Erich and son Carlos Kleiber
Were men of enormous fiber-
Of Nazis defiant
Their talent was giant
But maybe not fit for our era so cyber.

Yet another conductor from Italy,
Riccardo Chailly initially
(Before Don Carlo
And also Un Ballo)
Assisted Abbado sporadically.

Mehta’s got a reputation for being vigorous
Which he needed to do justice to Figaro’s
Mariage and symphonies
That became epiphanies
Of his work so verily vigorous.

Guido Cantelli was destined for greatness
His recordings are simply priceless.
He died very young
But not unsung.
Toscanini thought his talent was peerless.

Dimitri Mitropoulos is the only Greek
In my distinguished list, a freak,
With Bernstein, his friend,
They managed to send
The Philharmonic to an all time peak-

Another Hungarian needs mentioning
(My list of conductors is lengthening–)
Dorati Antal
A Budapest natal
Could do ANYTHING, right up to his pensioning.

Carlo Maria Giulini
Approached the genie of Toscanini.
They came from the same nation,
Had a great reputation
And both of them adored their pannini—

Georg Solti had fantastic career

So many orchestras he ably did steer

And Wagner’s “Der Ring”

Was ultimately the thing

That made him the Bayreuth peer.

 

Rafael Kubelik was Czech

Who was in trouble with the Nazis up to his neck.

But then he fled

And subsequently led

The world’s greatest orchestras, just check!

A Hurrah for Leonard Bernstein.
He wasn’t a conducting Einstein,
But his verve
Let him serve
Up some musical champagne!

 

The very latest Wunderkind
Is Dudamel, no straw in the wind.
His latino  dash
Brings in the cash
And for future greatness he’s pinned.