There are five major orchestras in the United States: Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Cleveland and San Francisco. These orchestras are some of the oldest, most established, and most respected in the country. Their presence in the United States and their popularity internationally are evidence of their reputations as some of the world’s finest.
The Boston Symphony, founded in 1881, is the second-oldest of the Big Five orchestras. It is known for its rich tone, which is reminiscent of the Viennese Musikverein. This orchestra also has the distinction of being the first American orchestra to perform live on radio.
The Chicago Symphony, founded in 1949, is known for its brass sound. It has a brass section that is considered one of the best in the country. During the early years of its existence, it was led by Daniel Barenboim, who helped it gain a place among the top five. Today, the orchestra is led by Riccardo Muti.
In addition to the Chicago Symphony, the other two Big Five orchestras are the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Cleveland Orchestra. They have been considered the most expensive of all orchestras in the US for many years. However, the latter has recently had to cut its budget because of financial difficulties.
While the Philadelphia Orchestra was a major player in cultural life on the East Coast, it was insolvent in 2011 and ceased operations for several months. The New York Philharmonic is another big name in American symphony. Leonard Bernstein conducted the NYPO for a number of years. Several recordings from this orchestra have won numerous Grammy Awards.
Although the Welser-Most Symphony is not the oldest of the ‘Big Five’ orchestras, its history has been marked by the great conductors of its time. George Szell was the music director in Cleveland after World War II. His vision was to make the orchestra’second to none’. He also used his corporate power to hire the most renowned musicians to help him do this.
The Cleveland Orchestra has been in operation for more than 100 years. During its first years, the orchestra hired many different conductors. Its hall was modeled after the Musikverein in Vienna.
The Cleveland Orchestra is renowned for its warm, smooth intonation. It has a history of collaborating with other leading orchestras including the Boston Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the San Francisco Symphony. Throughout its long history, it has performed a wide range of musical styles. For example, it has recorded several film soundtracks, including Peter Lieberson’s Neruda Songs, which won a Grammy for Best Classical Vocal Recording in 2008.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic has a history of recording for Philips and EMI labels. It is the first and only orchestra to record symphony cycles by Beethoven and Mendelssohn, and it has also recorded a number of John Williams scores. In recent years, the orchestra has experienced a lack of discography. But the orchestra’s new chief conductor, Gustavo Dudamel, is looking to change that.
