Hello,
What are your TOP 10 conductors that you like the most?
(no Mahler, etc - I am strictly talking about the ones that we can hear on recordings).
You can rank them, or you can just name them with no ranking.
This is a poll not about what are the most famous ones and not about the ones widely recognized.
I repeat - this is a poll about the ones YOU like the most.
So it is not about arguing - each individual preferences are to be respected (eg I might like coconut, you might not ....)
You can name less than 10, as you can name more than 10. Decision is yours.
Mine are
1. Wilhelm FURTWÄNGLER
2. George SZELL
3. Eugene ORMANDY
4 -8 Rafael KUBELÍK
4- 8 Bernard HAITINK
4 -8 Otto KLEMPERER
4 -8 Bruno WALTER
4 -8 Yevgeny MRAVINSKY
9 -11 Neville MARRINER
9-11 Nikolaus HARNONCOURT
9-11 Carlos KLEIBER
At the end I will scientifically organize and data and I ill let you know the results.
As always in these lists there is someone I have forgotten
1. Sir John Barbirolli
2. Rafael Kubelik
3. Rudolf Kempe
4. Jean Martinon
5. Colin Davis
6. Bernard Haitink
7. Charles Mackerras
8. Richard Hickox
9. John Eliot Gardiner
10. Nikolaus Harnoncourt
These are special favourites but Herbert von Karajan, Leonard Bernstein, Georg Solti and George Szell probably make up the backbone of my collection, mainly for historical reasons, and I wouldn't want to be without them.
I could probably swap Herreweghe for Harnoncourt.... but other possibilities are numerous
For December 2019:
Carl Schuricht
Carlo Maria Giulini
Clemens Krauss
Esa Pekka Salonen
Herbert von Karajan
Manfred Honeck
Paul McCreesh
Pierre Montuex
Rafael Kubelik
Thomas Hengelbrock
Karajan
Haitink
Rozhdestvensky
Bernstein
B. Thomson
N. Järvi
Mehta
Gergiev
C. Davis
Marriner
Today's list. Compiling it, it really drove home just how old-fashioned my taste is in these things... I think Norrington's the only one that hasn't been dead for at least 30 years...
George Szell
Bruno Walter
Wilhelm Furtwangler
Karl Bohm
Leopold Stokowski
Roger Norrington
Leonard Bernstein
John Barbirolli
Otto Klemperer
Eugen Jochum
In alphabetical order:
Claudio Abbado
Karl Böhm
Pierre Boulez
Gianandrea Gavazzeni
Clemens Krauss
Bruno Maderna
Kent Nagano
Hermann Scherchen
Giuseppe Sinopoli
George Szell
Quote from: j winter on December 08, 2019, 07:18:26 AM
Today's list. Compiling it, it really drove home just how old-fashioned my taste is in these things... I think Norrington's the only one that hasn't been dead for at least 30 years...
George Szell
Bruno Walter
Wilhelm Furtwangler
Karl Bohm
Leopold Stokowski
Roger Norrington
Leonard Bernstein
John Barbirolli
Otto Klemperer
Eugen Jochum
You had me thinking there but Jochum died in 1987. Another conductor who could have made it into my list.
About half of these are vocal ensemble or early music group directors, hope that counts.
Gardiner
Herreweghe
Parrott
McCreesh
Butt
Harnoncourt (early)
Jordi Savall
Phillip Ledger
Bruno Turner
Peter Phillips
Paul Hillier
Quote from: San Antone on December 08, 2019, 07:29:24 AM
Jordi Savall
See, I knew I'd forget one. I'll just say that Savall transcends mere conducting since he's such a fine instrumentalist, too.
Quote from: San Antone on December 08, 2019, 07:29:24 AM
About half of these are vocal ensemble or early music group directors, hope that counts.
Gardiner
Herreweghe
Parrott
McCreesh
Butt
Harnoncourt (early)
Jordi Savall
Phillip Ledger
Bruno Turner
Peter Phillips
Paul Hillier
Yay for Bruno Turner! Do you know his biography? A wonderful man.
http://kenblogic.blogspot.com/2017/11/?m=0
Quote from: Ken B on December 08, 2019, 07:38:56 AM
Yay for Bruno Turner! Do you know his biography? A wonderful man.
http://kenblogic.blogspot.com/2017/11/?m=0
I'll have to check that out - I only know him through the recordings by
Pro Cantione Antiqua, which are some of my favorite Palestrina records. I'm not sure who came first
Turner or
Mark Brown, but under either conductor the group was excellent, IMO.
Quote from: Todd on December 08, 2019, 07:37:15 AM
See, I knew I'd forget one. I'll just say that Savall transcends mere conducting since he's such a fine instrumentalist, too.
He is; but there are other conductors whose career spanned dual specialties - Pletnev, Hogwood (keyboard); Boulez, Bernstein (composers); Manze (violin); many others.
Quote from: Todd on December 08, 2019, 07:37:15 AM
See, I knew I'd forget one. I'll just say that Savall transcends mere conducting since he's such a fine instrumentalist, too.
Yes, Savall is another for me as well.
Only the first choice is clear
Guido Cantelli
Other names that come to mind
Klemperer
Szell
Karajan
Hogwood
Boulez
I think those are certainly in my top 10. Other candidates:
Abbado
Jochum
Skrowaczewski
Böhm
Silvestri
I don't know where to put some of the great names mentioned who rarely conduct orchestras, like Bruno Turner, or Savall. Andrew Carwood is top of that list though. Suzuki. Pinnock.
