Favourite Conductor

[Steppenwolf]

There have been many discussions on this forum about the respective merits of various composers (eg. Bach vs Handel, Brahms vs Wagner, etc), but I cannot recall there being a discussion or debate about the quality of conductors.

Perhaps I have missed these discussions. Nevertheless, I would be interested to hear who your favourite conductor(s) is/are.

[Ludwig]

My favourte conductor is Furtwangler

[JA Gardiner]

The one and only Carlos Kleiber - though alas he conducted far too rarely and recorded even less! His versions of the Beethoven symphonies are, for me unsurpassable (even by Toscanani, Tony!). I also love Bernstein, when he's not being too much the Diva, and Barbirolli (especially with Du Pre and singers like Janet Baker) . Never could warm to Karajan somehow - though he was amazingly versatile and a marketing genius. Of those still alive I revere Abbado who is revelatory in Mahler as in much else. I also greatly admire Ashkenazy, Esa Pekka Salonen and, just to buck the romantic trend, the super precise John Eliot Gardiner - no relation sadly

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Beethoven the Man!

[Tony_in_London]

Originally posted by Steppenwolf:
There have been many discussions on this forum about the respective merits of various composers (eg. Bach vs Handel, Brahms vs Wagner, etc), but I cannot recall there being a discussion or debate about the quality of conductors.

Perhaps I have missed these discussions. Nevertheless, I would be interested to hear who your favourite conductor(s) is/are.

Certainly one of the most inspiring conductors I have ever seen perform live was Andre Previn with the LSO and Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony, but that was when I was a young dude, many, many moons ago and so my experience might well have been unconsciously influenced by the fact that Mr Previn was (and probably still is) a superb jazz pianist, and also then married to the ever fragrant Mia Farrow



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Love from London

[JA Gardiner]

Originally posted by Tony_in_London:
Certainly one of the most inspiring conductors I have ever seen perform live was Andre Previn with the LSO and Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony, but that was when I was a young dude, many, many moons ago and so my experience might well have been unconsciously influenced by the fact that Mr Previn was (and probably still is) a superb jazz pianist, and also then married to the ever fragrant Mia Farrow

You - a young dude??? You'll have to produce the photos to prove it! But I agree on "Mr Preview" as the late lamented Eric Morecambe called him. His TV concerts in the late sixties and seventies were inspiring and he and the LSO looked ubercool in their black roll necks And as the Morecambe and Wise shows demonstrated he was never up himself in the way some conductors can get and played deadpan comedy at his own expense beautifully. Remember the Grieg Piano Concerto sketch? or the "I appeared on M&W and look what I'm doing now" sketch with him hanging off the back of a Routemaster Bus with a ticket machine? It does make me feel old now to see him as a distinguished grey elder statesman - rather like Menuhin was in my youth - but he still has excellent taste in interesting and dynamic women and is married to the beautiful and immensely talented Anne-Sofie Mutter, the virtuoso violinist.


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Beethoven the Man!

[This message has been edited by JA Gardiner (edited 10-31-2005).]

[Raro]

Sawallisch - my god, his Schumann is amazing! Furthermore I consider Haitink and Zinman very, very good.

[Steppenwolf]

As for my own conductor preferences, although the old masters such as Furtwaengler were undoubtedy great, for me the poor quality of old recordings impairs their enjoyment and appreciation.

For general symphonic music I would choose Karajan.

For baroque and classical I would choose John Eliot Gardner and Christopher Hogwood.

For Wagner I would choose Barenboim.

There is one conductor, much revered, whom I positively dislike - Otto Klemperer. I don't understand how anyone could enjoy the dreary and lethargic tempo with which he seems to have conducted everything. I recently heard a Klemperer recording of the Missa Solemnis and it was dreadful.

[This message has been edited by Steppenwolf (edited 10-31-2005).]

[Chris]

I like Klemperer. I found his Missa quite good (I know he's made a few, but I'm not sure how different they are), and he has the best Fidelio recording out there, in my opinion.

[untamed_personality]

The only conductor I've ever felt an affinity for is Karajan. I'm not sure why, although it may be because he had a go at just about everything! I have his last Missa, recorded around 1985, and it is magnificent.

For earlier music I've always enjoyed Marriner and the ASMF, although the likes of Gardiner and Hogwood are fast usurping them!


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Seizing fate by the throat...

[This message has been edited by untamed_personality (edited 10-31-2005).]

[Peter]

Originally posted by Steppenwolf:
As for my own conductor preferences, although the old masters such as Furtwaengler were undoubtedy great, for me the poor quality of old recordings impairs their enjoyment and appreciation.

For general symphonic music I would choose Karajan.

For baroque and classical I would choose John Eliot Gardner and Christopher Hogwood.

For Wagner I would choose Barenboim.

There is one conductor, much revered, whom I positively dislike - Otto Klemperer. I don't understand how anyone could enjoy the dreary and lethargic tempo with which he seems to have conducted everything. I recently heard a Klemperer recording of the Missa Solemnis and it was dreadful.

I sympathise with your views on Klemperer! However I have only really heard his later recordings and by all accounts his tempi slowed dramatically with age. Recently a 1974 performance of the 2nd symphony was shown as part of the BBC Beethoven series, it was so plodding I couldn't watch it.

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'Man know thyself'

[Hollywood]

My favorite conductor has always been Herbert von Karajan. I must admit that I had quite a crush on him when I was younger (many moons ago). I still find him to be quite a handsome devil.

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"God knows why it is that my pianoforte music always makes the worst impression on me, especially when it is played badly."
- Beethoven 1804.

[Tony_in_London]

Originally posted by JA Gardiner:

Originally posted by Tony_in_London:
Certainly one of the most inspiring conductors I have ever seen perform live was Andre Previn with the LSO and Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony, but that was when I was a young dude, many, many moons ago and so my experience might well have been unconsciously influenced by the fact that Mr Previn was (and probably still is) a superb jazz pianist, and also then married to the ever fragrant Mia Farrow

You - a young dude??? You'll have to produce the photos to prove it! But I agree on "Mr Preview" as the late lamented Eric Morecambe called him. His TV concerts in the late sixties and seventies were inspiring and he and the LSO looked ubercool in their black roll necks And as the Morecambe and Wise shows demonstrated he was never up himself in the way some conductors can get and played deadpan comedy at his own expense beautifully. Remember the Grieg Piano Concerto sketch? or the "I appeared on M&W and look what I'm doing now" sketch with him hanging off the back of a Routemaster Bus with a ticket machine? It does make me feel old now to see him as a distinguished grey elder statesman - rather like Menuhin was in my youth - but he still has excellent taste in interesting and dynamic women and is married to the beautiful and immensely talented Anne-Sofie Mutter, the virtuoso violinist.

Anne-Sofie Mutter? Well, well some guys land on their feet, as we say down here in the smoke

Maybe I should re brand myself as Tone (as in Andre) and take up conducting?



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Love from London

[JA Gardiner]

Originally posted by Tony_in_London:
Anne-Sofie Mutter? Well, well some guys land on their feet, as we say down here in the smoke

Maybe I should re brand myself as Tone (as in Andre) and take up conducting?

Um..... Tone Deaf the conductor perhaps????


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Beethoven the Man!

[jfienen]

my favorite conductor of all time would have to be. Lenorad Bernstein, not is an american icon but also world wide. I never seen him live but my dad has. I love it when he conducted B's 9th symphony with the new york philimonic orchestra it was totally amazing. I was pretty young at the time I had seen it.


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[Sorrano]

Though I am a little late with my reply I have to say that after Toscanini I have to go with Solti; I find most if not all of his interpretations of major works very satisfying.