Orchestras

The world's top orchestras, by tier.

The three

Only three orchestras in the world are technically flawless — each can pull off any musical miracle. Hard to rank them.

• Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (BRSO) — Munich
• Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (RCO) — Amsterdam
• Staatskapelle Dresden (SKD) — Dresden

Just below

• Berlin Philharmonic (BPO) — BerlinSome senior players have technical issues now.
• Czech Philharmonic (CPO) — PragueTwo ensembles inside one orchestra: the white-haired half rivals the top three; the younger half is weaker.
• The Philadelphia Orchestra (TPO) — PhiladelphiaThe best orchestra in the Anglosphere—better than Chicago or Cleveland, in my view.