A different list tomorrow.
I can't really properly evaluate conductors because I'm not an orchestral/choral/ensemble musician and have never worked with one as a performer. Recordings are obviously studio products (most of the time) and their quality may have more to do with the orchestra/ensemble, the assistant conductors who prepared it, etc than the person at the podium. In particular with orchestras like the Berlin Phil or Bavarian Radio Symphony that can essentially play themselves one often gets the feeling the choice of conductor is irrelevant.
There are a few conductors I've been impressed with in every live recording I've heard, although without hearing their entire discographies I have no idea if this is just because they happened to have good players and good conditions for the specific recordings I heard.
This includes
Hans Rosbaud
Hans Zender
Sylvain Cambreling
Rafael Kubelík
Eugene Ormandy
Susanna Mälkki
Arturo Tamayo
Herbert Blomstedt
Bruno Maderna
Kirill Kondrashin
Marc Minkowski
Also Roger Norrington and John Eliot Gardiner have been consistently good live but a lot of their studio recordings.... not so good. I have no idea why.
Quote from: San Antone on December 08, 2019, 07:29:24 AM
About half of these are vocal ensemble or early music group directors, hope that counts.
Gardiner
Herreweghe
Parrott
McCreesh
Butt
Harnoncourt (early)
Jordi Savall
Phillip Ledger
Bruno Turner
Peter Phillips
Paul Hillier
Absolutely YES
PS I forgot Jordi Savall in mine !
Böhm
Giulini
Haitink
Karajan
Klemperer
Monteux
Munch
Ormandy
Schuricht
Stokowski
Barbirolli, Boult, Rohdestvensky, Schuricht, Suitner, Szell, Toscanini and Walter follow...
Quote from: j winter on December 08, 2019, 07:18:26 AM
Today's list. Compiling it, it really drove home just how old-fashioned my taste is in these things... I think Norrington's the only one that hasn't been dead for at least 30 years...
George Szell
Bruno Walter
Wilhelm Furtwangler
Karl Bohm
Leopold Stokowski
Roger Norrington
Leonard Bernstein
John Barbirolli
Otto Klemperer
Eugen Jochum
If I just skip the HIP-conductors that I like, I can very well live with your list. Probably with the exception of Szell, who mostly leaves me cold.
With me, it's not always a matter whether I like (most) of their recordings/interpretations though. Some of them are just awesome to watch in action. I mean, conductors like Walter, Furtwängler, Bernstein, Barbirolli and Klemperer (of your list) are entirely unique.
Here's a lovely 1 hour video of Bruno Walter conducting the Vancouver Festival Orchestra in rehearsal, combined with an interview.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaCoJbcRP2s
And Furtwängler rehearsing a part of Brahms 4, in post-war London (look at his annoyed, typical Furtwängler gestures at 0:02: SEIEN SIE DOCH STILL!!):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leYbb5KZYDg
A 'secret' favourite of mine is Dutch conductor Eduard van Beinum. But there are just a few clips of him in action. Here's a Concertgebouw performance of Beethoven's Eroica (May 5th, 1957):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgHzoI5TzeM
The tragedy of this clip is that we can see Van Beinum, almost secretly, has to take pills to be able to even continue (16:05 and 32:50). He suffered from a severe heart condition and was mostly completely spent after a concert. Problem was: despite doctor's advice, the man just would not stop or take a rest, he loved his job too much. Van Beinum died during a rehearsal in 1959, at the age of 58.
Dutch cinema clip, In Memoriam Eduard van Beinum (alas, no subtitles):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdLuFoj2JrE
(Apologies for interrupting the thread with blabbering, instead of presenting a Top 10 list. :-[)
George Szell
Sergiu Celibidache
Lorin Maazel
Adrian Boult
Roger Norrington
Leonard Bernstein
Otto Klemperer
Carlo Maria Giulini
Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Giuseppe Sinopoli
Riccardo Chailly
Quote from: Marc on December 08, 2019, 10:38:03 AM
(Apologies for interrupting the thread with blabbering, instead of presenting a Top 10 list. :-[)
Not at all, thanks for sharing those links! I'll have to check some of those out...
Quote from: Marc on December 08, 2019, 10:38:03 AM
If I just skip the HIP-conductors that I like, I can very well live with your list. Probably with the exception of Szell, who mostly leaves me cold.
With me, it's not always a matter whether I like (most) of their recordings/interpretations though. Some of them are just awesome to watch in action. I mean, conductors like Walter, Furtwängler, Bernstein, Barbirolli and Klemperer (of your list) are entirely unique.
Here's a lovely 1 hour video of Bruno Walter conducting the Vancouver Festival Orchestra in rehearsal, combined with an interview.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaCoJbcRP2s
And Furtwängler rehearsing a part of Brahms 4, in post-war London (look at his annoyed, typical Furtwängler gestures at 0:02: SEIEN SIE DOCH STILL!!):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leYbb5KZYDg
A 'secret' favourite of mine is Dutch conductor Eduard van Beinum. But there are just a few clips of him in action. Here's a Concertgebouw performance of Beethoven's Eroica (May 5th, 1957):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgHzoI5TzeM
The tragedy of this clip is that we can see Van Beinum, almost secretly, has to take pills to be able to even continue (16:05 and 32:50). He suffered from a severe heart condition and was mostly completely spent after a concert. Problem was: despite doctor's advice, the man just would not stop or take a rest, he loved his job too much. Van Beinum died during a rehearsal in 1959, at the age of 58.
