančerl, Le Sacre du Printemps (Supraphon) 5.- San Francisco Symphony, Blomstedt, Nielsen's cycle (Decca) 6.- New York Philharmonic, Bernstein, Mahler's cycle (Sony) 7.- Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Kubelik, Janacek's Sinfonietta (Orfeo) 8.- London Symphony, Solti, Bartok's orchestral works (Decca) 9.- Bournemouth Symphony, Berglund, Sibelius' cycle (EMI, now Warner) 10.- Berlin Philharmonic, Karajan, Prokofiev's 5th Not necessarily in this order.

Great talk Dave ! Sound and the pleasure derived from it is what matters. Totally agree. I would added The Vienna Philharmonic. I believe when they're on and not necessarily outside their fach they're unmatched. Take Bruckner's symphony No.8 with Karajan , the digital recording, and they blow your socks off. Even Bernstein after hearing that particular recording confesses he was floored. Anyway all the orchestras you included are great without exception. Of the american ones my personal favorite is the Boston Symphony with Ozawa and especially Munch.

I love your list. Mine would differ slightly, with some old things and some opera. For Dresden, I would surely go with Weber's Freischuetz (Kleiber) Moscow Philharmonic - Kondrashin hand picked the players, and their Shostakovich 4 is peerless. Philharmonia Orchestra - Wagner Tristan, Furtwaengler Philadelphia - Rachmaninoff Symphony #1 - Ormandy Cleveland - Schubert 9 / Szell Vienna Phil - Janacek Jenufa / Mackerras Czech Phil - Mahler IX / Ancerl Berlin - Magic Flute / Beecham Munich - Brahms 4 / Celibidache Boston - Mathis / Konzertmusik for strings and brass - Steinberg

I always appreciate your mentioning Karel Ancerl. He led an amazing life. I’m fond of his accompaniment of Glenn Gould when he was music director of the Toronto.orchestra.

Mr Hurwitz! Dude!!! This might be the best vid of yours so far! Everybody has their favorites. I cannot give you 10 of them because I have ADHD but I can give you five right off the top of my head. And this is in order of my love for them 1. BSO. Top of the heap! No question! I am so glad things are opening up at symphony hall and Tanglewood. I disagree with your opinion of Ozawa however. He was decent but compared to the folks that have run this show he’s an also ran. No offense to him. Nelsons is doing a wicked good job and I look forward to you talking about his Shostakovich cycle. For me, my favorite recording is of course Munch. The one I like best is kind of wacky. It just says French music. That’s it. But it’s in the big blue box that we both have and love so much. 1A. Since these are sentimental favorites I will name one that I love and go to see a lot especially in Faneuil Hall. Martin Pearlman and Boston Baroque. I’m not sure if you have heard of them because they are just a local troupe but they are so dedicated to the music and they play beautifully. Their disc of Mozart flute concertos and symphony 41 on Telarc is wonderful. I support them every time I can. I always go to their Messiah other than the Haydn and Handel society one. No offense to the other guys but I’m rooting for my home team. 2. Berlin Phil. Believe the hype! Karajan was a genius. Plus he got the hottest chicks!! And I share his love for strings. Omg the strings!! His early Ein Heldenleben might be my favorite record. 3. Chicago. Solti. Mahler 8. My God. It’s like listening to Superman. It would be really awesome if someday you reviewed the Decca Solti box. I know it is a Herculean task but he is a Herculean conductor. Along with the ridiculous Karajan box and the big blue box it’s my favorite. 4. Concertgebow. Can you get any smoother than these guys? It helps that they play in an acoustically perfect place like we have at Symphony Hall in Boston. I will pick Haitink Mahler 9. 5. I know it’s probably an odd ball pick but I love it so much. And I know you love to pronounce extensive French symphony names. Cheur de l’Orchestra symphonique de Montreal. My choice is the breathtaking Les Troyens with Charles Dutoit. Those are my top dude! I could list a few more like Vienna and I agree with you on Dresden. Actually they have a pretty decent symphony in Portland Maine if you can believe it. But I have to run now I’m going to have a drink. Rock on Mr. Hurwitz! You are the balls!

Philly (Rite of Spring/Muti) Cleveland (Schumann No 3/Szell) Chicago (Lt. Kije & Song of the Nightengale/Reiner) Vienna (Janacek Sinfonietta & Taras Bulba/Mackerras) Berlin (Strauss 4 Last Songs & Death and Transfiguration/Janowitz & Karajan) Concertgebow (I also adore the Chailly Turangalila) Czech Phil (Martinu Kytice/Pesek) San Francisco (if nothing else than for the Mathis der Maler/Blomstedt) Somewhat similar list, I know. As a Pittsburgh-bred and (currently) based musician, it's nice to see you give our local gals and guys the love you do. I have to say though that I really miss what Jansons did with them when he was here. Some of the most interestingly programmed concerts I've been able to attend. (2 in particular: -Gotterdammerung Prelude and Rhine Journey/Haydn 99/Schumann concerto with Bronfman/Miraculous Mandarin -Haydn 95/Emperor concerto with Ax/Rite of Spring) I would guess this goes to your caveat of the difference between how an ensemble shows up in recordings vs. the season-to-season reality of being there. I've been to a handful of concerts in Honeck's tenure, but can't say I've been excited to get to a PSO concert since Andrew Davis did the Turangalila in 2007 (which they hadn't touched since the legendary mass walk-outs in the late 70s despite Andre Previn's uncharacteristic plea from the stage to give it a chance). Honeck is a very nice guy, and the PSO maintains a high standard. But the programming often induces (for me, anyway) a jaw-breaking yawn every year the schedule comes out. I'm far more likely to jump in the car and head to Cleveland. My father introduced me to most of this music. When Cleveland did a repeat of their Cunning Little Vixen, I made sure we made it there. I grew up with him wearing out the Gregor recording on Supraphon- I'm sure neither of us thought we'd ever see it live, let alone only having to drive just 2 hours to get there. Ended up being the last orchestral concert he went to before he passed. Very special time. And we knew it would never have happened here! Thanks as always for your wonderful videos and the forum they provide!

Thank you so much for this list. Being a European myself, and wanting to discover new things, I would love a talk on the 10 best North-American (born) conductors! Idem for composers!

1. Vienna Philharmonic / Giulini / Bruckner 9th 2. Berlin Philharmonic / Karajan / Sibelius 6th and Schoenberg’s Verklarte Nacht 3. Concertgebouw / Chailly / Mahler 4th and 9th 4. Cleveland / Szell / Mahler 4th 5. Boston / Abbado / Debussy Nocturnes

We all know our favorite prestigious top orchestras. Yet I wonder, as a modern day classical fan, what are some of the most exciting orchestras that you would normally look forward to their next new recording? That could mean these orchestras have been adventurous with unknown works and done it well, or adding something new to the traditional repertoire.

Great fun!! My personal enjoyments: Chicago/Reiner/Resphighi - Philly/Ormandy/Tchaikovsy - Vienna Philharmonic/Solti/Wagner - Statskapella Dresden/Bruckner and Strauss - Philharmonia/Klemperer - NYPO/Bernstein/Stravinsky/Rite of Spring. Too many others for me to pick :)

I was a medical student in Glasgow from 1964-1970 - Alexander Gibson had been conductor of the then SNO for about 5 years then. He was credited with bringing up this very ordinary provincial orchestra to a much higher standard, so that the orchestra had very successful European and North American tours and of course Alexander Gibson's great understanding and love of the music of Sibelius probably made the SNO one of the leading Sibelian orchestra outside Finland. I have very fond memories of attending concerts with my friends in that remarkable city. I was delighted to see you have the now RSNO on you list of great orchestras. Gibson would have loved to have known where his efforts would take the orchestra, and his city. I think the CDs that most represent the abilities of the orchestra is the boxed set of 3 CDs of the music of Rimsky Korsakoff suites, conducted by Neemi Jarvi and published by Chandos in 1984. The recordings are of reference standard and these CDs are probably the most played of all my collection. You can listen to this music again and again without ever tiring. If folk contributing here don't have this collection, well, you're really missing something and will never regret having this music in your collection.

