Yet another fun poll: Vote for your favorite "big five" orchestra

[MISHUGINA]

I am just curious what are your favorite band among the "big five". Chicago Symphony is tops for me.

[MISHUGINA]

So, very much one for the Americans, then?

yup

[val]

Among American orchestras I would chose Chicago.

[Harry]

Cincinetti POP Orchestra.

[bhodges]

I chose Cleveland, but by a very, very small margin, since I've had great evenings with all five.  The New York Philharmonic is cruising along at a very high altitude these days (although some say on auto-pilot), Boston sounds better than it has in years with James Levine, and despite all the publicly aired rancor between Christoph Eschenbach and Philadelphia they have done some fantastic work together (a moral in there, somewhere).  But my favorite concert of last year was this one with the CSO: great program, conductor and soloist, and playing that took my breath away.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Pierre Boulez, Conductor
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Piano

Ravel: Valses nobles et sentimentales
Ligeti: Piano Concerto
Bartók: The Miraculous Mandarin

--Bruce

[Bonehelm]

NYPO just because of my beloved Mahler. 

[Bogey]

Here in the states, Cleveland....then probably San Francisco with MTT (not on the list).  Whenever I see discs at used shops by either, I buy without even sampling.

[Lethevich]

NYPO just because of my beloved Mahler. 

New York Philharmonic    - 0 (0%)
Philadelphia Orchestra    - 1 (7.7%)
Boston Symphony Orchestra    - 1 (7.7%)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra    - 6 (46.2%)
Cleveland Orchestra    - 5 (38.5%)

?

Aside from that - surprising results so far.

[Bonehelm]

Wow no one likes NYPO...

[stingo]

Philadelphia for me - having heard the orchestra and chamber groups made from it, I've enjoyed most everything I've heard.

[M forever]

Polls like these here are totally pointless. If you think you know and appreciate good orchestral playing enough to distinguish these orchestras from each other and from allegedly "lesser" ones, head over to Mystery Orchestra and analyze the samples of orchestral playing. You should all be able to instantly tell which of the orchestras in the samples are truly "big" ones, and which aren't, and which orchestras you are actually listening to. And also tell us why.

See you there!

[david johnson]

...only pointless to the uninterested.
i go chicago, but st. louis and cincy are so damn good!!!

dj

[M forever]

Please enlighten the uninterested about what's so interesting about those polls. I always like to learn.

Can you even tell the CSO apart from other orchestras in a blind test? If so, there may be an opportunity for you to prove that in Mystery Orchestra. Or maybe not. Could be, though. But obviously, I can't tell you if any of the Mystery clips in that round feature that orchestra. That would kind of spoil the whole thing.

[david johnson]

Please enlighten the uninterested about what's so interesting about those polls. I always like to learn.

Can you even tell the CSO apart from other orchestras in a blind test? If so, there may be an opportunity for you to prove that in Mystery Orchestra. Or maybe not. Could be, though. But obviously, I can't tell you if any of the Mystery clips in that round feature that orchestra. That would kind of spoil the whole thing.

you just want to fuss, so go find someone who takes your attitude seriously.

'Can you even tell the CSO apart from other orchestras in a blind test?'

oh, hell yes.  probably about 90%.

dj

[M forever]

OK, cool. See you over there.


In the meantime, can somebody else enlighten me what's so interesting about this poll? Really the only thing I can learn from it is that the author of it doesn't seem to be very familiar with the orchestral landscape in the USA today, or else he would know that the term "Big 5" is totally outdated and does injustice to a number of very good orchestras, foremost probably the SFS and LAP, but a number of others as well. If it ever applied, that "Big 5" term is not adequate to the current situation at all.

[MISHUGINA]

^^ If you don't understand the fuss, no need to let the whole world know. I guess somebody tripped on the Pandora's Box? 

Anyhow the NYPO seems the most overrated to me because the orchestra was outstanding only under Bernstein years. Of course the list seems no longer relevant today since San Francisco Symphony and Los Angelas Philharmonic has invaded the list.

[Greta]

Yep, my pick would've been LA Phil,  for several reasons. Outstanding playing technically and musically, forward-looking creative vision, doing well in getting folks excited about classical (and contemporary!) music.  My 5 doesn't include Boston as of the moment. But there is, thankfully, no "Big 5" anymore as more American orchestras up their game.

San Fran and Atlanta have always been two others I really like. Dallas is darn good these days. Houston, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Seattle also worth a mention.

[bhodges]

Yep, my pick would've been LA Phil,  for several reasons. Outstanding playing technically and musically, forward-looking creative vision, doing well in getting folks excited about classical (and contemporary!) music.  My 5 doesn't include Boston as of the moment. But there is, thankfully, no "Big 5" anymore as more American orchestras up their game.

San Fran and Atlanta have always been two others I really like. Dallas is darn good these days. Houston, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Seattle also worth a mention.

Exciting things are happening in Los Angeles, to be sure (and the others you mention).  I think Disney Hall has revealed the orchestra to be much better than some (perhaps) thought, although they have always been very highly regarded.  And their coup, hiring Gustavo Dudamel, is surely going to be a move that everyone will envy.  (PS, I just got the Boston Symphony Orchestra's season brochure in the mail, and what should be listed as a special "non-subscription" concert, but Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra in a program that includes South American composers' music to be announced, Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, and Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra.)

--Bruce

[Greta]

And their coup, hiring Gustavo Dudamel, is surely going to be a move that everyone will envy.

I hope that they will, ie. I hope it turns out as great as expected! I may end up out that way in the future.

I uploaded to Operashare the January performance that was the deciding factor, worth a listen. The Bartok Concerto is excellent and he really whips them into a frenzy on the Kodaly Dances. As the story goes, that fiery rendition was the tipping point, during which Salonen remarked to his wife, "This is it, he's our man."

[AB68]

Cleveland Orchestra. Probably because that is the only american orchestra I have alot of recordings with, and I have also heard them live several times. I think they are especially good in french music under various conductors, and their Stravinsky recordings under Boulez are extraordinary.