Let us remember that this is the magazine that listed the top twenty sopranos of the recording era which included Emma Kirkby, an estimable artist, and left off Jessye Norman, a magnificent one.

GCavanaugh, Boston, USA

Philadelphia isn't that great, so no big surprise thereI, but I am surprised that Pittsburgh didn't make the cut.

Janet, Philadelphia,

http://www.philharmonia.co.uk/presscentre/pressquotes/quotes0708season/

Jim Guest, G. Manchester,

I echo the others who are astonished not to see the Philadelphia Orchestra quite a way up this list. And have the expert panel not heard the Philharmonia Orchestra recently? (on tremendous form at the moment). What a very odd and rather silly list.

Nigel Simeone, Sheffield, UK

So much for the ex-critic of the cleveland PD who does not like that orchestra, hmm.... And though I do not listen as much as these critics, it is hard for me to believe that the LA Phil and Bavarian are playing / sounding better than the BSO under Levine when both are on, which is much of the time.

david, lincoln, ma, usa

It's ridiculous to make a serious list ranking the "best" orchestras in the world, but particularly irrelevant when only 11 critics were used in the determining process. As Paul said, what criteria was used? The title for the article should really be "A Handfull of Critics Favorite Orchestras".

Josh, San Francisco, United States

The Czech Philharmonic has not been playing that well in recent years. The Leningrad Philharmonic has been called the St. Petersburg Philharmonic for the last 20 years. These critics are basing their assessments on years of listening to these orchestras. Also, where is the Israel Phil on this list?

Michael Landman-Karny, Costa Mesa, CA , USA

The French will get a kick out of this list! Good point, Jim from Manchester.

Kleiber, Buenos Aires,

I didn't want to come across as simply touting my hometown orchestra, so I am very pleased to see others acknowledging the superb Philadelphia Orchestra. Perhaps they don't fare well on recordings? Not sure, but I'll give up my seat to a Gramophone critic willing to visit the Kimmel Center soon!

Frank, Lancaster, PA, USA

Personally I wonder why London Symphony is #4 - and the inclusion of two Opera House orchestras must be because they do extensive concert repertory work, otherwise you are not comparing like with like.

al, london,

Have you ever even listened to the Saito Kinen Symphony Orchestra? I'll go ahead and say there opinion is probably more valid because maybe they've listened to all the orchestras on the list.

CSO #5 a jest? They're incredible! I don't think I've ever heard a brass section that's even close!

Jim, Bristol, UK

Surely they jest - the CSO at #5? I would rank the Montreal Symphony ahead of most of these groups. The Russian National Orchestra and Maryinsky belong here. Saito Kinen is more of a festival orchestra so probably shouldn't be included - unless you want to add the Lucerne Festival Orchestra.

Marko Velikonja, Yerevan, Armenia

Utter rubbish! Pointless.

Graham Eagland, Stockport, Cheshire

As a retired professional musician and Carnegie Hall subscriber getting to hear many of these orchestras almost every season, I'm amazed at the absence of the Philadelphia Orchestra. My personal 4 favorites in no particular order: Philadelphia, Cleveland, Amsterdam and Vienna.

Michael Comins, New York, United States

If the criterion was recordings rather than live performance, I think it may have as much to do with microphone technique and even acoustics than actual playing ability. And conductors, whether live or recorded evidence was considered.

Jim Guest, G. Manchester,

This is the most rediculous thing EVER. How can you possibly rank orchestras of this level? They all play in tune, in time and with the utmost musicality. It then becomes about taste - they're different to, not better/worse than each other!

Paul, London, UK

Gramophone has its opinion and it is no more valid than mine and I am in disagreement with them. The Saito Whatever Orchestra better than The Philadelphia Orchestra. Me thinketh not.

Bruce L.Northwood, Washington, D.C. , USA