I never paid much attention to the Scottish National Orchestra until a few years ago when they won me over with their Dvorak recordings with Jarvi. The 6th symphony in particular has become my reference recording and the SNO's brass section is outstanding.

1. Concertgebouw Orchestra - Mahler, Symphony No. 4, Roberta Alexander, Haitink 2. Wiener Philharmoniker - R. Strauss, Ein Heldenleben, Böhm 3. Staatskapelle Dresden - Bruckner, Symphony No. 7, Jochum 4. Berliner Philharmoniker - Brahms, Symphony No. 2, Abbado (1988) 5. San Francisco Symphony - Sibelius, Symphony No. 2, Blomstedt 6. Gewandhausorchester Leipzig - Mendelssohn, Symphony No. 3 (London Version), Chailly 7. BBC Symphony Orchestra - Elgar, Symphony No. 2, Andrew Davis

I decided to have two selections for each orchestra, kind of a "before and after", one mono era and one stereo. 1. Philadelphia orchestra (Stokowski Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade, 1927, Muti Stravinsky Le Sacre du Printemps) 2. Boston Symphony (Koussevitzky Ravel La Valse; Steinberg Holst Planets) 3. San Francisco Symphony (Alfred Hertz Beethoven Leonore Ov. No. 3; Blomstedt Bartok Concerto for Orchestra) 4. Philharmonia Orchestra (Kletzki Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5; Klemperer Brahms Symphony No. 1) 5. Czech Philharmonic (Pedrotti Mendelssohn 4th Symphony; Ancerl Bartok Concerto for Orchestra) 6. Berlin Philharmonic (Oskar Fried Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade; Karajan Prokofiev Symphony No. 5) 7. Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam (Mengelberg Liszt Les Preludes; Rosbaud Stravinsky Petrouchka) 8. Staatskapelle Dresden (Bohm Bruckner Symphony No. 5, 1937; Suitner Mozart Symphony No. 39) 9. Orchestre de l´Association des Concerts Lamoureux (Albert Wolff Franck Symphony 1931; Markevitch Bizet Carmen Suites) 10. Orchestre de la Société des concerts du Conservatoire (Piero Coppola Debussy La Mer, 1932; Mussorgsky-Ravel Pictures. Andre Vandernoot, but could easily have been any number of Cluytens recordings).......thanks for the reminder of the Schuricht Wagner album, which I just listened to! The "eau de Wagner" is indeed wonderfully fragrant!

I totally agree on that great American orchestra's!! Its remarkable they very oftenly use great European conductors. In my opinion they oftenly surpass European Orchestra's because of their very exact nuanced playing, their discipline to the conductor and flexibility! So yes there are many great great American Orchestra's I as a European Dutchman really love a lot! 01) Cleveland SO - Beethoven 5th - Christoph von Dohnanyi - TELARC superior speed and tension! marvellous recording. Among the maybe 25 to 50 performances I had this one keeps coming to be the first and foremost. 02) Chicago SO - Dvorak 9th - Sir Georg Solti - DECCA (CD&LP). I can mention several great Chicago SO recordings! Just love this Orchestra! Shostakovich 7th - Leonard Bernstein - DGG (CD&LP) for instance. 03) Pitssburg SO - Gerhwin - Rhapsodie in blue, PC in F, An american in Paris - Andre Previn - PHILIPS (CD&LP). Just absolute marvellous performance and superior beautiful recording also available on LP. I need to listen to more of their recordings!! I believe there are more absolute gems of this Orchestra with PHILIPS recording engineers. 03) RCO Amsterdam - Shostakovich 5th - Bernard Haitink - DECCA (CD&LP). Just one of a kind never surpassed reading of this heavy music, but best recording Concertgebouw orchestra is Prokofiev - Romeo & Juliet - Myung Wha Chung - DGG 4D. Also unique is Mahler 9th - Leonard Bernstein - DGG (CD&LP) with this Orchestra and Mahler 1the live also with Leonard Bernstein - HVT label (CD&LP difficult to purchase). The Orchestra could not cope with his speed conducting but its just absolutely unique performance which grips you for ever. 04) Leipzig Gewandhaus orchester - Beethoven series - Ricardo Chailly - DECCA. Its so refreshing good and this orchestra is so precise so flexible so unbelievable controlled and perfect. Amazing good recording absolute 10! 05) Vienna Philharmonik - Mahler 6th, 5th, 2th, 3th - Boulez - DGG 4D Shows how great this Orchestra is and absolute top recording 06) Berliner Philharmonik - Grieg - Peer Gynt - Herbert von Karajan - DGG (1983/4) (CD&LP). With this orchestra I can also mention a lot more favourable recordings but this one is the most emotional gripping Peer Gynt ever. Also very famous and unique is the "Ausklang" of the Alpine symphony of Richard Strauss also conducted by H. von Karajan - DGG (CD&LP) 07) Scottish National Orchestra - Shostakovich 7th - Neeme Jarvi - Chandos. Just something you can not miss if you love shostakovich. 08) Academy of St Martin in the fields - Neville Marriner - Stravinsky - Pulcinella - ARGO (remastered CD&LP). The very best classical music analog recording I've ever encountered. The woodwinds are marvellous!! 09) Munchener Philharmoniker - Bruckner symphonies - Sergiu Celibadache - EMI. There is nobody who has this gripping meditative perfect balanced performances of this music. Love Bruckner you can not miss these performances. You keep coming back to these ones. Live all of his performances where completely sold out every time! 10) Paris conservatoire Orchestra - Saint Seans - 3th symphony - Georg Pretre and Maurice Durufle on the organ. EMI (CD&LP). My reference recording because the Orchestre is really playing in the church together with the organ. Not many recordings have these recorded in a church. Its a very natural surrounding and composed to be played in a Church. Wonderfull performance with beauty recording but not a 10 but nevertheless unique beautiful. So many of the same choices like Dave Hurwirz for Orchestra, but not he same reference recordings!. And of course it doesn't stop at 10 but these are absolute jewels for my music enjoyment!! Hope yours too!!

I'll mention some orchestras I liked live and in recordings: - Budapest Festival Orchestra: every year they come to my hometown of Bruges (Belgium) for our three day Budapest Festival. I love their Mahler. Their Mahler 5 was my first classical concert ever. And their Mahler 2 blew me away. Their record of it is great, but you don't hear half of what it sounds like in concert. - Vienna Philharmonic: I have to pick them for their Bruckner. I heard them play the 8th with Zubin Mehta at Bozar, and the 4th with Herbert Blomstedt in Sint-Baafs Cathedral Ghent. And my favourite 8th recordings are theirs with Karajan and Giulini. - Concertgebouw Orchestra: For the most refined sound in many many many recordings. They were magnificent in concert with Andris Nelsons with Hakan Hardenberger in Brett Dean's trumpet concerto. - I have to add Bruges' home orchestra Anima Eterna. I love their Beethoven. The 9th they did in concert at Bruges Concertgebouw with Korneel Bernolet was better than any other I've heard. And it's the most difficult one to pull of in HIP. But they did it great! - Finally, the Freiburger Barockkorchester: the best Brandenburg Concertos on record or in concert. And I also love their Beethoven with Heras-Casado and Bezuidenhout

Thank you for this wonderful topic! These are my favourite orchestras: 1. Boston Symphony (Tilson Thomas, Tchaikovsky 1); 2. Philadelphia (Munch, Fauré Pelleas & Melisande); 3. Cleveland (Szell, Kodaly H. Janos); 4. Chicago (Reiner, Rossini Ouvertures); 5. Berlin Phil. (Karajan, Mahler 9 II); 6. Vienna Phil. (Karajan, Strauss Zigeunerbaron Ouverture); 7. Czech Phil. (Sejna, Dvorak Slavonic Rhapsody n. 3); 8. Paris Conservatory (Wolff, Franck Chasseur maudit); 9. Bavarian Radio (Kubelik, Janacek Sinfonietta); 10. Lamoureux (Markevitch, Beethoven 5).

