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Just for fun, who would you prefer to listen to?

I enjoy the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with either Georg Solti or Fritz Reiner. Also, I like to see the Houston Symphony once or twice per year (it's quite a drive to see them more often with gas prices as high as they are).

Any way, just wanted to get some new ideas to listen to different groups.


Cheers,

Chris

Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Ace

+1 to LA Phil! I love watching Dudamel conduct! Wish I could have seen the broadcast of Mahler 8 from Venezuela, it woulda been the closest I will be to seeing LA Phil live, as I don't see myself making it out to California anytime soon.

And there are MANY great orchestra's around, I'm just interested in learning of more of them so I can hear as much of them as possible!

SFA Tubajack wrote:...Just for fun, who would you prefer to listen to?...

Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra amongst others.

London Symphony Orchestra.

Boston Symphony
Berlin Philharmonic
San Francisco Symphony
Boston Philharmonic

Mississippi Symphony Orchestra

I may be prejudiced by where I studied, but, my vote goes to the Philadelphia Orchestra from Ormandy to the present.

bloke wrote:Over the last thirty years, enough players have retired and the quality of those exiting conservatories has been so high that there are a great number of orchestras (from $40K salaried orchestras to top-salaried orchestras) that do a wonderful job.

Having heard orchestras coast to coast, I have to agree 100% with this. Almost all orchestras (at least the ones that rehearse during the day) are really good. Even some of the "crappy" $100-or-so-a-service orchestras have pretty good wind and brass sections cause there are a lot of unemployed graduate students out there who will play any gig they can get their hands on. I knew a flute player that flew out Chicago to play principal flute in an orchestra at least 1.5K miles away several times a year. Annually, the gig probably paid under $4,000, but a gig is a gig.

Anyway..back on topic. I see a lot of the standard "best orchestras" listed, but to be honest, when I listen to some of those old school Reiner, Ormandy, Solti, Szell, Bernstein, etc....I just can't help feeling a little unsatisfied. I know orchestras these days don't record as much, but listen to anything by Chicago or New York that was recorded in the past ten years. Sounds AMAZING compared to some of the old Bernstein or old CSO Reiner recordings. Some of the stuff that used to go on in orchestras in the 50's, 60's, and 70's just wouldn't fly by today's standards. The playing and recording technology is just much better today.

So in response to the original question, I'm with Bloke. Go to a performance in your nearby big city and you'll hear something just as good or better than the old records.

the elephant wrote:CSO - Reiner
Philly - Ormandy
Cleveland - Szell
Concertgebouw - Haitink
NYPO - Masur

I would go back to see Reiner and Szell if my time machine's flux capacitor were more reliable.

Agree! The brass of those old Szell Cleveland Orchestra recordings, the strings of Ormandy's time,are still wonderful. For across-the-board quality, I would have to go with Haitink and the Concertgebouw.

Chicago Symphony - Solti (with Jacobs as the anchor, of course!)
Philadelphia - Ormandy
San Francisco - Tilson Thomas
LA - Salonen, later Dudamel

Bernstein with ANYONE!

Finally, I'd like to give a shout-out to the Harrisburg Symphony, whose playing has been a hallmark of excellence under Stuart Malina! http://harrisburgsymphony.org/PrgmNotes.html

Watchman wrote: I see a lot of the standard "best orchestras" listed, but to be honest, when I listen to some of those old school Reiner, Ormandy, Solti, Szell, Bernstein, etc....I just can't help feeling a little unsatisfied. I know orchestras these days don't record as much, but listen to anything by Chicago or New York that was recorded in the past ten years. Sounds AMAZING compared to some of the old Bernstein or old CSO Reiner recordings. Some of the stuff that used to go on in orchestras in the 50's, 60's, and 70's just wouldn't fly by today's standards. The playing and recording technology is just much better today.

So in response to the original question, I'm with Bloke. Go to a performance in your nearby big city and you'll hear something just as good or better than the old records.

Like you said, the recording tech IS alot better, and don't get me wrong, I love listening to modern recordings. But I really appreciate the older interpretations. I can listen to Pictures at an Exhibition played by CSO and Reiner, and then by Valery Gergiev and the Rotterdam Philharmonic, and then by Philadelphia and Ormandy, and all three are vastly different. A different articulation here, different phrasing here, different tempos and dynamics. The more older recordings I listen to, the more I find that they tend to just be styled in a manner that speaks to me more than a modern recording. I do enjoy the terrific sound quality and different interpretations presented on modern recordings as well.

As for live performances, I see the Houston Symphony quite a bit, and have made it to see the Dallas Wind Symphony a time or two. I live pretty far away from either city but still try to get there as often as possible.

I had a conversation with my grandad just yesterday and he was saying how easily you can go and listen to all this great music, and years ago all that was not possible. So I figure, why not go listen to as much as possible?

Cheers,
Chris

the elephant wrote: I would go back to see Reiner and Szell if my time machine's flux capacitor were more reliable.

Jay Bertolet wrote:There are a couple of things I would offer:

. . .
3) Having your own [flux capacitor] is a really great thing. . . But how do you expect to choose exactly the right [flux capacitor] for you in the long term at this moment in time? . . . Even more important, how capable are you at this point to pick out the precise [flux capacitor] you want? Have you tried many? Is your current level of [time traveling] ability such that you would even know the right [flux capacitor] for you if it was right in front of you? . . . Maximize your [traveling] with your current equipment, do everything you can to make that situation the best it can be, and keep looking at [flux capacitors] so you will have some idea what to consider when the time is right. The right [flux capacitor] can be a lot like finding the right person to spend your life with. You'll know it when you feel it.

Good luck!

Some magical (and subjective) combinations

Philly- Ormandy
Chicago - Solti
Montreal - Dutoit
RPO - Ashkenzy
Berlin - Karajan
Royal Concertgebouw - Haitink

the elephant wrote:CSO - Reiner
Philly - Ormandy
Cleveland - Szell
Concertgebouw - Haitink
NYPO - Masur

I would go back to see Reiner and Szell if my time machine's flux capacitor were more reliable.

You could always pick up a new one...
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/EB00/121G.oap" target="_blank

The Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, Yevgeni Mravinski, Conductor. Track them down, their playing of the Russian rep and Bruckner is just scary. Listen to the Bb trumpets which are not heard much in orchestras over here. Unlimited rehearsal time (no musicians' union in the Soviet Union) and the in-gathering of the best players in the country. Miss a few notes in concert and a trip to a smaller orchestra in Siberia was the deal.

DonnieMac wrote:...The Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, Yevgeni Mravinski...

+1, and don't miss the recordings with Evgenij Svetlanov. First time I heard Schostakovich 7th live was with that remarkable man. I have never heard a performance like that since. Never played with a conductor like him either.

Vienna Philharmonic


Chuck"enough said"Jackson