Dutch cinema clip, In Memoriam Eduard van Beinum (alas, no subtitles):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdLuFoj2JrE
(Apologies for interrupting the thread with blabbering, instead of presenting a Top 10 list. :-[)
In my opinion Eduard van Beinum is one of the most underrated conductors of the last century. I wish Universal/Decca would issue a box with his complete Decca and Philips recordings, some of which are currently available on the Australian Eloquence label.
Off the top of my head:
Boult
Previn
Kondrashin
Koussevitsky
Wand
Ansermet
Abravanel
Kajanus
Copland
Mravinsky
Having now looked at the other entries I think I should have included Haitink, Barbirolli, Furtwangler, Bernstein and Brabbins.
In no order,
Barbara Hannigan, for being able to sing and conduct at the same time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFFpzip-SZk
Iancu Dumitrescu. I have seen him conduct his own works, and I have seen other people conduct his works. He's better. (The "normal" conductors make his music sound more "normal" than it is.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6MF0lG6bU0
Ana-Maria Avram. See Dumitrescu, above. (I have seen Iancu and Ana-Maria and Tim Hodgkinson all conduct their own works on the same concert--all conduct as if their movements were creating the music in real time, but each very different from the other.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBg1DhkvdcQ
Michael Gielen. His Mahler ninth is the one I prefer--he conducts it as if it were a piece of music (and not a philosophical tract or an autobiography). It's a wonderful piece of music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8e1GHPfy4XQ
Otherwise, Tamayo for bringing us all that Xenakis, and Eötvös for commissioning everyone and her brother to write music for orchestra (with very questionable results, but "oh well," and Ormandy for conducting all that early twentieth century avant-garde as if it were perfectly normal--as, of course, it is), and oh there's more, but I have a coffee date soon.
Quote from: some guy on December 09, 2019, 02:54:17 AM
In no order,
Barbara Hannigan, for being able to sing and conduct at the same time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFFpzip-SZk
Iancu Dumitrescu. I have seen him conduct his own works, and I have seen other people conduct his works. He's better. (The "normal" conductors make his music sound more "normal" than it is.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6MF0lG6bU0
Ana-Maria Avram. See Dumitrescu, above. (I have seen Iancu and Ana-Maria and Tim Hodgkinson all conduct their own works on the same concert--all conduct as if their movements were creating the music in real time, but each very different from the other.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBg1DhkvdcQ
Michael Gielen. His Mahler ninth is the one I prefer--he conducts it as if it were a piece of music (and not a philosophical tract or an autobiography). It's a wonderful piece of music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8e1GHPfy4XQ
Otherwise, Tamayo for bringing us all that Xenakis, and Eötvös for commissioning everyone and her brother to write music for orchestra (with very questionable results, but "oh well," and Ormandy for conducting all that early twentieth century avant-garde as if it were perfectly normal--as, of course, it is), and oh there's more, but I have a coffee date soon.
I saw Ashkenazy play the piano and conduct at the same time (a Mozart piano concerto).
Quote from: amw on December 08, 2019, 09:13:21 AM
Sylvain Cambreling
Wow, I'm happy to see this name in this thread. Sylvain Cambreling's live recordings with the SWR orchestras, many of them released on CD, are consistently super duper good. They're classic GMG Blind Listening Game material: not eccentric, really energetically played, could easily be mistaken for far more famous conductors. Cambreling's obscurity is confusing and I really hope is not the result of personal unpleasantness or some such thing.
alpha:
Leonard Bernstein
Manfred Honeck
Vladimir Jurowski
Charles Mackerras
Jean Martinon
Charles Munch
Jordi Savall
Constantin Silvestri
George Szell
Antoni Wit
Jurowski and Wit are the only ones I've seen live; other really notable live experiences I've had with conductors would include Marin Alsop, Vladimir Ashkenazy (albeit with a student orchestra), Stéphane Denève, Charles "Dirtbag" Dutoit, Susanna Mälkki, and Vasily Petrenko. I've seen Colin Davis, Gustavo Dudamel, Neeme Järvi, and of course Dallas' own Fabio Luisi and Jaap van Zweden but wouldn't necessarily put them in that tier.
no particular order:
Ansermet
Klemperer
Reiner
Solti
Ormandy
Karajan
Dudamel
Kertesz
Bohm
Jochum
Giulini
Fruhbeck de Burgos
...I had best stop, I'm over 10 :)
In no particular order:
Pierre Boulez
Leonard Bernstein
Jean Martinon
Charles Mackerras
Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Claudio Abbado
Herbert von Karajan
Michael Tilson Thomas
Simon Rattle
Bernard Haitink
Ancerl
Bernstein
Munch
Martinon
Kertesz
Kubelik
Kondrashin
Karajan (as unfashionable as he is)
Ormandy (even more unfashionable)
Klemperer
Quote from: Daverz on December 11, 2019, 10:21:42 AM
Ancerl
Bernstein
Munch
Martinon
Kertesz
Kubelik
Kondrashin
Karajan (as unfashionable as he is)
Ormandy (even more unfashionable)
Klemperer
Your list has the most 'K's (5) :D One could actually draw a list of 10 K conductors :o.
I had forgot Kertész. His Dvorák is top-notch.