You’re so right about Budapest Festival Orchestra under Ivan Fischer.Just listened to them performing Mahler’s Third,out of this world beautiful.

Hi Dave, I have not duplicated any of your choices but gone with some really good second tier orchestras that are some of my favourites. They have also recorded some lesser known repertoire which I congratulate. 1. Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Rafael Kubelik Janacek: Sinfonietta, Taras Bulba 2. Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi Tubin Symphonies 3. Bamberg Symphonic Orchestra, Hans Stadlmair Raff: Symphony No. 5 4. Malmö Symphony Orchestra, Sixten Ehrling: Berwald Symphonies 5. National Polish Symphony Orchestra: Noskowski Symphonies 6. Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Wit : Dvorak Requiem 7. Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Claus Peter Flor: Suk Asreal Symphony 8. Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, John Storgards: Madetoja: Symphony No. 2 9. Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Litton : Prokovfiev Symphonies 1,2,3 10. Stockholm Philharmonic, Stig Westerberg : Stenhammar Symphony 2

Hello Dave. I would like to ask you to consider to make a talk about Neeme Järvi's 20 best recordings. It would be so interesting to know which you consider is most worth listening to. Best wishes Fred.

Some years ago I heard Franz Welser-Most, music director of the Cleveland Orchestra, say at an event at Severance Hall that the Cleveland is every bit as good as the Vienna Phil or the Berlin Phil, "but not so arrogant." (With the last syllable of that word pronounced like "plant.") Obviously that stuck in my mind.

The recordings I selected are what I believe best reflects their particular character, rather than necessarily being the best performances of that work. In no particular order: 1. Staatskapelle Dresden: Ma Vlast, Berglund (EMI) 2. Bavarian Radio Symphony: Bruckner 6, Haitink (BR Klassik) 3. Concertgebouw Orchestra: Dvorak 7-9, Colin Davis (Philips) 4. Cleveland Orchestra: Sibelius 2, Szell (Sony) 5. Boston Symphony: Mahler 1, Ozawa (DG) 6. Czech Philharmonic: Dvorak Slavonic Dances, Neumann (Supraphon) 7. Vienna Philharmonic: Messiaen Eclairs sur l'au-dela..., Metzmacher (Kairos) 8. Munich Philharmonic: Bruckner 4, Celibidache (EMI) 9. Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony: Mahler cycle, Inbal (Exton) 10. San Francisco Symphony: Sibelius cycle, Blomstedt (Decca)

1) Wiener Philharmoniker - Bernstein/Zimmermann, Beethoven 5th piano concerto 2) Chech Philharmonic Orch. Dvorak no. 8, Vaclav Talich 3) Kölner Rundfunk sinfonie Orch., Mahler Symphonie No. 2, Gary Bertini 4) Berliner Philharmoniker - Klemperer/Oistrakh, Brahms violin concerto 5) Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureu, Markevitch/Haskil, Mozart piano concerto no. 20 6) Leningrad Philharmonic Orch., Evgeny Mravinsky, Tchaikovsky 4, 5 and 6 symphonies 7) London Symphony Orch., Adrian Boult, Elgar Enigma Variations 8) Moscow Philharmonic - Kondrashin, Dvorak 9th symphony 9) London Philharmonic Orch., Raymond Leppard, Arnold Bax symphony no. 5 10) San Francisco Symphony Orch., Herbert Blomstedt, Carl Nielsen 4 & 5 symphony

I can't argue with any of your choices (although I need to listen to the Budapest Festival Orchestra). So how about another 10 (just favorites--not necessarily "best."): 1. Los Angeles Philharmonic. Holst, The Planets, Mehta. 2. European Chamber Orchestra, Prokofiev, Symphony Number 1, Abbado. 3. London Symphony Orchestra, Verdi, Requiem, Bernstein. 4. Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Strauss, Ein Heldenleben, Reiner. 5. Berlin Philharmonic, Mozart, Magic Flute, Bohm. 6. New York Philharmonic, Mahler, Symphony 7, Bernstein (either one). 7. Leningrad Philharmonic. Tchaikovsky, Symphony 4, Mravinsky. 8. Saito Kinen Orchestra. Shostakovich, Symphony 5, Ozawa. 9. East-West Divan Orchestra, Beethoven, Symphony 9, Barenboim. 10. Minnesota Orchestra, Ravel, all of it, Skrowaczewski. I would include the Columbia Symphony, but from what I understand, that would be double-counting the LA Phil. The Milwaukee Symphony is the first I can remember hearing live, so they have a special place for me too.

Nothing here you haven't heard before! Vienna Philharmonic - Berg: Wozzeck - Dohnányi Berlin Philharmonic - Ravel: Bolero etc - Boulez Cleveland Orchestra - Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring - Chailly Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - Mozart: Symphonies - Harnoncourt Chicago Symphony - Mahler: Symphony no. 9 - Boulez Bavarian Radio Symphony - Bruckner: Symphony no. 8 - Jansons Berlin Staatskapelle - Beethoven: Symphonies - Barenboim Dresden Staatskapelle - Smetana: Ma Vlast - Berglund Metropolitan Opera Orchestra - Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen - Levine San Francisco Symphony - Adams: Harmonielehre - Tilson Thomas

Because of you I took Dresden & the Czech a big listen & was not disappointed in the slightest. All about the brass & the woodwinds right

Hi Dave. Interesting video as always; it had me thinking that orchestras are like horses for courses. It’s clear that you had in mind the classic or the modern repertoire, because none of your big ten is going to sound convincing in the baroque repertoire. But I guess this will be the topic of another video. However, since I started thinking about baroque orchestras, I come up with a short list. Curiously enough, it could be due to my ignorance, but I couldn’t think of any important american barocque ensemble. Please, let me know if I’m wrong. 1) Europa Galante ( Vivaldi - Il cimento dell’armonia e dell’invenzione- Biondi on Erato) The archetypal italian concertos performed with an unmatched brilliance. 2) Les musiciens du Louvre ( Rameau - Une symphonie imaginaire - Minkowski) The best of Rameau’s orchestral music in one disc. The short Prelude to Act V of Les Boreades is a miniature masterpiece shockingly modern. 3) The English Concert (Purcell- King Arthur - Pinnock) listening to this album, I realised for the first time that Purcell is really one of the greatest composers. 4) Musica Antiqua Koln ( Rebel: Les Elemens - Goebel) There are no many recordings out there of the composition with absolutely the more daring beginning for its time. 5) Concerto Italiano (Bach: Brandeburg concertos - Alessandrini) Bach in a Ferrari. Not that this should be surprising, since Bach took from Vivaldi’s concertos 6) Les Concert des Nations (Handel- Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks - Savall). A little note to conclude: Of course these are some of my personal preferences, I don’t pretend that this is the best of the best out there.

