# Gramophone Orchestra of the Year - Shortlist



## Joachim Raff (Jan 31, 2020)

Which orchestra do you think most deserves Gramophone's Orchestra of the Year 2020 Award? 

BBC Symphony Orchestra
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
Freiburger Barockorchester
Los Angeles Philharmonic
musicAeterna
NHK Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo
Orchestre National de Lille
Philadelphia Orchestra

Question: Do you agree with this shortlist? Any favourites they have missed out?


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## Helgi (Dec 27, 2019)

One that comes to mind is Les Siècles


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## Gray Bean (May 13, 2020)

I vote for the BBC SO


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## DaddyGeorge (Mar 16, 2020)

Because I don't like such "absolute values" in Music I don't take any rankings and awards very seriously, even though I follow them and use them as a great inspiration. It's difficult to comment on this if I don't have the opportunity to hear the orchestras currently (best live). All that remains for me is to believe Gramophone that they chose well. Of the above, I heard only the Freiburger Barockorchester live (in 2014) and I was captivated so I like to see them in the rankings. Of course, there will always be a lot of orchestras that deserve a similar achievement. If I had to mention one that (I think) isn't so often mentioned among the best, it would be Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. I heard them live in 2015 under the baton of Vasily Petrenko (Paul Lewis played Brahms 1st Concerto) and it was absolutely amazing experience...


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

These lists they do are really dumb. Unless one hears each orchestra regularly any comparisons are pointless. I've heard supposedly great orchestra like Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and others play like they were sight reading. And I've heard out of the way groups in Tucson, Cheyenne, and Oklahoma City play like gods.


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## Gray Bean (May 13, 2020)

True enough. I live in the American Deep South and regularly hear wonderful performances from orchestras in Atlanta, Nashville and Birmingham (Alabama).


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

I don't see an orchestra in the list that has featured prominently in my enjoyment of CD issued over the past year.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Gray Bean said:


> True enough. I live in the American Deep South and regularly hear wonderful performances from orchestras in Atlanta, Nashville and Birmingham (Alabama).


Well let's all hope and pray we get to hear Nashville again. They've effectively cancelled the 20/21 season, furloughed the orchestra and staff. After the devastating flood 10 years ago they struggled but came back so strong. Now this.


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