In no order (except Szell is my definite favorite)
Szell
Reiner
Dorati
Munch
Lenny
Chailly
Kubelik
Kempe
Ormandy
Kondrashin
There's plenty of others who have done work I love but that bunch have given me the most thrills by a comfortable distance
A least favorite (at least among critically acclaimed or popular conductors) would be interesting, too
Quote from: André on December 11, 2019, 12:56:41 PM
Your list has the most 'K's (5) :D One could actually draw a list of 10 K conductors :o.
OK here it is -
Kempe
Kubelik
Klemperer
Kertesz
Karajan
Kletzki
Kondrashin
Knappertsbusch
Kajanus
Kamu
I have many fine recordings from these conductors (some more than others) but my original list still stands
Here goes :
Celibidache
Bernstein
Wand
Maazel
Barbirolli
Hogwood
Klemperer
Boult
Handley
Del Mar
Quote from: Biffo on December 12, 2019, 12:50:44 AM
OK here it is -
Kempe
Kubelik
Klemperer
Kertesz
Karajan
Kletzki
Kondrashin
Knappertsbusch
Kajanus
Kamu
I have many fine recordings from these conductors (some more than others) but my original list still stands
Nice! I might replace the last two by Keilberth and Konwitschny for my own 10K list :)
Quote from: André on December 12, 2019, 06:10:56 AM
Nice! I might replace the last two by Keilberth and Konwitschny for my own 10K list :)
Now you mention them, so would I. Don't know how I overlooked Keilberth, I have his Ring Cycle.
Quote from: Biffo on December 12, 2019, 12:50:44 AM
OK here it is -
Kempe
Kubelik
Klemperer
Kertesz
Karajan
Kletzki
Kondrashin
Knappertsbusch
Kajanus
Kamu
I have many fine recordings from these conductors (some more than others) but my original list still stands
Kabalevsky made fine recordings of his Second Cello Concerto and Symphony No.4 8)
Quote from: Daverz on December 11, 2019, 10:21:42 AM
Karajan (as unfashionable as he is)
Ormandy (even more unfashionable)
I get why Karajan is unfashionable, because a lot of folks have clearly stated the "case" against him, but I don't get the general consignment of Ormandy to oblivion. He doesn't really seem to have haters, he just kinda got dismissed.
Quote from: Brian on December 12, 2019, 01:36:01 PM
I get why Karajan is unfashionable, because a lot of folks have clearly stated the "case" against him, but I don't get the general consignment of Ormandy to oblivion. He doesn't really seem to have haters, he just kinda got dismissed.
Karajan is unfashionable with some because he is still the big name with most people who don't know a lot of classical music. The rejection of Karajan is a tribute to Karajan, or at least to his dominance and marketing. Ormandy is unfashionable in a broader way, he simply as you say got forgotten.
Another forgotten man: William Steinberg. Or Hans Schmidt-Esserstadt.
Quote from: Brian on December 12, 2019, 01:36:01 PM
I don't get the general consignment of Ormandy to oblivion. He doesn't really seem to have haters, he just kinda got dismissed.
I think it was a combination of being over-recorded back in the day, which probably gave an impression of a middle-brow conductor, and not having a strong reputation in the core Germanic rep, e.g. Beethoven and Brahms, though I don't think he embarrassed himself there. He even made some decent Bruckner recordings. I'm hoping for a big remastered box from Sony that will include his un-released mono recordings (Sibelius, Prokofiev, Piston, William Schuman, etc).
Afterword about the Ks. I thought of the first 8 on my list very easily but was scratching around when I chose Kajanus and Kamu. I can't think how I missed Keilberth - as well as owning his Bayreuth Ring Cycle I have known and loved his Freischutz for decades and also have a few of his Beethoven Symphonies. It is a toss-up between Kamu and Konwitschny as both are only represented by a single composer in my collection, Sibelius and Beethoven respectively.
Quote from: Biffo on December 13, 2019, 01:28:30 AM
Afterword about the Ks. I thought of the first 8 on my list very easily but was scratching around when I chose Kajanus and Kamu. I can't think how I missed Keilberth - as well as owning his Bayreuth Ring Cycle I have known and loved his Freischutz for decades and also have a few of his Beethoven Symphonies. It is a toss-up between Kamu and Konwitschny as both are only represented by a single composer in my collection, Sibelius and Beethoven respectively.
I cannot recommend that set highly enough:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/511d6XP3jKL.jpg)
On top of a first rate Eroica, it has smashing versions of Bruckner (5 and 7) and Shostakovich (10 and 11) and the best Flying Dutchman I know. All of those are in vey good stereo sound. The performance of the Bruckner 2 is a classic, but is in mono.
Quote from: Ken B on December 12, 2019, 01:50:53 PM
Karajan is unfashionable with some because he is still the big name with most people who don't know a lot of classical music. The rejection of Karajan is a tribute to Karajan, or at least to his dominance and marketing.
Well, Karajan is unfashionable also because of his ideas about orchestral balance and his transformation of the BPO into a well-oiled Karajan Machine during the 70s-80s. As he aged, he became decidedly weird in addition to being famous.
Ormandy wasn't especially weird.
I agree with Daverz that an Ormandy big box would be fun - but it would probably also be gigantic.
Quote from: Brian on December 13, 2019, 12:04:57 PM
Well, Karajan is unfashionable also because of his ideas about orchestral balance and his transformation of the BPO into a well-oiled Karajan Machine during the 70s-80s. As he aged, he became decidedly weird in addition to being famous.
