Best Classical Music Conductor

I like Leopold Stokowsky (Most of his recordings are exciting and on the edge), Bernstein (Beethoven and Mahler) Walter Bruno (Mahler), Dutoit (sonically excellent recordings) Beecham (English music particularly Ralph Vaughn Williams) and I love Ormandy because he is the first conductor I saw live with the Philadelphia Orchestra back in the 60's. Does anyone remember the guy who was huge Mahler fan with no musical experience who conducted Mahler's 2nd I believe? Don't remember with what orchestra. He later made a recording, suppose to be a great interpretation. This was about 8-10 years back.

The story I heard was some millionaire guy who leaned the one Malher symphony by heart and since he had the cash, was able to hire his own orchestra to perform it?? Don't know the truth of it. I will try to get his name. I will be listening to Temirkanov live in Baltimore tonight and I know some of the orchestra. Brahms 4th and Beethoven Piano No.5 Emperor/John Lill.

Sugarbrie That is the guy I'm talking about.

An amateur named Glebert Kaplan did the second with LSO in the mid or late 80's. I do not own the recording, so I do not have the booklet that comes with it, to give you more info about the recording. But, I did listen a couple of times in the music school library at my alma matur. It is well recorded. But, performance-wise, it may not stand with Zander's, Rattle's, Solti's, Tennstedt's, Walter's, or Klemperer's. Nonetheless, good performance, though, especially considering that he is only an amateur Mahler enthusiast. I remember that Kaplan made some grandiose claim in effect that Mahler would conduct the second as he did (since he studied extensively the contemporaries of Mahler as well as Mahler himself to prepare for the second -- an eccentric claim considering Mahler's eccentricities in comparison with his contemporaries). Thereby, some controversies surrounding the claim.

Oops, Gilber Kaplan, not Glebert Kaplan..