I was wondering which orchestras in the US and Canada are regarded by readers as the best. The US has so many - Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Cleveland, and others, I am sure. Canada has Montreal, but after that, my ignorance lets me down.

In the UK, my view is that the Philharmonia is just about the best, followed, probably, by the LSO.

In mainland Europe, the best are probably Vienna, Berlin, and Amsterdam.

But provincial orchestras can be excellent too. And Principal Conductors can make a huge difference.

I will be interested to read any opinions.

[My first question here, I think]

I do applaud you for asking a question such as this! You are a person after my own heart! :) I am very heavily involved in the types of music that involve acoustic instruments that are not amplified in any way. Such as those that might be found in orchestras and concert bands.

Yes, there certainly are a lot of major symphony orchestras in the U.S. as well as in other parts of the world. Also, worth mentioning are the number of smaller orchestras, not small enough to be a chamber orchestra though, that are not major that might be mostly comprised of those people inhabiting the towns or cites where those orchestras are located. I believe that you used the word "provincial" to indicate those types of orchestras, if I am correct.

But, to answer your question, I don't know that it's possible for me to be able to judge one orchestra over the other as being the "best." There are hundreds of orchestras from which to choose to listen to, both live and on recordings as well as thousands of pieces of music that one might listen to in comparing one orchestra to another. One orchestra may be equally skilled in technique and playing capacities as another one. However, one of them may perform a certain type of music better than the other, even though both orchestras play equally well, technically. And, to paraphrase something that you have said, it does make a great deal of difference as to whom is doing the conducting. For instance, the London Symphony Orchestra might really stink in certain types of music under one conductor, and then under a different conductor directing the same type of music, absolutely shine in the performance of it.

From just my own viewpoint and also to more accurately answer your question so that you do have a direct answer, even though I do think now that you know where I am coming from on this, I do have a particular bent for the St. Louis Symphony and the Cleveland Orchestra. But, that is because I have heard them play a lot of pieces on the radio and also on some recordings that I have.

In the past, I have not been all that impressed with the Chicago Symphony under the direction of Sir George Solti. Even though the symphony was technically perfect, the music under his direction seemed to lack any fertility and seemed to be sterile in its drive. However, things have changed some in the last many years though concerning my opinion about the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. I like them much better, now.

I would have to agree with you that the London Symphony Orchestra has been consistently one of the top orchestras since its inception, probably more so than others.

Clough

Thank you for your interesting and comprehensive reply. What I was trying to get at is, the great orchestras of the world have their phases, perhaps associated with whoever is their Principal Conductor. I remember in the 1970's the LSO was regarded by many as not being at its best, with Andre Previn their main conductor. And I seem to remember the New York Phil making tremendous recordings under Bernstein.

With American music, I think you can often tell if it is being played by an American orchestra - they seem to find the jazzy syncopations of Gershwin, Copland and others coming more naturally - as though it's in their blood - compared with European orchestras.

I'd have to say my own favourite orchestra is the Vienna Phil - their strings and horns in particular have a unique sound. And I love Vienna, with its long and important contribution to musical history.

It does depend on what you hear, where you heard it, when it was recorded and/or performed and what organization was doing the playing.

Might be better to narrow down the "playing" field some from your original question, so to speak, (pun intended! :)) as to which orchestras some people might think are the best at playing only the works or a work of a certain composer also at a certain time in which a certain orchestra was playing certain works. One orchestra might have played certain works great during the 1920's under one conductor. And, then in the 1950's under a conductor, totally flopped at playing the same work or works.