Ormandy wasn't especially weird.
I agree with Daverz that an Ormandy big box would be fun - but it would probably also be gigantic.
This^
Karajan has a handful of records I liked enough to buy but my reasons for not especially enjoying his work are entirely musical... I'm not bothered by the jet-set image or ubiquitous market presence
I, too would welcome a proper Ormandy box a la Szell
My original K's were
Kertesz
Kubelik
Kondrashin
Karajan
Klemperer
To those I'd add
Kempe
Kletzki
Konwitschny
Kegel
Kitajenko
Kirill Karabits
Carlos Kleiber
Krips
The inclusion of Karabits suggests another interesting topic: favorite conductors under 50 years of age.
Quote from: Daverz on December 13, 2019, 05:48:15 PM
My original K's were
Kertesz
Kubelik
Kondrashin
Karajan
Klemperer
To those I'd add
Kempe
Kletzki
Konwitschny
Kegel
Kitajenko
Kirill Karabits
Carlos Kleiber
Krips
The inclusion of Karabits suggests another interesting topic: favorite conductors under 50 years of age.
The perils of rushing into making a post - I had completely forgotten Erich Kleiber, my favourite Beethovenian.
Quote from: Daverz on December 12, 2019, 07:07:37 PM
I think it was a combination of being over-recorded back in the day, which probably gave an impression of a middle-brow conductor, and not having a strong reputation in the core Germanic rep, e.g. Beethoven and Brahms, though I don't think he embarrassed himself there. He even made some decent Bruckner recordings. I'm hoping for a big remastered box from Sony that will include his un-released mono recordings (Sibelius, Prokofiev, Piston, William Schuman, etc).
In that sense was Ormandy a bit like an American Bryden Thomson (a conductor I consider very underrated, especially in Bax and Vaughan Williams)? As for Ormandy I grew up with my brother's LP of Shostakovich's 10th Symphony which I've always liked and his LP of Shostakovich's 4th Symphony was my introduction to this magnificent work. His Copland 'Lincoln Portrait' (with Adlai Stevenson) is my favourite version by far. I recall an impressive 'Planets Suite' and a fabulous Albany CD including William Schuman's great 6th Symphony and Roy Harris's 7th Symphony. I'm not so keen on his Sibelius recordings but still enjoy the recent boxed set of them and intend to listen to them again soon. Oh yes, his LP of Ives's 'Three Places in New England' (coupled with the Copland's Lincoln Portrait) gave me great pleasure when I regularly borrowed it from the local music library in the 1970s (great cover image):
(//)
1. Pierre Boulez
2. Leonard Bernstein
3. Lorin Maazel
4. Igor Markevitch
5. Hermann Scherchen
6. James DePriest
Gergiev
Haitink
Harding
Janssons
Abbado
Rattle
Dudamel
Runnicles
Wand
Nelsons
Updating:
Karel Ancerl
Leonard Bernstein
Adrian Boult
Bernard Haitink
Neeme Järvi
Herbert von Karajan
Jean Martinon
Evgeny Svetlanov
George Szell
Bryden Thomson
Quote from: Daverz on December 12, 2019, 07:07:37 PM
I think it was a combination of being over-recorded back in the day, which probably gave an impression of a middle-brow conductor, and not having a strong reputation in the core Germanic rep, e.g. Beethoven and Brahms, though I don't think he embarrassed himself there. He even made some decent Bruckner recordings. I'm hoping for a big remastered box from Sony that will include his un-released mono recordings (Sibelius, Prokofiev, Piston, William Schuman, etc).
Of course you all know by now that the box is here, and it's brilliant. ;)
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81DryqC7CzL._SX522_.jpg)
Quote from: Mirror Image on December 11, 2019, 06:34:11 AM
In no particular order:
Pierre Boulez
Leonard Bernstein
Jean Martinon
Charles Mackerras
Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Claudio Abbado
Herbert von Karajan
Michael Tilson Thomas
Simon Rattle
Bernard Haitink
Time to make an update (in no particular order):
Herbert von Karajan
Leonard Bernstein
Bernard Haitink
Claudio Abbado
Karel Ančerl
Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Pierre Boulez
André Previn
Jiří Bělohlávek
Rafael Kubelik
Ansermet
Reiner
Ormandy
Solti
Lopez-Cobos
Klemperer
Slatkin
Giulini
Bernstein
HvK
I find it notorously difficult to answer questions like these. Nobody is good in everything, some have small recorded catalogues, and the more I listen the more I become aware of all I don't know. And sometimes I plain don't like the person and have difficulty separating the person from his work. And I haven't listened extensively to historical figures. And should explorations of underrecorded repertoire count?
Some I always liked as Bøhm, Klemperer and Giulini. Perhaps Walter. I have a feeling I overlook some Czech and Russians, perhaps Kondrashin and Talich. Harnoncourt definitively. Perhaps Stokowsky and Horenstein for their resolute originality. William Christie obviously. Charles Mackerras.
And I'll throw in some that seems to be overlooked here who I always seem to enjoy: Berglund, Blomstedt (a personal favorite!), Boult and Barbirolli. Can't have the K's having all the spotlight.
Oh, boy! Hard to say. Here are some of my favorites (though, as others have stated, it can often depend upon the repertoire).
