<p>I know, we hate rankings (me, too!), but this story–link at bottom–on NPR this morning was interesting, especially since heard the story as I was reading a Thursday New York Times story about Chicago’s rising star as a city (Obama, Olympics, etc.). </p>
<p>Chicago Symphony Orchestra has a certain sound–brass-based–and they are, as of June 30, 2008, in the black!</p>
<p>My son is a singer, so I know nothing of orchestra (heck, I know nothing of singers), but I thought the story was interesting. I’m also coming from the knowledge that ANYWHERE my son gets a job in music is going to be topping the list of greats for me, international polls notwithstanding. (Hey, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra made the top 20!)</p>
<p>The poll was taken of music critics from around the world. The editor “was inspired to conduct the poll because even though the level of musicianship is rising, there are far fewer orchestras these days that have an immediately identifiable sound.” And he (being the editor of the US Gramophone) was pleased with the number of American orchestras. There was NO mention of conductors in the story, interestingly. Here’s the list:</p>
<li>Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam</li>
<li>Berlin Philharmonic</li>
<li>Vienna Philharmonic</li>
<li>London Symphony Orchestra</li>
<li>Chicago Symphony Orchestra</li>
<li>Bavarian Radio Symphony</li>
<li>Cleveland Orchestra</li>
<li>Los Angeles Philharmonic</li>
<li>Budapest Festival Orchestra</li>
<li>Dresden Staatskapelle</li>
<li>Boston Symphony Orchestra</li>
<li>New York Philharmonic</li>
<li>San Francisco Symphony</li>
<li>Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra</li>
<li>Russian National Orchestra</li>
<li>Leningrad Philharmonic</li>
<li>Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra</li>
<li>Metropolitan Opera Orchestra</li>
<li>Saito Kinen Symphony Orchestra</li>
<li>Czech Philharmonic</li>
</ol>
<p>Wrong–we love rankings. It’s just that you forgot to place Princeton University at number 4, ahead of The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and, if you break the rankings out by instrument, Cornell will shoot to the top in most categories.</p>
<p>While I completely respect music critics, I’m not sure that I agree so much with their list… BSO at #11? SF at #13? Met at #18? Nah, doesn’t work so well in my opinion, but that’s just me.</p>
<p>“Wrong–we love rankings. It’s just that you forgot to place Princeton University at number 4, ahead of The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and, if you break the rankings out by instrument, Cornell will shoot to the top in most categories.”</p>
<p>This is one of the funniest posts I’ve ever seen!! Thanks!!!
Linde</p>
<p>I didn’t even bother to read through this list.</p>
<p>I think we should put those same critics to a blindfold test, and play them recordings of the London Symphony as well as the Brentfield Northwest London Community Orchestra, and ask them to identify each. The results may be interesting.</p>
<p>I am surprised Philly isn’t on the list since it has always been considered one of the US Big 5. I love Chicago. They are a marvelous orchestra that I go and hear when I can. Recordings are no way to judge orchestras. You have to hear them live.</p>
<p>“Recordings are no way to judge orchestras. You have to hear them live.”</p>
<p>Okay, fine. Let me rephrase my original idea then.</p>
<p>I think we should put those same critics to a blindfold test, and sit them down inside Royal Festival Hall with their blindfolds on to listen to both the London Symphony as well as the Brentfield Northwest London Community Orchestra, and ask them to identify each. The results may be interesting.</p>
<p>Cosmos, I feel the same general way, but what’s funny is that I can only guess at what your objections to those placements might be: too high? too low? </p>
<p>I suspect that some of these rankings have a lot to do with change-induced visibility. The BSO is regaining some of the respect it had lost, so it’s quite high; the SFSO has seen marked improvements in the last 10-15 years, and is rising in international significance; New York Phil has had a reputation for stodginess and not-so-good conductor situations, so it’s lower than one might expect; LA Phil could hardly be more visible, thanks to Salonen and Dudamel.</p>
<p>Oh right, sorry, I guess that was quite unclear… I guess I felt that they were too low. But I think the ranking of orchestras is kind of pointless. Sure some orchestras are better than others, but every person’s list of their favorite 10 or 20 would be different. It’s just personal preference. </p>
<p>Based completely on my own preferences and experiences. I would say my favorite 15 are: </p>
<ol>
<li>Berlin </li>
<li>Met Opera </li>
<li>Vienna </li>
<li>Chicago </li>
<li>Cleveland </li>
<li>Philadelphia </li>
<li>Concertgebouw </li>
<li>Dresden Staatskapelle</li>
<li>Boston<br></li>
<li>Los Angeles</li>
<li>Academy of St. Martin </li>
<li>San Francisco </li>
<li>New York </li>
<li>Pittsburgh </li>
<li>London Symphony</li>
</ol>
<p>When it comes to American Orchestras you have to pay close attention to full sections. Such as NY Phil having the Best Brass with Phil Smith, Phil Meyer, Joe Alessi and Matt Muckey. Not only in the U.S. but the World. Philly having the Best Strings in the U.S. And Cleveland having amazing winds along with the best overall well rounded orchestra. Here are my, U.S. top and then I will follow with the international tops. In my opinion of Course.</p>
<p>Top U.S. Orchestras…</p>
<ol>
<li>Cleveland</li>
<li>Philadelphia</li>
<li>New York Philharmonic</li>
<li>Chicago Symphony</li>
<li>San Fran Symphony</li>
<li>Boston Symphony</li>
<li>LA Philharmonic</li>
<li>Pittsburgh Symphony</li>
<li>Atlanta Symphony</li>
<li>Rice University Shepherd School of Music Symphonic Orchestra</li>
</ol>
<p>When someone can agree on the standards of what make a great orchestra, or can scientifically measure it, then I might listen to these ratings, but other then that, it comes down to what someone looks for in music. The LA Phil, for example, is talented, and dudamel is amazing IMO, but the orchestra itself is pretty boring, from what I have seen of them they have a lot of musicians who seem to be playing because it is a job, rather then being excited about playing, and it shows in their performance. On the other hand the concertgebouw is incredible, especially when Bernard Haitink come to conduct:), to me they have it all. </p>
<p>Plus there are plenty of orchestras not on this list I would rather go to then the ones on the list. Saint Martin in the Fields, which is a conductorless Chamber orchestra, blows away many of the ‘great’ orchestras on this list (on the other hand, they probably shouldn’t be on this list, because they aren’t the same kind of group). There are orchestras like the Minnesota and Seattle that probably would be on this list, if more of the critics had seen them play IMO…and so forth. </p>
<p>Better idea, go and listen to the orchestras, then create your own list:)</p>