My orchestra list. Favorite recordings of favorite orchestras. Not necessarily the greatest versions, but ones in which each orchestra sounds the most like are they are… 1. Berlin - Anything recorded in the Jesus-Christus Kirche, but I’ll go with the 1964 Debussy La Mer, Ravel Daphnis/Karajan (classic studion sound) 2. Vienna - Bruckner 6/Stein (horns!) 3. Dresden - Die Meistersinger/Karajan (EMI) (a joyous recording...) 4. Philharmonia - Mahler 6/Barbirolli (controversial version, but one of the greatest analog studio sounds, ever!) (EMI) 5. Boston - Poem of Ecstasy/Abaddo (DG) (greatest French orchestra, especially in the 70’s) 6. Cleveland: Petrushka/Boulez (DG) 7. Chicago - Pictures/Reiner (brass) 8. Philly - Rachmaninoff 2/Ormandy (Anything Russian, really) 9. Pittsburgh - Bruckner 9/Honeck 10. Concertgebouw - Mahler 1 Haitink (Sentimental choice, the first Mahler I ever heard….)

My top 10 (in this order): 1. Wiener Philharmoniker - Bernstein, Mahler: Symphony no. 6 (DG) 2. Berliner Philharmoniker - Karajan, Schönberg/Webern/Berg (DG) 3. Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks - Kubelik, Dvorak: Slavonic dances & Symphonic poems (DG) 4. Philharmonia Orchestra - Muti, Orff: Carmina burana (EMI/Warner) 5. Münchner Philharmoniker - Celibidache, Debussy: La mer & Images (EMI/Warner) 6. Czech Philharmonic Orchestra - Silvestri, Lalo/Ravel/Enesco (Supraphon) 7. Concertgebouworkest Amsterdam - Ashkenazy, Rachmaninov: Symphony no. 1 (Decca) 8. Staatskapelle Dresden - my choice is also Suitner˙s recording of Stravinsky˙s "Le sacre du printemps" (ETERNA) 9. Boston Symphony Orchestra - Ozawa, Ravel: Orchestral works (DG) 10. St. Petersburg Philharmonic / Leningrad Philharmonic - Mravinsky, Shostakovich: Symphony no. 8 (Philipps)

I went to my first live concert at Lewisohn Stadium in 1963. The conductor was Vladimir Golschmann and the pianist was Julius Katchen. My first Beethoven 9th was in May 1967 with the American Symphony Orchestra with Leopold Stokowski. Also with that Orchestra were Ernest Ansermet and the Brahms 3rd Symphony and Andre Previn doing La Valse. In Feb 1967 at Carnegie Hall an all Schumann concert with George Szell and Tamas Vasary + Cleveland Orchestra - stands out in my memory all these years later. The same month, same place London Symphony with Mstislav Rostropovich Dvorak & Saint-Saens no 1 cello concertos cond Gennady Rozhdestvensky. I’ve been to many Los Angeles Philharmonic concerts with many conductors and soloists. Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos Symphonie Fantastique, La Vida Breve stand out and an all-Dvorak concert conducted by Manfred Honeck, forgot the violinist, stands out too. I loved the Leipzig Gewandhaus under Chailly play Beethoven at Disney Hall. So much music to hear and love. This has been a tough year. I have recordings, but my ear isn’t sharp or developed enough. Thanks for your programs and humor.

These just stand out from my recollection of how brilliant and tight these orchestras are. Also including a couple online concerts and live performances. Budapest FO (Fischer: Strauss Josephslegende, Brahms Hungarian Dances, Kodaly disc) Chamber Orch of Prague (Mackerras: Mozart 38) Bavarian Radio (Maazel: Strauss DJ, Rosenkavalier, Zarathustra; Janssons: SS 3) Frankfurt (Altinoglu: live performance online of Schmitt complete Tragedie of Salomé WATCH IT; Jarvi: Hindemith violin concerto)\ LA Phil (Salonen: Stravinsky Rite of Spring) San Francisco (MTT: Proko R&J) Leipzig Gewandhaus (Masur: Schubert 9) Berlin (Abbado: Brahms 2) Chicago (Barenboim: Tchaikovsky 4) Orch de Paris (live performances of works by d’Indy, Schmitt, Roussel, Debussy/Koechlin; Roussel cycle with Eschenbach which I revisited based on your recommendation)

Thanks for all the listening suggestions. I think I only have heard Honeck's Dvorak 8 before. I found the others on Qobuz with the exception of Cleveland and Paris.

1. Lahti Symphony Orchestra-Vänskä/Sibelius’ symphony cycle 2. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra-Chailly/Mahler’s symphony cycle 3.The Cleveland Orchestra-Szell/Beethoven, 9th Symphony 4. Chamber Orchestra of Europe-Harnoncourt/Schubert symphony cycle 5. New York Philharmonic- Bernstein/ Stravinsky 6.Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra-Järvi/Grieg, ‘Peer Gynt’

Wonderful talk, Dave. My only change would be switching the Jarvi Macbeth over to his genius Sinfonia Domestica, where the horns really strut their stuff....that final fugue is so clear and transparent and sweeping.

Old Philharmonia Orchestra - Klemperer, Brahms But "the orchestra that has given me the most pleasure on disc over the decades" is the Columbia Symphony.

The first orchestra that played extended seasonal series open to the general public was the Boston Symphony starting in 1881. before that, even the NYP was basically a music club that played a few concerts a year to an invited audience. The Vienna Phil was tied to a theater and gave stand alone concerts every now and then.

Chicago S. O. is my American choice, without doubt.

My short list. It only includes orchestras I have attended live concerts in addition to any recordings I own. I have attended live concerts of The Cleveland Orchestra the most followed by the Vienna Philharmonic. And I have attended concerts by all of the major American orchestras save the LA Phil. 1. Vienna Philharmonic - Wagner: Meistersinger Overture ' Solti Live 2. Czech Philharmonic - Dvorak: Stabat Mater / Belohlavek live, 2014 3: Cleveland Orchestra - Mahler: Symphony No 7 / Tennstedt 1978 4. Staatskapelle Dresden - Wagner: Rienzi Overture / Sinopoli live 5. Chicago Symphony - Bruckner: Sym 4 / Muti live

I always try to listen carefully to your talks, because your information tells why og how you build the video, and the idea behind. I think your choices are great and could agree 100 procent - but I have build my collection over 55 years, and I have too little Pittsburg and BBC Scots, so I will ad 2 others. Chicago SO and Wiener PO Records with CSO, what to choose? Reiner, Solti, but I choose Nielsen 4 with Martinon. CSO sounds bigger and noisier than other orchestras. I choose WPO because I have days when I need to hear them. so I first choose WPO, next what to hear, third conductor. I love Bernstein conduct them in Mozart, or Bohm in Beethoven, or Maazel in Sibelius. My choice is Dohnanyi with Stravinsky Firebird and Bartok Mandarin. Sound of WPO ? sweeter, greater, or it is Sophiensaal acoustics. What an inspiering video, and so many great comments. The most famous, is not always the way to go. Thanks

I was a tenor in the chorus of Penn State and sang with the Pittsburgh Symphony under Steinberg and Previn.

So difficult to choose but for me in terms of personal significance: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Shostakovich 4th Symphony Jarvi Chandos (could have chosen their pulverizing Scythian Suite - but the Shostakovich is just Wow!) London Sinfonietta. Stravinsky Soldier's Tale Suite etc Chailly Decca. Love the Sinfonietta - they've done sterling work for contemporary music particularly. This is a beautiful disc. London Symphony Orchestra. Mussorgsky Orchestral and Choral Works. Abbado. RCA. Whilst the LSO did some of their best work with Abbado, this is a particularly remarkable recording - The Destruction of Sennacherib gives me goosebumps! Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Bruckner's 9th Symphony Harnoncourt. RCA (Sony) Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Shostakovich 8th Symphony Haitink Decca Philadelphia Orchestra. Prokofiev 3rd Symphony. Muti. Philips New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Mahler 2nd Symphony. Lenny B Sony Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra. Bartok Concerto for Orchestra, Dance Suite, etc Kocsis Hungaroton Philharmonia Orchestra. Mahler 5th Symphony. Sinopoli.DG (actually was a toss up between this and their terrific recording of Vaughan Williams Job with Barry Wordsworth on the defunct Collins Classics) San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Adams Harmonielehre. Either de Waart or Tilson Thomas. Nonesuch and SFSO's own label respectively.