Kubelik
Mackerras
Ormandy
Colin Davis
Toscanini (more of a historical favorite these days)
Fricsay
HvK
Silvestri
Ancerl
Dutoit
Previn
Dorati
Barbirolli
Bernstein
Szell
And I'm not even thinking about operatic recordings though some of the above would also fall into that category! ::)
And, yes, that's over 10...and I'm probably forgetting others!
PD
Quote from: The new erato on September 19, 2021, 11:55:49 PM
I find it notorously difficult to answer questions like these. Nobody is good in everything, some have small recorded catalogues, and the more I listen the more I become aware of all I don't know. And sometimes I plain don't like the person and have difficulty separating the person from his work. And I haven't listened extensively to historical figures. And should explorations of underrecorded repertoire count?
Totally agree. Also, because I care much more about repertoire than conductors, I tend to be biased towards conductors who have consistently championed lesser-known repertoire that I enjoy - e.g. Neeme Järvi, Ari Rasilainen, Richard Hickox, etc. Even if a conductor is a very fine one, if they are/were unadventurous in their repertoire I generally don't pay much attention to them.
Quote from: Papy Oli on December 12, 2019, 01:04:38 AM
Here goes :
Celibidache
Bernstein
Wand
Maazel
Barbirolli
Hogwood
Klemperer
Boult
Handley
Del Mar
I own
ZERO recordings led by Sergiu Celibidache. I had always heard he was interminable in pacing, so I've avoided him.
Is there a must have recording from Celi?On a side note, I see
John Malkovich will be portraying him in an upcoming film.
VS
Quote from: kyjo on September 20, 2021, 12:25:32 PM
Totally agree. Also, because I care much more about repertoire than conductors, I tend to be biased towards conductors who have consistently championed lesser-known repertoire that I enjoy - e.g. Neeme Järvi, Ari Rasilainen, Richard Hickox, etc. Even if a conductor is a very fine one, if they are/were unadventurous in their repertoire I generally don't pay much attention to them.
My thoughts exactly, and the last statement even more so. I would never be a fan of, say, Furtwängler, Böhm or Knappertsbusch, who conducted almost exclusively Austro-German repertoire.
Quote from: VonStupp on September 20, 2021, 01:22:11 PM
I own ZERO recordings led by Sergiu Celibidache. I had always heard he was interminable in pacing, so I've avoided him. Is there a must have recording from Celi?
A great Bruckner 6 (EMI or Sony).
My King...
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FQmWoyBbUmI/T414LZ4cijI/AAAAAAAACfc/TxO4Rvb807c/s1600/Nikolaus-Harnoncourt.jpg)
I'll have to really think about the other 9, it's not easy, but Harnoncourt is the one conductor that I consistently look for recordings from, even if they are duds he never fails to offer something unique to his performances. Same goes for Boulez and Bernstein. Ok that's three conductors, I'll think about the other 7.
Quote from: Symphonic Addict on September 20, 2021, 05:35:31 PM
My thoughts exactly, and the last statement even more so. I would never be a fan of, say, Furtwängler, Böhm or Knappertsbusch, who conducted almost exclusively Austro-German repertoire.
OK, but some body has to do that, and to do it well. It's not like that repertoire is uninteresting.
Back in the day I had favorites but I don't anymore. I have favorites specific to certain eras and genres but I don't have anyone that I would like uniformly no matter what they played. For example, I love Herreweghe's Bach, I could not imagine him in say Ligeti.
Quote from: DavidW on September 22, 2021, 04:08:31 AM
Back in the day I had favorites but I don't anymore. I have favorites specific to certain eras and genres but I don't have anyone that I would like uniformly no matter what they played. For example, I love Herreweghe's Bach, I could not imagine him in say Ligeti.
Who would have imagined
Harnoncourt conducting
Porgy and Bess? And yet, he recorded the piece... ;D
But I absolutely get your point,
DavidW, and share it to a certain degree. Still, there are some conductors who, for those interested in specific areas of the repertoire, are essential. For instance, I could not imagine the development of (most of, but of course not all) my musical tastes without the influence of
Pierre Boulez (in his facet as conductor). Some people could have a similar feeling concerning, e.g.
William Christie (for French Baroque), and there'd be many more examples, I venture to say.
And I forgot to mention Chailly which obviously is a favorite. A lot of great recordings, and not only of wellknown stuff.
Today's list:
Groves
Boult
Barbirolli
Berglund
Previn
Thomson
Kondrashin
Slatkin (underrated IMO)
Furtwangler
Bernstein or Haitink
I don't have enough vast experience and knowledge to pick ten favourite conductors.
If I could only pick one, it would likely be Kertész.
Some notable mentions:
Jochum
N. Jarvi
Zinman
V. Petrenko
Wit
Dorati
Maazel
Quote from: ritter on September 22, 2021, 05:45:04 AM
Who would have imagined Harnoncourt conducting Porgy and Bess? And yet, he recorded the piece... ;D
But I absolutely get your point, DavidW, and share it to a certain degree. Still, there are some conductors who, for those interested in specific areas of the repertoire, are essential. For instance, I could not imagine the development of (most of, but of course not all) my musical tastes without the influence of Pierre Boulez (in his facet as conductor). Some people could have a similar feeling concerning, e.g. William Christie (for French Baroque), and there'd be many more examples, I venture to say.
William Christie is one of my favorite conductors for Handel as well (the oratorios and operas).
