Best Classical Music Conductor

Why is there no such thing as history anymore? No one mentioned Reiner or Szell? Cleveland is cleveland but whenever the orchestra went to New York, the critics raved like Bernstein played for the Mets. And Reiner, no one handled soloists as well except perhaps Toscanini and he was a martinet. Columbia made horrible recordings of the Cleveland but the best RCA's produced by the legendary Lewis Layton were done with Reiner. And then you have Solti, and Haitink with the Concertgebouw. Sir Charles Beecham was no slouch, either (actually, you're a great slouch, judge).

Carlos Klieber has very few recordings, but the ones in the catalog are extremely good. Dutoit is probably the best in French and ballet music today, curiously he avoids the main symphonic repertoire. Karajan was extemely verseatile, massive body of work including opera, he has 3 or 4 versions of most works recorded, hard to beat when you look at his entire legacy.

I also agree with the Klieber nomination. I agree that there are too few recordings by Klieber out there. Rattle was amazing by putting the City of Birmingham on the map. I believe Rattle was just hired by Berlin to replace Abaddo who is also quite good. As far as what instruments they play there are a lot of pianists also; Bernstein, Wolfgang Sawal... how ever you spell it in Philadelphia. I have a Bach laser disc where Karajan plays the harpsichord; Daniel Barenboim also. Yes that was Zander on 60 minutes. He give a talk before every perforance of the Boston Philharmonic very much like what is on the Mahler 9th CD. He loves to prepare the audience so they get the most out of the concert. Ben's concerts are one thing I miss after I moved south.

Micheal Tilson Thomas and Eiji Oue.

I will also nominate Marin Alsop, music director of the Colorado Symphony, especially since there are so few female conductors at this level.