My personal top 10 in no specific order and mostly from recordings would be: Staatskapelle Dresden Berlin Phil Concertgebouw Bayrischer Rundfunk Maybe Scala New York Philharmonic Wiener Philharmoniker/ Wiener Staatsoper Cleveland Boston NHK

Great video! Here’s my baker’s dozen list of American orchestras and records that show them at their best (in no order): Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: Mahler 4/Levi/Telarc St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Shostakovich 10/Slatkin/RCA New York Philharmonic: Scriabin 3/Poem of Ecstasy/Sinopoli/DG Kansas City Symphony: Holst/The Planets/The Perfect Fool/Stern/Reference Recordings Philadelphia Orchestra: Mussorgsky/Pictures at an Exhibition/Ormandy/Sony Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra: Beethoven 9/Steinberg/DG Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Shostakovich 1 and 7/Bernstein/DG Cleveland Orchestra: Schubert 9/Szell/Warner (in the small box) Baltimore Symphony Orchestra: Rachmaninov 2/Zinman/Telarc Los Angeles Philharmonic: Holst/The Planets/Mehta/Decca Mehta/LA Box Boston Symphony Orchestra/Mahler 8/Ozawa/Philips Seattle Symphony Orchestra/Dvorak 6/Schwarz/Naxos Houston Symphony Orchestra/Brahms/Symphonies 1-4/Eschenbach/Virgin And lest I be called provincial, some European orchestras and records: Vienna Philharmonic: Strauss/An Alpine Symphony/Previn/Telarc Concertgebouw Orchestra: Beethoven 6/Jochum/Philips Berlin Philharmonic: Brahms 1-4/Abbado/DG Staatskapelle Dresden: Bruckner 9/Jochum/Warner Paris Conservatoire Orchestra: Beethoven1-9/Schuricht/EMI Scottish National Orchestra: Strauss/Symphonia Domestica/Jarvi/Chandos Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: Beethoven 2 & 7/Beecham/EMI Lamoureux Orchestra: Berlioz/ Symphonie Fantastique /Markevitch/DG Leningrad Philharmonic: Tchaikovsky 4-6/Mravinsky/DG Czech Philharmonic: Honegger 1-5/Baudo/Supraphon London Symphony Orchestra: Elgar & Brahms Variations/Jochum/DG Bavarian Radio Symphony: Mahler 1/Kubelik/DG and from down under... New Zealand Symphony Orchestra: Janacek/Orchestral Suites 3/Breiner/Naxos

I have a huge collection of music but I rarely get to hear these orchestras in live concerts. I always have this question: how do the "house sound" of these orchestras' associated labels relate to how they "sound"? Do I love the Concertgebouw because of the "DECCA sound"? Or the other way around: do I not like the strings heavy sound of the Berlin Philharmonic/Karajan not because of Karajan but because of DG (as I love the Karajan's Sibelius with EMI and some of his operas with DECCA)? I really would love to hear your view on these questions.

I think a great video series would be the "10 best (or most unexpectedly great) recordings" ... by any orchestra you wanted to talk about... you would have the opportunity to go a little deeper into the catalogues...

1. Concertgebouw: Mahler 3/Haitink (Philips) - I have never heard those wonderful solos in the third movement performed with more character. 2. Philharmonia: Mozart 38/Klemperer (1956, EMI) - Another orchestra whose trademark sonority has all but disappeared. The 1950s Philharmonia was easily London's best orchestra. Listening to this 38th, I always marvel at how audible the woodwind lines in the middle of the first movement are, despite that nice 'big band' Mozart style. 3. Czech Philharmonic: Pauer: Bassoon and Oboe Concertos/Košler (Supraphon) - I agree with everything said, so let's just mention an underrated recording: Two highly attractive modern concertos that deserve to be heard; here performed with character and conviction. Ančerl also recorded the Bassoon Concerto, but the one for oboe is even better. 4. Heidelberger Sinfoniker: Haydn 69/Fey (Hänssler) - It is a tragedy Fey grew perverse and then had that debilitating accident. The HS's modern strings, period winds, and thundering timpani are my ideal collection of timbres for period performances. 5. The 'dark horse' pick: La Musique des gardiens de la paix. Their Anthology of French Marches is a veritable treasure trove for fans of badly played band music. It's unbelievable how they could play so badly with such unfaltering conviction (like the French army, come to think of it). And knowing that that vile Holocaust denier Jean-Marie le Pen sank his money into the project is just the cherry on top. --Joseph Deryck

I was lucky enough to grow up listening to Dohnanyi at Severance Hall, 15 minutes up the hill from Severance Hall. Szell’s Beethoven cycle typifies the greatness for me. And I went to Pittsburgh one or twice, which isn’t too far from Cleveland in the grand scheme of things. I’ll go with The Planets from Steinberg. Nowadays I live in southern Wisconsin just up the road from Chicago. All wonderful orchestras with specific strengths to recommend them. Muti’s partnership with the Chicago brass is pretty stirring stuff. I’ll go with Leonard Bernstein’s Shostakovich 7 with the CSO, which is probably not typical but one of my favorite things ever committed to disc. Those bands would probably all be on my list, although I haven’t had the privilege of seeing any European orchestra live save for the London Symphony Orchestra. Maybe I’ll be able to take in some shows once COVID flare-ups cease. I totally adore the Budapest Festival Orchestra’s Mahler, and that Ančerl disc with Shostakovich 10 and the Stravinsky Violin Concerto is a treasured favorite. Hard to beat the Czech Phil, no matter which of several conductors you select. The Kletzki Beethoven cycle is now my favorite.

My list's pretty general and conventional, but... - Vienna Philharmonic - Almost any of their Bernstein discs, and (on DVD), the Buchbinder live performances of the later Mozart piano concertos. - Berlin Philharmonic - Karajan's breezy early 60's Beethoven symphony set, Kubelik's Schumann and Dvorak symphonies, Bohm's Mozart symphony set. - London Symphony - By far my favorite of the Brits - almost any of Dorati's Mercury discs, Abbado's Ravel and Stravinsky - gosh, I just love the LSO woodwinds back then. - Boston Symphony - Never understood the back-of-the-hand attitude towards Ozawa, much better than the often-hectic Munch - Ozawa's marvelous Ravel, Respighi, Brahms 1, Mahler 1, Tchaikovsky ballets. - Cleveland - Szell, of course - Tuning in to an in-progress performance, you could always tell it was Szell/Cleveland - Mozart, Haydn, Schumann breathtaking. - New York Philharmonic - Bernstein's Ives, Copland, Mahler (of course), Boulez for even better playing (and Boulez' NYPO Ravel was the best). - Concertgebouw - It's jewel-like textures, poised and detailed, especially with Haitink (Debussy, Mahler, Bruckner), always captured in that signature Philips refinement. - Philharmonia, in the 50's and 60's, under Klemperer and Karajan - though its toothpaste-tube oboe was sometimes annoying! - Los Angeles Philharmonic, in the Mehta and Giulini years - I've listened to some of those Mehta discs since Mr. Hurwitz recommended them - such freshness, mobility, enthusiasm. - St. Louis Symphony in the Slatkin years - those American music discs on RCA and EMI were uniformly superb, and superbly recorded, too.

In short Mr. H, I agree, as a resident of PA, thanks for giving that little band from western PA it's due! Also, for me, a tip of the hat to Milwaukee which I've enjoyed live on radio for years.