Quote from: vandermolen on September 22, 2021, 07:57:00 AM
Today's list:
Slatkin (underrated IMO)
Very much agree! Slatkin and St. Louis were a prolific duo and just about everything they released was reliable. And I just went through his Rachmaninoff records with Detroit SO and they are very good.
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on September 21, 2021, 06:42:55 PM
My King...
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FQmWoyBbUmI/T414LZ4cijI/AAAAAAAACfc/TxO4Rvb807c/s1600/Nikolaus-Harnoncourt.jpg)
I'll have to really think about the other 9, it's not easy, but Harnoncourt is the one conductor that I consistently look for recordings from, even if they are duds he never fails to offer something unique to his performances. Same goes for Boulez and Bernstein. Ok that's three conductors, I'll think about the other 7.
Ok here's my list for now, until I read some other's lists in this thread and change my mind...
Harnoncourt
Boulez
Bernstein
Rene Jacobs
Thomas Fey (even just for his Haydn)
Kurt Sanderling
Barbirolli
Quote from: Mirror Image on December 11, 2019, 06:34:11 AM
In no particular order:
Pierre Boulez
Leonard Bernstein
Jean Martinon
Charles Mackerras
Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Claudio Abbado
Herbert von Karajan
Michael Tilson Thomas
Simon Rattle
Bernard Haitink
Some changes (in no particular order):
Leonard Bernstein
Bernard Haitink
Evgeny Svetlanov
Herbert von Karajan
Pierre Boulez
Igor Markevitch
Riccardo Chailly
Paavo Berglund
Jiří Bělohlávek
Sir John Barbirolli
any order-
Giulini
Slatkin
Ansermet
Ormandy
HvK
Reiner
Klemperer
Kubelik
Solti
Stokowsky
Some that I'm a fan of, no particular order:
Otto Klemperer
Herbert von Karajan
George Szell
Leonard Bernstein
Pierre Boulez
Herbert Blomstedt
Neeme Järvi
Georg Solti
Bruno Walter
Bernard Haitink
Jochum
Bohm
Dorati
Ancerl
Markevitch
Ormandy
Szell
Bernstein
Haitink
Kondrashin
Plus, Gauk, Golovanov, etc.
Probably, for now. No order. Because of their material that I've been enjoying recently...
Kondrashin
Petrenko
Lloyd Jones
Lindberg
Vanska
Jarvi
Storgårds
Kitayenko
Handley
Gergiev
Let's see:
Karajan
C. Kleiber
Bernstein
Jansons
Solti
Abbado
Boulez
Chailly
Rattle
Haitink
I don't recall seeing this thread before, so hopefully l'm not inadvertently reposting.
In no particular order:
Herbert von Karajan
George Szell
Leonard Bernstein
Neville Marinner
Bernard Haitink
Adrian Boult
John Barbirolli
Fritz Reiner
Andre Previn
Carlos Kleiber
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on September 21, 2021, 06:42:55 PM
My King...
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FQmWoyBbUmI/T414LZ4cijI/AAAAAAAACfc/TxO4Rvb807c/s1600/Nikolaus-Harnoncourt.jpg)
I'll have to really think about the other 9, it's not easy, but Harnoncourt is the one conductor that I consistently look for recordings from, even if they are duds he never fails to offer something unique to his performances. Same goes for Boulez and Bernstein. Ok that's three conductors, I'll think about the other 7.
Same here! :)
That is actually a picture of Harry when his favorite Bach organist is criticized! 8)
Böhm
Haitink
Harnoncourt (in pre-1800 fare only)
Klemperer
Mrawinsky
Ormandy
Suitner
Szell
Toscanini
Walter
Another go:
Previn
Boult
Mackerras Ansermet ::)
Leppard Sargent ::)
Kajanus
Koussevitzky
Thomson
Kondrashin
Furtwangler
Wand
Quote from: vandermolen on June 17, 2022, 11:30:04 PM
Another go:
Previn
Boult
Mackerras
Leppard
Kajanus
Koussevitzky
Thomson
Kondrashin
Furtwangler
Wand
No Malcolm Sargent? ;D
In no particular order:
Solti
Karajan
Bernstein
Suzuki
Karl Richter
Rilling
Blomstedt
Böhm
Haitink
Abbado
It's hard for me to make much of a judgement on those conductors whose bulk of recorded work predates the stereo era.
Let's see...
Ancerl
Bernstein
Chailly
N. Järvi
Karajan
Kertesz
Martinon
Svetlanov
Szell
Thomson
Bernstein
Mackerras
Gardiner
Alsop
Marriner
Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla
Davis
Dudamel
Abbado
Carneiro
I never get too obsessed over conductors, but here goes anyway:
#1. Manfred Honeck
(the rest are in no particular order)
Neeme Järvi
Sir Charles Mackerras
Leonard Bernstein
Andrew Litton
Ari Rasilainen
Vernon Handley
Claudio Abbado
Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Riccardo Muti
15 interesting eccentrics, by today's standards, IMHO:
- Mengelberg
- Scherchen
- Golovanov
- Stokowski
- Celibidache
- Paray
- Swoboda
- Rodzinsky
- Barbirolli pre-1955
- Ormandy pre-1960
- Beecham
- Gauk
- Klemperer pre-1960
- Furtwangler
- Toscanini
As of 28/08/2022
In no particular order, almost everyone with a starting K or S :)
Christoph von Dohnanyi
Otto Klemperer
Constantin Silvestri
Herbert von Karajan
Janos Kovacs
Yevgeny Svetlanov
Kurt Sanderling
Otmar Suitner
Gyorgy Solti
My 10 favourite conductors (in alphabetical order):
Ernest Ansermet
Riccardo Chailly
Antal Dorati
Charles Dutoit
Jean Martinon
Zubin Mehta
Riccardo Muti
Eugene Ormandy
Seiji Ozawa
Fritz Reiner
Oops. I forgot André Cluytens. (I can't think of who to boot off the list to put Cluytens on.)
