TOSCANINI
On top of the list is Arturo-
He was a veritable conjuror.
Total precision,
His ultimate vision,
Is what he accomplished with furore.

Mehta’s got a reputation for being vigorous
Which he needed to do justice to Figaro’s
Marriage 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 dateless.

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.

Busch and Marriner

JANUARY 21, 2016 ~ 1 COMMENT ~ EDIT

Fritz Busch was a man whose name
We must mention. His fame
The Nazis tried to scupper,
But he kept the upper
Hand, and justly renowned he became.

Marriner and St.Martins-in-the-Fields
Is a concept that readily yields
Triumphs galore,
And what’s even more,
An impressive discography it wields!

JANUARY 17, 2016 ~ LEAVE A COMMENT ~ EDIT

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.

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

Maazel and Fricsay

JANUARY 16, 2016 ~ LEAVE A COMMENT ~ EDIT

The mercurial Loren Maazel
Very often at the orchestra did yell,
But with old age
He became a sage
And stopped altogether giving them hell.

Ferenc Fricsay died very young
Due to a cancer of the lung.
Fate’s bad toss
Was a sad loss
To music, his talent’s unsung.

Solti and Kubelik

JANUARY 15, 2016 ~ LEAVE A COMMENT ~ EDIT

Georg Solti had a 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!

Gardiner and Gergiev

JANUARY 14, 2016 ~ LEAVE A COMMENT ~ EDIT

Gardiner is one of those jerks
In whom apparently lurks
An unbridled ire
But also a fire
Which makes him come up with the works.

The Russian Gergiev Yevgeny
Is widely considered a genie.
His fluttering fingers
Make Music that lingers.
He’s learned a good deal from Lenny.

Szell and Christie

JANUARY 14, 2016 ~ LEAVE A COMMENT ~ EDIT

The famous Hungarian George Szell
Had a reputation of being a swell,
When provoked by the audience
He couldn’t care ten cents,
Around he would turn and give ’em hell…

A different kettle of fish
Was Christie. With nary a swish
He turned any choir
Into one to admire,
Fulfilling thus everyone’s wish-

Serafin and Davis

JANUARY 12, 2016 ~ LEAVE A COMMENT ~ EDIT

The fiery Tulio Serafin
Was closely linked with the queen
Of sopranos, Callas,
And in the palace,
La Scala, they showed off their act serene.

Colin Davis’ reputation really rose
When he introduced the British audience to Berlioz,
Whose opera “Faust”
He ably espoused.
The press was unanimous: grandiose!

Ormandy and Barbirolli

JANUARY 10, 2016 ~ LEAVE A COMMENT ~ EDIT

Not many conductors had Ormandy’s
Velvety touch. Was he Normandy’s
Gift to the US?
Enabling us thus
To enjoy his exquisite gourmandise?

Have you heard of Sir John Barbirolli?
He reputedly wasn’t very jolly.
But his tone was lush
There was always a hush
When he took up his baton (not his brolly)!

Leinsdorf and Knappertsbusch

JANUARY 10, 2016 ~ 2 COMMENTS ~ EDIT

Eric Leinsdorf was a superb musician.
He led all the orchestras like a magician
And was one of a few
Though not even a Jew,
Who defied Hitler, the evil politician.

Hans Knappertsbusch’s a man of the old school.
He never for a moment lost his cool-
With barely a movement
He got much improvement,
The musicians could sense he was no fool.

Alsop and Ozawa

JANUARY 9, 2016 ~ LEAVE A COMMENT ~ EDIT

Marin Alsop, among these strutting males,
Is a great talent who never fails
To bring out the best
And at her behest
The Baltimore is reaching the grails.

Seiji Ozawa comes from the Far East
A worthy heir, to say the least,
Of Boston’s best.
His was a quest
To make sure-
that the public left pleased.

Walter and Boehm

JANUARY 9, 2016 ~ LEAVE A COMMENT ~ EDIT

Under the genius that was Bruno Walter
(I trust your memory doesn’t falter—)
The Boston symphony.
Including their timpani,
Did all their musical know-how alter.

Carl Boehm is a hard one to figure out.
He was a genius, there’s simply no doubt.
A Nazi convinced
He never evinced
Any scruples, but his Wagner had clout!!!!

Munch and Boult

JANUARY 7, 2016 ~ LEAVE A COMMENT ~ EDIT

Charles Munch was another who soared
And was everywhere greatly adored.
Schubert and Mozart
Played a major part
Of his extensive classical repertoire.

Sir Adrian Boult was a Brit
At whose concerts everyone would sit
As if in a trance
And given a chance
They would have stormed the orchestra pit-

peggytollesondotcom

Peggy’s Conductor Limericks