As a loyal son of the City of the Burning River, I'm glad that Cleveland made DH's list (and so many others') And I'm delighted that Pittsburgh made the list too: they have been a fantastic ensemble forever, and don't get the recognition that they deserve. I am far too outclassed in terms of knowledge of the recorded repertoire to offer a comprehensive list, but here are a few off-the-beaten track favorites of mine: Berlin: I know, not so off-the-beaten-track, but I'm nominating Karajan's EMI Sibelius 4th. I've got 30 other recordings of it, but that was the recording that drew me in to that extraordinary work. Cleveland: Yes, not so unknown . But I'm nominating Szell and Mozart's Overture to The Impresario. At 15, it thrilled me and was just the right length to make me want to hear more. Buffalo Philharmonic: Another under-the-radar excellent ensemble. Lots to choose from with MTT and JoAnne Falleta, but I'm nominating Steinberg's Shostakovich 7th from 1946 in wholly listenable mono (the first recording of the work, by the way). Two recordings from BBC Music Magazine that helped me discover new things, and that I think are well worth hearing: 1. BBC National Orchestra of Wales: Walton Symphony No. 1, conducted by Tadaaki Otaka. Recorded live at the Proms 1993, and the recording that introduced me to the Walton 1st. I've got 7-8 others, including DH's favorite, but I think this live recording holds up really well. 2. BBC Symphony: Vaughan Williams Symphony No. 5, conducted by Andrew Davis. Recorded live at the Proms, 2007. Again, the first time I heard the work. Sensational. I've got other recordings, and I think this is still one of the best. And last of all: English Chamber Orchestra: Handel, Concerti Grossi, Op. 6, conducted by Raymond Leppard. I've got 5-6 versions, but heard these at KZfaq and was bowled over by the wit and elegance of the performances. I tracked the CDs down at some cost and feel fortunate to have found them. Leppard was overshadowed by Marriner and ASMF, but he was first-rate and I'm listening now to the recordings of his that I passed over in my ignorance back in the 70s and 80s. Moral to the story: we probably take that multitude of English ensembles for granted. I hope Brexit doesn't hurt them too much.

Thanks, David. I agree with most of your choices. I would have included the Chicago SO as I love Reiner as a conductor. In my book he almost always chose appropriate tempi when he conducted and the orcjhestra played well for him. Surely his Respighi "Pines of Rome" and Bartoik "Concerto for Orchestra" are classics. I agree with your choice of Iván Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra and have all his Mahler and Brahms. In the earlier days he also did some excellent Bartok on Philips: a wonderful Bluebeard's Castle.- re-released on Channel Classics - and excellent Miraculous Mandarin (complete) and Wooden Prince ballets as well as a very fine Concert for Orchestra. The Royal Concertgebouw and Vienna Phil had to be on the list. but I did raise my eyebrows with the Royal Scottish and Paris Conservatoire Orcehstras. In the early days the latter could be very scrappy. I presume because you're not a HvK or Rattle fan that the Berlin Phil coudln't be included. I've probably said enough.

Great Orchestras "in their groove" with repertoire and conductor: 1.) Vienna Phil (Maazel/Mahler, Mehta/Schmidt 4th) 2.) Cleveland (Szell/Boulez Debussy Images -- 1969 version) 3.) Bavarian Radio (Jarvi/Glazunov on Orfeo) 4.) Concertgebouw (Jarvi/Reger) 5.) Czech Phil (Ancerl, Neumann/Dvorak Dances, Mahler 8th) 6.) Philharmonia (Barbirolli/Mahler 6th, Vaughan Williams 5th) 7.) Swiss-Italian Radio (Shelley/Haydn London Syms) 8.) Boston (Ozawa/Respighi Ancient Airs) 9.) London Sym (Previn/Prokofiev 5 & 7) 10.) National Philharmonic (London)/Charles Gerhardt (Classic Film Scores)

My list is based on recordings, because the only one I hear live with any frequency is Chicago. But these orchestra/conductor pairings consistently give me a good experience in recordings, along with one representative recording each: Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic (digital Alpensinfonie, but of course there are many dozens of true greats) Reiner/Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Bartok Concerto) Blomstedt/San Francisco (Sibelius symphony cycle) Michael Sanderling/Dresdner Philharmonie (Shosty cycle) Chailly/Gewandhaus Orchester Leipzig (Brahms Piano Concertos) Gardner/Orchestra Revolutionaire et Romantique (1994 Beethoven cycle) Trevor Pinnock /English Concert (Brandenbergs) Charles Munch/Boston (St. Saens Organ Symphony) Theodore Kuchar/Janacek Philharmonic (Nielsen Symphony cycle) Seattle Sympohony Orchestra/Gerard Schwarz (Howard Hanson symphony cycle)

My pick: yes the Concertgebouw Orchestra which I heard live hundreds of times in concert. To hear their quality: The Mozart Prague symphony nr 38 conducted by Josef Krips. recorderd in 1974 or so, and the introduction of the first movement: i listened to it 100 times or more and still wondering... Mozart, Krips and the Concertgebouw...

So glad you mentioned Otmar Suitner. One of the true giants along with Hans Rosbaud and Eduard van Beinum whom we do not hear enough.

In alphabetical order: Bavarian Radio Symphony - Mahler 1, Kubelik Berlin Philharmonic - Brahms 2, Karajan Boston Symphony - Tchaikovsky 1, Thomas or Debussy "Nocturnes," Abbado if you want something French Chicago Symphony - Mahler 8, Solti Cleveland Orchestra - Mahler 4, Szell Concertgebouw Orchestra - Mahler 3, Haitink New York Philharmonic - Stravinsky “Le Sacre” - Bernstein Philadelphia Orchestra - Tchaikovsky 6, Ormandy Pittsburgh - Beethoven 3, Honeck Vienna Philharmonic - “Das Rheingold,” Solti

I have great respect for your logic but applying it I would have come up with different choices! 1. Lorin Maazel - Cleveland - Respighi Roman Festivals In a class of its own. 2. Wagner excerpts - London Philharmonic - Tennstedt (Much better Siegfried Funeral March than Schuricht!) 3. Richard Strauss -Tone poems - Pittsburgh Honeck (Yes, that Dvorak 8 disc is superb also but I wonder why you didn't mention this Strauss one when discussing Strauss tone poems?) 4. Bruckner 7 - Karajan 1975 Berlin Philharmonic 5.Elgar - In the South Elgar - Silvestri Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Another 5 to follow!

I think any of these top 10 could be best in a given concert with all the factors aligning: conductor, repertoire, rehearsal time/familiarity with the piece, etc. But another factor that is important to my way of thinking is the "Great Instrument" - that is the HALL in which they play. If you are in Boston Symphony Hall, The Musikverein, Disney Hall in LA, Meyerson Hall in Dallas, Concertgebouw - then you have a huge advantage as the hall adds to the beauty and overall tone. But like the saying goes with my tweak: " There are no bad halls, only bad playing." 10. St. Louis Symphony: Barber Violin Concerto Slatkin Takezawa 9. Oslo Philharmonic: Thaikovsky Symphonies 4-6 Jansons 8. Bavarian State Orchestra: Sawallisch Bruckner 7. Boston Symphony: Saint Saens Symphony 3 Munch 6. Chicago Symphony: Shotokovich Symphony 6 Bernstein 5. Cleveland Symphony: Dohnanyi Dvorak Symphony 7 & 8 4. London Symphony Orchestra: Mendelssohn Hebrides Perter Maag 3. Berlin Philharmonic: Roman Carnival Overture Levine 2. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra: Mahler: Des Knaben Wunderhorn Chailly 1. Vienna Philharmonic: Anything imo, but favorite: Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture Maazel

Dohnanyi Ives 4. Yes. My ideal is if you can hear the strangely satisfying clarinet tune in the chorale of the Fugue. He is the best.

