Posted by Chuck Jackson on February 12, 2001 at 23:57:15:
In Reply to: Re: Best Orchestras? posted by Aubrey Foard on February 12, 2001 at 23:26:46:
Nope, not this time, and I generally agree with you Aubrey. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is the last bastion of imagination in the orchestral world. With the homogenization of orchestras, particullary brass sections, the VPO stands out as the MOST imaganitive orchestra in the world because they do everything in their own style. You have to love the pumpen-horns, rotary trumpets, big-bore bones and the goofy F tubas(yes,even now they tend to use weird instruments). The sound is always a hair behind the beat, big, warm, and fat and when needed, can put a 10 penny nail through ones skull. The winds are the best in the world, as are the strings. I find every recording I get of them to be amongst the most imagnitive, in terms of depth of feeling(3rd Mvmnt Bruckner 9, Bernstein), playfulness(Beethoven Pno Crto 5, last mvmnt Brendal and Rattle)and sheer rapture(Kleiber, Beethoven 7, possibly the greatest recording of ANYTHING ever). Besides, they haven't bought into the "bigger-is-better" brass thing or the "we-need-to-play until our reeds disintegrate" woodwind sound. They, quite imaginitively, have kept their own voice throughout history. And let's face it, they are the living definition of "WORLD PREMIERE". Think about it. Like I said, nothing personal, you are a very erudite young man, but us old guys have something to say too. Cheers!!!!