Likes: I would read such a thread with keen interest.Originally Posted by BlackAdderLXX
I would read such a thread with keen interest.
BlackAdderLXX liked this post
Noticing this thread, I looked at my CD collection catalogue and found that there are 36 conductors whose work I collect to the max. Over my 50 years of classical music enthusiasm, these are the conductors whose work speaks to me, and that's why I collect them. I don't want to single out conductors I don't like. Their absence from my 36 favored ones is all I have to say. This is in alphabetical order. I either have all or most of these conductors' works. If anyone cares, I am very able and willing to state exactly what I find excellent about these artists.
Riccardo Chailly
Colin Davis
Antal Doráti
Frederick Fennell
Arthur Fiedler
Michael Gielen
Angel Gil-Ordoñez
Morton Gould
Vernon Handley
Christopher Hogwood
Marek Janowski
Eugen Jochum
Ton Koopman
Erich Leinsdorf
Yoel Levi
Charles MacKerras
Jean Martinon
Pierre Monteux
Charles Munch
Riccardo Muti
Eugene Ormandy
Seiji Ozawa
Paul Paray
Fritz Reiner
Michael Sanderling
Wolfgang Sawallisch
Stansiław Skrowaczewcki
Leonard Slatkin
William Steinberg
Leopold Stokowski
George Szell
Michael Tilson Thomas
Christoph von Dohnányi
Bruno Walter
Sebastian Weigle
Favourite: Carlos Kleiber, who made old warhorses come up new-minted like nobody else I've ever heard, simply by playing what's written but doing so at white heat.
Least favourite: Simon Rattle, who so often insists on "doing something with" music which doesn't need that kind of interventionism and should be allowed to speak for itself.
Absolute favourite: Karl Bohm (might be an unpopular opinion). For some reason I like his Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Beethoven the most. But of course, Mozart he alone brings to life. If I may mention another, then George Szell.
Conductor I don't like: Rattle definitely. Still don't understand him.
I have many favourites for several reasons, which i have not the time to list.
The most detestable goes to teodor currentzis or roger norrington.
I have no favorite or least favorite over a wide range of music. There are several famous conductors I've yet to listen to including Kubelik, Giulini, and many others. And some I just seem to avoid like Karajan, and Abbado. But mostly I have no interest in collecting volumes and volumes of standard repertoire by dozens of conductors.
Last edited by starthrower; Aug-13-2020 at 19:03.
“Music makes you feel feelings. Words make you think thoughts. But a song can make you feel a thought.”
- Yip Harburg
flamencosketches liked this post
As for Kubelík, why not check out his Dvorak 8 & 9 disc on DG with the BPO. I must say it's the first I've gotten any enjoyment out of these works. Giulini, he's made good recordings of the Brahms and Beethoven concertos w/ Perlman, and a great Don G in the early '60s. But that's all I really know from him. He seems to have tended toward slower tempi later in life, but not really in a Klemperer or Celibidache kind of way.
I'm pretty well saturated with Dvorak 8 & 9. I've got at least three recordings of each, and I've heard umpteen 9ths on classical radio over the years.
“Music makes you feel feelings. Words make you think thoughts. But a song can make you feel a thought.”
- Yip Harburg
The best is difficult; there are so many great conductors each of whom has his own specialty. To find a conductor with a very broad repertoire all of a very high standard is not easy. Certainly Sir John Barbirolli must be a contender as must Bruno Walter both of whom seemed to find the heart in any music. And as a rank outsider Karl Munchinger. He was a pioneer of authentic baroque with Chamber orchestra although his repertoire seemed limited and he had no interest in the great romantic warhorses. But within his own field pretty good.
The worst is less so. Celibidache. I know he is a cult but I always felt that He could destroy any emotion in music. Sure there were moments which were very beautiful but there was no sense of structure and any climax was ironed out. Surprisingly he seemed a far better conductor when younger.
Last edited by Geoff48; Aug-24-2020 at 22:06.
All time favorite: Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Least favorites: Celibidache, Currentzis, Ormandy, Welser-Möst. I also despise Thielemann but on a personal level rather than musical.
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