I couldn't believe that you didn't include my three favorites: Vienna, Berlin, and LSO. Walter's Columbia recordings also have a great warm sound (esp. Bruckner's 4th). And no Chicago? Are you deliberately trying to be contrarian? :-) Vienna: Solti's Ring Cycle / Beethoven's 6th with Bohm, many others. Marvelous strings, the best brass ever heard in the history of recording in the Ring cycle (I'm an old trombone player). LSO/Stokowski: selections from the Ring (1966): a record that literally revolutionized my life back in 1974. Berlin: Karajan's first Beethoven symphonies cycle; the first symphony I ever listened to (Beethoven's 5th with Fricsay: which I see you liked a lot), many Mahler symphonies with Bernstein, Boulez, Solti, Abbado . . . Vienna also has the advantage of having the wonderful Decca sound: which for my money is in a class by itself: especially in the analogue days (I still have hundreds of vinyl records), and great recording locations (Sofiensaal et al). Our own Detroit Symphony Orchestra is very good, and underrated. I think we're at least as good as the "lesser" American bands like San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Atlanta; better than New York (though a lot of that is a bad hall for recording), and we have had periodic spurts with some good recording contracts (Paray, Dorati, Jarvi, Slatkin), where we almost but not quite broke into the group of preeminent American orchestras (somewhat analogous to Pittsburgh). I don't think I've ever been to a DSO concert that I thought was "bad." And I'm a fairly "fussy" and demanding classical listener. We also have a superb concert hall: Orchestra Hall: which is widely considered to have some of the best acoustics in the world.

When I hear the BSO with Ozawa now on recordings I do think they sound fantastic. I actually like Leinsdorf's BSO recordings: Mahler 5 and 6, in great audio, Prokofiev, et al. Agree, Pittburgh (Previn Mahler 4), really great / Budapest Festival (Bartók with Fischer, Kocsis) for me also, and Czech Philharmonic (Ancerl). I'd add Stockholm Philharmonic for that wonderful nordic sound

I have been watching live performances by the Galicia Symphony Orchestra on KZfaq over the past 6 months and have been very impressed. Their version of Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz is stunning, particularly the final 2 movements. Why this orchestra is not better known I’m unsure, but maybe it’s because they don’t figure in the recording studio to any great extent. Anyway, imho they should be at least be given the heads up to those who have never heard of them.

In no particular order: 1. Cleveland Orchestra - Szell Sibelius 2 (Sony) 2. Boston Symphony Orchestra - MTT Ives/Ruggles/Piston (DG) 3. San Francisco Symphony Orchestra - Blomstedt Nielsen 3 (Decca) 4. Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra - Honeck Bruckner 9 (Reference Recordings) 5. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - Mackerras Janacek Vixen (Decca) 6. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - Haitink Bizet (Philips) 7. Czech Philharmonic Orchestra - Almeida Dukas (Supraphon) 8. NDR Sinfonieorchester - Hengelbrock Dvorak 4 (Sony) 9. Staatskapelle Dresden - Jochum Haydn 93,94,95,98 (Berlin Classics) 10. Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra - Dausgaard Nielsen (Dacapo)

Not necessarily in this order: 1. NDR SO Hamburg - Rachmaninov - Symphonic Dances - Gardiner - DG (and most Wand recordings) 2. Boston SO - Mendelssohn 4 - Colin Davis - Philips (and Sibelius with Davis, many Munch recordings) 3. Pittsburgh SO - Mahler 4 - Ameling - Previn - Warner 4. Cleveland Orchestra - Mendelssohn - Erste Walpurgisnacht - Dohnanyi - Telarc (and many other Szell and Dohnanyi recordings, and some Maazel) 5. Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra - Dvorak 9 - Nelsons - BR Records (and many Kubelik recordings on DG) 6. Staatskapelle Dresden - Weber - Freischütz - Kleiber - DG 7. LSO - Hindemith - Weber Metamorphosen - Abbado - Decca 8. Wiener Philharmoniker - Glass - Violin Concerto - Kremer - Dohnanyi - DG 9. Berliner Philharmoniker - Smetana - Ma Vlast - Fricsay - DG 10. Concertgebouw - Bizet C-Dur - Haitink - Philips and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen Greetings from Northern Germany

I have a lot re-listening to do.

I had a feeling Dave would pick Pittsburgh based on his praise of the horns on multiple occasions. I bought my horn from Houghton Horns, which is part-owned by the Pittsburgh horn player Mark Houghton and his family back in Texas.

Just listened to Suitner/SKD Rite. That timpanist is a badass!

My choices, in no particular order: 1. (New) Philharmonia: Klemperer, Mahler 7th. 2. Berliner Philharmoniker: Karajan, Nielsen 4th. 3. Wiener Philharmoniker: Giulini, Bruckner 9th. 4. Chicago Symphony: Abbado, Prokofiev scythian suite and lieutenant Kijé. 5. Cleveland: Dohnányi, Webern's orchestral works. 6. Concertgebouw: Davis, Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique. 7. Boston Symphony: Bernstein, Liszt's Faust Symphony. 8. London Symphony: Markevitch, Tchaikovsky complete symphonies. 9. Staatskapelle Dresden: Sinopoli, Strauss Alpine Symphony. 10. Orchestre de Paris: Martinon, Ravel Daphnis et Chloé or Bolero.

Australian Chamber Orchestra - small but beefy. Favourite recordings - Szymanowski, Janacek, Haas String Quartet Arrangements for Orchestra 2007 & Respighi Ancient Airs & Dances, The Birds 1988

A convincing approach to have a split of 4 US orchestras versus 6 European orchestras within a personal Top 10! Also the completely different approach of financing orchestras in the US versus those in Europe is nicely explained. Great to see that Czech Philharmonic and the Budapest Festival Orchestra have made their way into your list! As a German I find your way of choosing Staatskapelle Dresden as the top German orchestra quite interesting (Christian Thielemann who is still their chief conductor would smile in case he watches this video 😂 - has he deserved it? No). Most Germans would for sure say that Berlin Philharmonic is the best orchestra in Germany. There can be no doubt that Berlin Philharmonic have the best individual musicians compared to other top orchestras in Germany. But does this automatically make them the best orchestra in Germany? Not necessarily….

Interesting video, Dave. So these are my preferences: 1: Cleveland (Mahler 4, Boulez) 2: Chicago (Martinon in Daphnis and Chloé). 3: Boston (anything by Ravel and Ozawa) 4. Berlin phil (Abbado in Brahms 4) 5: Staatskapelle Dresden (Sinopoli in Mahler 9) 6: Concertgebouw A'dam (Haitink in the Brahms Serenades) 7: LSO (MTT in Mahler 7) 8: Vienna Phil (Bruckner 7 under Karajan)... Last but not least, I plead for an honorable mention for both Columbia and NBC orchestra's (Walter in Brahms 2, Toscanini in Elgar's Enigma).... Or was that one and the same orchestra? Perhaps a video about radio orchestra's in the first half of the 20th century?

Great review as always! Thank you! Is the DG Boston Symphony box worth getting?

Now you have to do your 10 favourite chamber ensembles David

Boston Symphony: Ozawa, Prokofiev's complete "Romeo and Juliet" ballet Amsterdam Concertgebouw: Szell, Sibelius Symphony no. 2 Minnesota Orchestra: Oue, Copland Symphony no. 3 Chicago Symphony: Reiner, Bartok Concerto for Orchestra Academy of Ancient Music: Levin, Hogwood, Mozart piano concertos Czech Philharmonic: Ancerl, Stravinsky, Symphony of Psalms St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Slatkin, Copland "Billy the Kid" Berlin Philharmonic: Rattle, Shostakovich symphonies 1 and 13 New York Philharmonic: Mutter, Masur, Brahms Violin Concerto Philharmonia Orchestra: Perlman, Giulini, Beethoven Violin Concerto

I'd be interested to hear about the best orchestras outside of US & Europe. I'm not an expert, so I won't offer a list of my own, but I know that I've heard recordings from orchestras in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, & Israel.

