GREATEST CONDUCTORS of the 20th century: nominate 5-at least 1 sentence explanation each, for your choice?

Question

The conductors can be either exclusively symphonic or operatic, or those who were expert in both.

But they must have lived and died during the 20th century: no living conductors.

And please, PRETTY please, nominate only one if you wish, but no more than five; and again please, post at least a one sentence or more justification for your choice.

I will post mine when I choose Best Answer. So, away we go-----------

Alberich/Wotan

"THREE hours" after questions posting. Please forgive me, I could not resist commenting on the responses posted so far.

One of my choices would be Toscanini and Stokowski, for the very same reasons given by you respondees who chose them.

The only surprise I have had so far(and it was a HUGE one), is that another of my choices, was not nominated. The Great Fritz Reiner. Any thoughts, comments about him?

Again, terribly, terribly difficult choice: all great answers. And my choice is simply a biased one: "JEFF L", it was between you and "BEARCAT", so I just tossed a coin. "NOTA"- Your enlightening scope was uplifting; but nevertheless, "ppffffftt" right back at cha-that's a "grapejuice".

My choices, not in rank of importance:

Arturo Toscanini
Fritz Reiner
Antal Dorati
Artur Rodzinski
Leopold Stokowski

The reasons for my choosing the three that were choices of some of you responders, has already been expressed much better by you, than I could have: so, no further justifications is necessary I feel.

My choices of Dorati and Rodzinski, just goes to emphisize my age.

But I still have some old LP recodings of theirs, and their renditions are for me, definitive.

Ah, a by-gone era, the "good ole days".

Alberich

P.S.-Reminder: there is a "Comments" box ----????

Answer 1

Not in order of importance, but IN order of my favorites:
Herbert von Karajan, most notably of the Berliner Philharmoniker, who is the premier interpreter of the music of Ludwig von Beethoven and Richard Wagner in the 20th century.
Fritz Reiner, most notably of Chicago Symphony, a primary interpreter of Strauss and Bartok. Was technically precise and economic in his conducting: less motion with most result.
Leopold Stokowski, notably of Philadelphia Orchestra, who brought a mediocre orchestra to national prominence by insisting upon virtuosity from his musicians.
Leonard Bernstein, most notable with New York Philharmonic, responsible for dynamic and moving interpretations of previous classics.
Hans Richter, who established the London Symphony as an independant and self-sustaining organization that started a tradition of excellence not frequently copied in this world.

Answer 2

It is tough to pick just five, and when you pick one there are several others that you could pick for the same reasons, but:

Eugene Ormandy - for the wonderful, warm sound, clarity and precise execution he pulled from the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Bruno Walter- a gifted artist whether conducting a symphony orchestra or an opera or playing the piano and gave us the world premier of Mahler's Ninth.

Otto Klemperer - for his sense of orchestral balance, musical honesty and performances of Wagner.

Arturo Toscanini - for his legendary perfectionism, his great knowledge of orchestral repertoire and great performances of Brahms, Beethoven and Wagner among others.

Leonard Bernstein (just barely over George Solti) - a consummate conductor, composer and educator, for bringing classical music to the young with his Young People's Concerts.

Edit: Like I said, if you pick only five someone just as great will get left out. Fritz Reiner was just as at home with the symphony as with the opera. He was a study in the economy of gesture in conducting and a fanatic on preparation. Important Bartok and Strauss interpretations.

Musician, composer, teacher.

Answer 3

Leonard Bernstein - world-wide appeal and presence as both a conductor and a composer. Worked with many famous orchestras, musicans, and famous personalities and also made many televised appearances.

Leopold Stokowski - known most for his work with the Philadelphia Orch (but also for Cincinnati). Known for his flamboyance and the musical liberties that he took.

Arturo Toscanini - thought to be one of the greatest conductors of all time. Wikipedia says: "He was renowned for his brilliant intensity, his restless perfectionism, his phenomenal ear for orchestral detail and sonority, and his photographic memory which gave him extraordinary command over a vast repertoire of orchestral and operatic works, and allowed him to correct errors in orchestral parts unnoticed by his colleagues for decades" I completely agree.

Herbert von Karajan - another one of the best in the 20th cent. Known best for conducting the Berlin Philharmonic.

Eugene Ormandy - Known well for his work with the Philadelphia Orch. Also known for his large amt of recordings.

I was going to choose Pierre Boulez instead of Karajan (although I love him too) because of his huge contribution to contemporary music and I personally find him to be amazing...but he is still alive.

Answer 4

Leonard Bernstein for "Ode to Freedom: Bernstein in Berlin" (Beethoven's 9th at the fall of the Berlin Wall). He substituted the word "Freedom" for "Joy" in the chorus, and it was magnificent.

Zubin Mehta of the New York Philharmonic. I'm a great fan of their version of Holst's "The Planets."

Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He did the score of Walt Disney's original "Fantasia," and taught many of us our first love of symphonic music.

Arthur Fiedler for Boston Pops. All of it.

None of these guys have the snob appeal of those who conduct European symphonies for opera or ballet and don't do much recording. What they have done, however, is bring really good music to people who otherwise would never know any classical music at all.

P.S. Just noticed you didn't want any "live ones." Mehta is still alive. But I refuse to remove him from my list anyway, so ppfffffttt.
[That's a raspberry.]

Answer 5

1) Furtwängler. A great musician, outstanding conductor, (less good composer..), excellent tempi etc.

2) Klemperer. Intense etc. Those "explanation lines" are really pointless I must say. you can't describe why a conductor is good

3) Toscanini. Don't like him very much. Furtwängler spoke of him as having little Beethovenian understanding. Yet he remains a very "powerful" maestro

4) Barenboim. One of the last greats.

5) Mehta. Very sympathetic person, good musical culture,...


I like Pinchas Steinberg too
As for Walter, he wasn't actually a great conductor.

Answer 6

Bruno Walter - His influence on other conductors was amazing, and he kept Mahler's music alive in the period between the composers death and the time Bernstein and others made his music a concert staple. Even though he is not as famous as others both major concert halls in NYC have Bruno Walter galley

George Szell - also for influencing a generation of conductors, especially Boulez and for keeping and advancing the Central Euopean styles of playing.

Answer 7

Arthur Fiedler!!!

Love him!! great big white hair too!!