"Rok, you dont the Cleve is top 5 in entire world? I do and thought others did aswell. Interested in your take, considered elite at minimum!"
How can anyone know? The American Orchestras don't record anymore. I look at my LPs and they are all NY, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston and Cleveland. My CDs are almost all European. I think for a few decades after the war we had the best, but then greed reared it's ugly head. Now the Europeans have recovered and have now surpassed the US. You can make the case that MN is now the top American Orch. At least you can buy CDs by them. But my favorite from the past was Philadelphia / Ormandy. A young person getting into classical music today could not be faulted for thinking that ALL classical orchestras are European!!
I think the war helped this country in ways most of us don't even recognize. Now the advantages we gained from the war are disappearing.
But to answer your question: You would have to consider Berlin, Vienna, Concertgebouw, LSO, St Martin Fields, and the Leipzig Gewandhaus. Along with many smaller but outstanding orchestras and chamber groups. Is Cleveland in this company? I certainly hope so. I wonder how many young people know that Cleveland has an Orchestra? But, I am an American first, last and always so... Hell yes Cleveland is in the elite category.
How can anyone know? The American Orchestras don't record anymore. I look at my LPs and they are all NY, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston and Cleveland. My CDs are almost all European. I think for a few decades after the war we had the best, but then greed reared it's ugly head. Now the Europeans have recovered and have now surpassed the US. You can make the case that MN is now the top American Orch. At least you can buy CDs by them. But my favorite from the past was Philadelphia / Ormandy. A young person getting into classical music today could not be faulted for thinking that ALL classical orchestras are European!!
I think the war helped this country in ways most of us don't even recognize. Now the advantages we gained from the war are disappearing.
But to answer your question: You would have to consider Berlin, Vienna, Concertgebouw, LSO, St Martin Fields, and the Leipzig Gewandhaus. Along with many smaller but outstanding orchestras and chamber groups. Is Cleveland in this company? I certainly hope so. I wonder how many young people know that Cleveland has an Orchestra? But, I am an American first, last and always so... Hell yes Cleveland is in the elite category.
