We asked today's top conductors to name the best conductor of all time. Here's what they said
We asked 100 of today's leading conductors to vote for the best conductor of all time. And the answer is... Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Steve Wright Published: January 29, 2026 at 12:23 am 21. Eugene Ormandy (1899-1985) Across an incredible 45-year tenure, Ormandy built the Philadelphia Orchestra into one of the world's most recognisable and bankable orchestras, known everywhere for its lush, rich 'Philadelphia Sound'. He's remembered for his vast recording legacy, technical precision, and commitment to a wide repertoire from the Romantic era to contemporary music. His speciality was probably late Romanticism from Tchaikovsky to Sibelius but, in reality, Ormandy was extraordinary across a wide raft of music. Discover Ormandy: Sibelius Symphony No. 7 | Philadelphia Orchestra (Sony Essential Classics) 20. Yevgeny Mravinsky (1903-88) Yevgeny Mravinsky inherited the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra in ...