Greatest Conductors Of All-Time?

[zoned]

I nominate Wilhelm Furtwangler as the greatest conductor that ever lived. His recordings of Beethoven and Brahms,to me,are unmatched in their power.Furtwangler made music breathe like it had life all it's own. His approach to music was based on emotion,and to me music without emotion is vapid. Felix Weingartner was also great,and he was very accomplished as a composer as well. Does anybody have any recordings of weingartners music. Of the more modern conductors,I would rank the following as the cream of the crop:Stokowski-he gave 100% in each performance,and he championed modern and some American composers.For example,he recorded William Dawson's symphony-a fine work. Also,Horenstein was great,especially with Mahler.John Barbirolli was fine with English works,and Sibelius.Beecham was,of course great with English composers,like Delius.I will include two hometown favorites who were principal conductors of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.Paul Paray was a master of French music-his rendition of Saint-Saens organ symphony was very exciting as was his take on Berlioz's Fantastic Symphony. Also,Nemee Jarvi is very fine with Russian Music and American music! Hear the Chandos recordings. Last,but not least,I would say Leonard Bernstein was the last of the great conductors.However,I am sure there will be more on the horizon. Do you care to voice your opinion on conductors? I'd like to hear your opinions,and maybe you can enlighten me.

 

[L0n212]

I nominate Wilhelm Furtwangler as the greatest conductor that ever lived. His recordings of Beethoven and Brahms,to me,are unmatched in their power.Furtwangler made music breathe like it had life all it's own. His approach to music was based on emotion,and to me music without emotion is vapid. Felix Weingartner was also great,and he was very accomplished as a composer as well. Does anybody have any recordings of weingartners music. Of the more modern conductors,I would rank the following as the cream of the crop:Stokowski-he gave 100% in each performance,and he championed modern and some American composers.For example,he recorded William Dawson's symphony-a fine work. Also,Horenstein was great,especially with Mahler.John Barbirolli was fine with English works,and Sibelius.Beecham was,of course great with English composers,like Delius.I will include two hometown favorites who were principal conductors of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.Paul Paray was a master of French music-his rendition of Saint-Saens organ symphony was very exciting as was his take on Berlioz's Fantastic Symphony. Also,Nemee Jarvi is very fine with Russian Music and American music! Hear the Chandos recordings. Last,but not least,I would say Leonard Bernstein was the last of the great conductors.However,I am sure there will be more on the horizon. Do you care to voice your opinion on conductors? I'd like to hear your opinions,and maybe you can enlighten me.

Since I listen to mostly baroque music, I don't really know any conductors per se. I actually consider them all to be overpriced drains on the classical music world.

Them and those classical music "celebrities".

 

[methodistgirl]

I still like Laurance Welk and Fiedler with the bosten pops.
judy tooley

 

[the maestro]

Furtwangler, Bruno Walter, Karl Bohm and Karajan.

 

[zoned]

Dear Maestro:I am interested in knowing why you think Von Karayan is a great conductor. Largely,I have found his renderings to be too cool,devoid of emotion and too mechanical.A noted exception would be his performance of Shostakovich Sym. No.10-very exciting!Can you cite some examples of great performances? Thank you. zoned

 

[the maestro]

Dear Maestro:I am interested in knowing why you think Von Karayan is a great conductor. Largely,I have found his renderings to be too cool,devoid of emotion and too mechanical.A noted exception would be his performance of Shostakovich Sym. No.10-very exciting!Can you cite some examples of great performances? Thank you. zoned

Well, Brahms was accused of being very mechanical and no emotional too!!
In fact, I like classical music to be like chess, the game of the intelligent. I can't understand those who say that this way makes music unhuman!! The perfection of making music alone is very human. Does humanity reside only in emotion??
Karajan 1962 interpretation of Beethoven's 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th are among the best, and his interpretation of Scheherezade is the greatest ever. His Bruckner is among the best and even critics, who deslike him, say that. Finaly Seblius said that only Karajan understood his music!
Is that enough?