Richard Morrison, Chief Music Critic
Attend an evening with Andre Agassi
This list needs two health warnings. First, any orchestra is only as good (or bad) as the maestro waggling the baton. I’ve heard the Vienna Philharmonic, for instance, play wonderfully and atrociously – in the same week.
And secondly, any ranking is bound to be weighted towards those “Ivy League” orchestras – Berlin, Vienna, Amsterdam, Chicago and our own LSO – who have the contacts, prestige and sponsorship to lure top talent and push their music-making round the globe.
What most surprises me, though, is the omission of two orchestras that have ignited the 21st century’s musical world. One is Claudio Abbado’s Lucerne Festival Orchestra, as close to heavenly perfection as mortals are likely to get. The second is Gustavo Dudamel’s Simón BolÍvar Youth Orchestra, which has transformed the classical music experience. Leaving the exuberant Venezuelan youngsters off the list says a lot about the people who compiled it.
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