Thank you very much for this engaging listing. I would include definitely the Concertgebouw, especially in the 1960's. A very special record for me is Haitink leading them in Haydn 96 and 99 (Philips I pray they come out on CD). Paris Conservatory has stunned me in Franck's Chasseur Maudit (which need really superior orchestras IMO) by Albert Wolff. Perhaps obvious, like Cleveland giving everything in Sibelius 2 by Szell in 1970 or Suisse Romande Orchestra in the same Franck repertoire (Symphony under Janowski. Feel sorry that the match did not record any Brahms. Similarly, I wish Rattle will record Haydn Symphonies with BRSO in Munich). Philadelphia in Iberia (orchestrated Albeniz, Ormandy). Then another one that may betray me : Moscow Tchaikovsky Orchestra (at the time USSR TV and Radio Large Symphony Orchestra) in Rachmaninov 2 with Fedoseyev (Audiophile Classics). They still sound incredible IMO. Or French ORTF live in Beethoven 6 under Schuricht (heard on air but it was available in Japan. Not the most precise orchestra, but the one that speaks so movingly this music as far as I am concerned and Schuricht's last appearance in France) And the few records I heard with the BBC symphony under Colin Davis (Tippett, Grieg... Philips) or under Rozhdestvensky in Klagende Lied (IMP). Oh beg your pardon how could I forget Vienna Philharmonic under Jochum live in Mozart 41 (Altus). And and sorry Berlin in Johann Strauss II Overture to the Gypsy Baron by Karajan in 1976 (EMI).

When it comes to picking a top ten list for orchestras, that is a very difficult task. I would obviously rate George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra near or at the top of the list, but after that, the list gets more difficult. Rachmaninoff loved Philadelphia and Stokowski / Ormandy did well there, but Pittsburgh is just as good. For American orchestras, I think Szell / Cleveland, Reiner / Chicago, Steinberg / Pittsburgh, Mahler / New York and Toscanini / NBC are the top 5, with Boston as a close #6, under Monteaux, Munch and Ozawa. For recordings, I think the perfect recording session, would be if George Szell had done a cycle of Sibelius and Prokofiev symphonies with Cleveland.

My List: Vienna Philharmonic (Mahler 6 Bernstein) Gewandhaus Orchestra (Missa Solemnis, Blomstedt) NRDSO (Bruckner 8, Wand) Bavarian RSO (Dvorak ,slavonic dances, Kubelik) London Symphony Oechestra (Abbado \ Stravinsky) San Francisco SO ( Blomstedt- Richard Strauss) Israel PO (Bernstein- Mendelssohn Symphonies 3&4) Leningrad \ St Peterburg PO (Rachmaninov\ Jansons) Chicago SO (Shostakovich Symphony no 13, Muti) Berlon PO (Honegger, Symphonies nos. 2&3, Karajan)

1. Vienna Philharmonic. Can't be topped imo for their distinctive recognizable smooth sound and consistency regardless of the conducter. They perform Bruckner better than anyone else, and as a B fanatic that is important to me. The Vienna Decca big box is my best evidence. Just love the burnished silky smooth strings, but the rich sometimes darker but not strident brass really hits the sweet spot for me. 2. Royal Concertgebouw. Outstanding in just about any repertoire, maybe the most versatile orchestra. Detailed, accurate soundstage. My familiarity is mostly through Haitink, Chailly, and the underrated Van Beinum. 3. Cleveland. I agree re Dohnyani's overlooked tenure. Maazel also. Another amazingly consistent orchestra from Szell on, and recordings in Severance Hall great acoustic space add to their legend. 4. Philadelphia. Certainly close to Cleveland, but know them primarily under Ormandy. Still anxiously waiting his stereo box, when they were at their peak imo. Yes, the strings! 5. Gotta go with Berlin Philharmonic to round out my top 5. Yes, Karajan dominated, but that's decades of fantastic well recorded music, and since I have all 3 Karajan decade boxes, the Berlin big box, and just about every DG variety box out there, there's no denying their excellence and pristine sound. I'm biased toward the 60s/early 70s recordings in the Christ-Church, imo that venue had a gorgeous back in the hall acoustic with just the right amount of reverb. Have to think longer about the next 5, and add particular favorite recordings above. ; But I would probably consider more regional orchestras I love such as Gothenberg Symphony and their great sounding BIS and DG Sibelius recordings; Minnesota/Minneapolis' underrated orchestra; the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra (NDR) due to Wand, and heck, my hometown St Louis Symphony Orchestra which I have over 30 years of personal listening experiences to as a foundation and is no slouch (Slatkin/Vonk).

>> Orchestra delle Toscana: Cherubini Symphony in D / Donato Renzetti >> Orch Suisse Romande: Brahms 4th / Ansermet >> Academy Of St. Martin-in-the-Fields: Nicholas Maw "Life Studies" / Marriner >> Ensemble InterContemporain: Boulez "Répons">> >> Cleveland Orch: Beethoven 8th / Szell >> English Baroque Soloists: Mozart Piano Concerto #22 / Gardiner, Bilson >> Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Maxwell-Davies "Into the Labyrinth" >> Chicago Symphony: Mahler 8th / Solti >> Boston Symphony: Symphony Fantastique / Munch (1962) >> Vienna Phil: Das Lied von der Erde / Bernstein, Fisher-Dieskau

Great list. My own, completely subjective list, in no particular order: 1. New York Phil: Copland Rodeo/Bill the Kid/Appalachian Spring, Bernstein 2. Boston Symphony: Holst, The Planets, Steinberg 3. Cleveland Orchestra: Hindemith, Symphonic Metamorphosis, Szell 4. Chicago Symphony: Shostakovich, Symphony no. 4, Previn 5. London Symphony: Williams, Star Wars Soundtrack 6. Dresden Staatskapelle: Strauss, Aus Italien, Kempe 7. Royal Liverpool Philharmonic: Elgar, Enigma Variations, Groves 8. Vienna Philharmonic: Mendelssohn, Symphony no. 1, Dohnanyi 9. Berlin Philharmonic: Sibelius, Symphonies 4-7, Karajan 10. Orchestre Lamoureux: Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique, Markevitch

I was privileged to sing in the Edinburgh Festival Chorus for 15 years, which meant performing with the RSNO frequently as well as Scotland's other major orchestra at the BBC (and the major English orchestras and elsewhere). I agree with you: I was always impressed by the RSNO sound, and it's one of the reasons I miss Scotland so much (I moved back to the USA, settling in D.C. 2 years ago--meh!). You mentioned the "excellent" hall in Glasgow: I think many of the recordings from the Jarvi/ Thompson era may have been recorded in their rehearsal space for many years, Henry Wood Hall, which was a converted church (they moved out of there several years ago and is incidentally a church again). Their main venue in Glasgow, the Royal Concert Hall, is terrible acoustically--choruses often strain to hear each other in there, so it couldn't have been recorded there. They had to build the RSNO Centre in 2015, a smaller but acoustically better space because of years of complaints from musicians. But Usher Hall in Edinburgh (30 minutes away), now that's a perfect concert hall, and they always play as you say, one of the best in the world in there. So yeah, take THAT, London...

In no order: Vienna Phil..Mahler 5/Lenny Berliner Phil....Strauss Zarathustra/Karajan Royal Concertgebouw...Mahler 3/Chailly New York Phil...Copland 3/Lenny San Fran Symphony....Das Klagende Lied/MTT Minnesota Orchestra....Pictures/Oue Lahti Symphony Orchestra....Sibelius Wood Nymph/Vanska Cleveland Orchestra....Ives 4/MTT LSO....RVW 5/Boult Metropolitan Orchestra....Wagner Ring/Levine