Big Five (orchestras)

In the context of classical music in the United States, the Big Five refers to five symphony orchestras that were considered to be the most prominent and accomplished ensembles when the term gained widespread use by music critics in the late 1950s.Kirshnit, Fred, "New York Drops Off the List Of 'Big Five' Orchestras", New York Sun, December 5, 2006. Retrieved 18 July 2010. The "Big Five", as listed in Time Magazine in 1983 in the order of their founding, are: Walsh Michael; Griggs, Lee; Shepherd, James; "Music: Which U.S. Orchestras Are Best?", Time Magazine, April 25, 1983. Retrieved 18 July 2010. 
* New York Philharmonic (1842)History of the New York Philharmonic (official website). Retrieved 18 July 2010.
* Boston Symphony Orchestra (1881)History of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (official website). Retrieved 18 July 2010.
* Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1891)History of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (official website)
* Philadelphia Orchestra (1900)History of the Philadelphia Orchestra (official website). Retrieved 18 July 2010.
* Cleveland Orchestra (1918) History of the Cleveland Orchestra (official website). Retrieved 18 July 2010.
== Origins==
The term "Big Five" was coined around the time that long-playing recordings became available, regular orchestral radio broadcasts were expanding, and the five orchestras that make up the group had annual concert series in New York City. The earliest rubric for the leading U.S. orchestras was the "Major Seven" in the early 20th century. In the mid-20th century, with recordings and radio broadcasts at first available in the U.S only from major East Coast cities, the term devolved into the "Big Three": New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. The "Big Three" label was still in widespread use in 1958 (Newsweek, February 17, 1958). However, the Cleveland Orchestra, under George Szell's direction, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, under Fritz Reiner, were gaining critical and public acclaim. By 1965, the term "Big Five", which included the latter two orchestras, was being widely used in magazines, newspapers, and books.Gay, Wayne Lee, "Classical's `Big Five' are on top again", San Diego Union-Tribune, May 24, 2003, p. E6
== Modern use ==
The term "Big Five" is today considered by many to be outdated, but its use has become so common and its meaning so synonymous with the quality of achievement that so many American orchestras strive for, that its use now continues well past the specifics of why it became fashionable and meaningful. A variety of music critics, at both the local and national level, have written thoughtful and passionate articles proposing new members to the upper echelon of American orchestras, including Michael Walsh in Time Magazine, 1983; Tim Page in Newsday, 1990;Page, Tim, "Now Hear This Why do the so-called Big Five stand out from all other U.S. orchestras?", Newsday, April 15, 1990, p. 10. Abstract retrieved 18 July 2010. and Mark Swed in the Los Angeles Times, 2005.Swed, Mark, "Time to get on the stick", Los Angeles Times, August 14, 2005. Retrieved 18 July 2010. Several orchestras have at times been suggested by critics as worthy additions to the list of the original Five including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the San Francisco Symphony, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra,Glynn, Mary Ann, "Maestro or Manager? in Joseph Lampel, Jamal Shamsie, Theresa K. Lant (eds.), The business of culture, Routledge, 2006, p. 65. ISBN 0805855823the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra,"Time Magazine", "Orchestras: The Elite Eleven", Apr. 8, 1966. Retrieved 16 April 2010. the Houston Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra,Kosman, Joshua, "New Music for a New Century", The Arts Today, USIA, Vol. 3., No. 1, June 2008, p. 25. ISBN 1428967346 the Minnesota Orchestra,Time Magazine, "Orchestras: Big Five Plus One?", November 10, 1967. Retrieved 18 July 2010. and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra.Dyer, Richard, "The Big 5 orchestras: Do they still reign supreme?" Boston Globe, August 29, 1993. Retrieved via subscription 18 July 2010.
==References==
;Further reading
*Lebrecht, Norman, "Bucks Stop Here: The Biggest Need Not Be the Best", La Scena Musicale, July 5, 2000
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