Can I make it a Top 11 list?
Oh, I just remembered Frans Brüggen too.
This list thing is hard.
Quote from: kyjo on June 20, 2022, 01:37:33 PM
No Malcolm Sargent? ;D
Oh no!!! :o
How could I forget Sargent?
I'm going to replace Leppard with Sargent.
:)
Quote from: vandermolen on September 05, 2022, 12:43:47 AM
Oh no!!! :o
How could I forget Sargent?
I'm going to replace Leppard with Sargent.
:)
Egad! I forgot Sargent for my list too. Grrr.
Quote from: Peter Power Pop on September 05, 2022, 08:34:48 PM
Egad! I forgot Sargent for my list too. Grrr.
And I also forgot Ansermet :o
I've now (reluctantly) replaced Mackerras with Ansermet,
Quote from: vandermolen on September 07, 2022, 09:16:43 AM
And I also forgot Ansermet :o
I've now (reluctantly) replaced Mackerras with Ansermet,
I'm struggling to come up with a list....too many and I have favorites in different repertoire and genres too. :(
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 07, 2022, 09:41:07 AM
I'm struggling to come up with a list....too many and I have favorites in different repertoire and genres too. :(
PD
I hear ya, PD.
These are the ones I find myself choosing to listen to when I have a choice of the work, and almost always I am listening to a vocal work - not symphonic that often.
Tulio Serafin
Teodor Currentzis
Claudio Abbado
Karl Böhm
Georg Solti
René Jacobs
John Eliot Gardiner
Philippe Herreweghe
Jordi Savall
Michael Gielen
1. Karel Ancerl
I will have to think about the others ;D
Quote from: Brian on December 10, 2019, 06:16:23 AMalpha:
Leonard Bernstein
Manfred Honeck
Vladimir Jurowski
Charles Mackerras
Jean Martinon
Charles Munch
Jordi Savall
Constantin Silvestri
George Szell
Antoni Wit
Jurowski and Wit are the only ones I've seen live; other really notable live experiences I've had with conductors would include Marin Alsop, Vladimir Ashkenazy (albeit with a student orchestra), Stéphane Denève, Charles "Dirtbag" Dutoit, Susanna Mälkki, and Vasily Petrenko. I've seen Colin Davis, Gustavo Dudamel, Neeme Järvi, and of course Dallas' own Fabio Luisi and Jaap van Zweden but wouldn't necessarily put them in that tier.
Three-plus years on, I wrote a new list from scratch, compared it to the old list, and observed these changes:
In place of V. Jurowski, Munch, Savall, and Silvestri, the new list has Ancerl, Markevitch, Previn, and Walter.
The honorable mentions are the same. That all seems fair enough.
Best people I've seen live list is essentially unchanged:
Alsop, Ashkenazy, Denève, Mälkki, V. Jurowski, V. Petrenko, Wit
Revised:
Ancerl
Markevitch
Dorati
Bernstein
Leinsdorf
Gauk
Haitink
György Lehel
Byron Fidetzis
Hikmet Şimşek
Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on February 12, 2023, 07:29:58 AMHikmet Şimşek
My family is Turkish and my relatives have probably attended his concerts, but I am totally unfamiliar with his career. Are there recordings you recommend? Is his work in widespread distribution?
Quote from: Brian on February 15, 2023, 01:00:02 PMMy family is Turkish and my relatives have probably attended his concerts, but I am totally unfamiliar with his career. Are there recordings you recommend? Is his work in widespread distribution?
These nice albums are available on streaming sites.
(https://i.scdn.co/image/ab67616d0000b27387cea6c95cb27068c6b96c27)
(https://static.qobuz.com/images/covers/ma/qg/eutbhfk3fqgma_600.jpg)
(https://is5-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Music/ba/9b/b4/mzi.dgsuqizl.jpg/632x632bf.webp)
(https://is5-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Music122/v4/b0/ad/81/b0ad813c-aefb-c91e-e7c9-8d7bdfa4e0fa/8EC01AA4-C0C0-11EC-B0A9-1629C018C16D.jpg/632x632bb.webp)
(https://is4-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Music122/v4/25/20/b1/2520b10b-8696-55c6-80c8-5ca0e1215d3e/01F25ECC-C0BE-11EC-808F-5728C018C16D.jpg/632x632bb.webp)
Here's my list with indication of matching composers:
1. Klemperer. Anything
2. Kubelik. Antyhing
3. Monteux. Anything
4. Chailly. Mahler, Beethoven, Stravinsky
5. Bernstein. Mahler, Haydn, Stravinsky, Bartok, Shostakovich (the little he did)
6. Mackerras. Dvorak, Janacek, Haydn
7. Barenboim. Wagner, Beethoven, Schumann, Mahler (the little he did)
8. Markevitch. Pretty much anything
9. Ancerl. Pretty much anything
10. Walter. Mahler, Brahms, Beethoven, Mozart
11. Jochum. Brahms, Haydn, Beethoven