It must that time of year - the list time of year.
Gramophone magazine has proclaimed the world's top orchestras, claiming to have polled critics. A few American orchestras made the list; Philadelphia was not among them. I can't claim to have heard every orchestra on the list (I wonder which one of the critics polled can), but the idea that the New York Philharmonic is one of the top 20 and Philadelphia isn't is pretty hilarious.
Here are the list's top ten.
1 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
2 Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
3 Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
4 London Symphony Orchestra
5 Chicago Symphony Orchestra
6 Bavarian Radio Symphony
7 Cleveland Orchestra
8 Los Angeles Philharmonic
9 Budapest Festival Orchestra
10 Dresden Staatskapelle
On the subject of lists, US News and World Report has shined its light on Michael Tilson Thomas, proclaming him one of "America's Best Leaders."
The piece says he's winning new fans for classical music. Not to take anything away from MTT, but the honor would have packed more of a punch if the magazine had actually shown how that is true. Their only evidence is this: "Ticket sales have climbed steadily since he arrived [in San Francisco], while the average age of concert-goers, bucking a national trend, has dropped from 57 in 1992 to 55 today.
Wow.
One more thought on lists. Isn't it interesting how credible we find them we they serve our agenda, and how dismissive we are of them when they don't? Forget I even brought it up.
Comments (4)
What a humbug! If you read the "comments" following the proclamation, there are many who disagree entirely and would rank Philadelphia among the best. Any rationalization would consider the recent recording history of the orchestra. Recent Eschenbach releases on Ondine have been well received. But before that there was a vacuum.
I believe the Ondine agreement will soon end and the Orchestra should be going in another direction.
Philly dissed again - well, they can't take the world series champion Phillies away from us.
Posted by Hal Sacks | November 22, 2008 12:15 PM
Posted on November 22, 2008 12:15
What a humbug! If you read the "comments" following the proclamation, there are many who disagree entirely and would rank Philadelphia among the best. Any rationalization would consider the recent recording history of the orchestra. Recent Eschenbach releases on Ondine have been well received. But before that there was a vacuum.
I believe the Ondine agreement will soon end and the Orchestra should be going in another direction.
Philly dissed again - well, they can't take the world series champion Phillies away from us.
Posted by Hal Sacks | November 22, 2008 12:15 PM
Posted on November 22, 2008 12:15
Actually, Philadelphia didn't make the top twenty...Why do you think that is?
Posted by Don Johannes | November 22, 2008 4:19 PM
Posted on November 22, 2008 16:19
All I can say is that I saw the Bavarian Radio Symphony last year at the Kimmel and they were better than any concert I have heard from the Philadelphia in recent years. It would appear from the list that the symphony orchestras listed here are rated primarily by the star power of their conductors.
Posted by PalestraJon | November 22, 2008 10:31 PM
Posted on November 22, 2008 22:31