So who will be the Berlin Phil.'s music director once Sir Simon leaves?

[Demetrius]

Rattles great present to the BPO was that he left them enough time. Even those who, like Nelsons, have signed one or two contracts recently are conceivable candidates. Whether Nelsons would actually accept and cut one of his new obligations after 3-4 years though ...
As for Gilbert, he is stepping in for several Gewandhaus concerts next year as Chailly had an accident. He also had a regular stint planned. If I had to bet, I would mark him as the next Gewandhauskapellmeister.

[Petrushka]

Is Chailly on the sick list again? Gilbert's two Proms with the Gewandhaus last year when he stood in for an ailing Chailly were lacklustre affairs, very disappointing.

[bluestateprommer]

Hiya Demetrius,

....I would probably omit the Berlin based Vladimir Jurowski as he has only conducted them for one set....

Agreed; even though the Musical America blog post goes through things in a pretty impressive laundry-list manner, Andrew Powell erodes his credibility at the very end with naming Jurowski, for the very reason that Stanfordian mentioned. That one appearance was back in 2011, and VJ has not been back to the BPO as a guest since.

Granted, even the NYT has jumped into the speculation fray:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/07/arts/music/berlin-philharmonic-prepares-to-vote-on-new-chief-conductor.html

One other reason that I, for one, hope that the BPO does not choose Thielemann is that compared to Abbado and Rattle, the orchestra would be turning the clock back to choose a conductor who, from the scuttlebutt I hear, does not treat orchestral musicians decently. Whatever one may say of Abbado and Rattle as interpreters, as menschen, they did / do (respectively) pretty well. In other words, Thielemann is an arrogant jerk, and would act accordingly. The Berlin Phil doesn't need that.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Are they obliged to have a Chief Conductor? Could they decide to do a Vienna Phil and just invite conductors to work with them - even if only for a few years until somebody becomes an "obvious" choice?

[Flosshilde]

Granted, even the NYT has jumped into the speculation fray:

Should the NYT not follow where the for3 board boldly goes?

[Stanfordian]

Is Chailly on the sick list again? Gilbert's two Proms with the Gewandhaus last year when he stood in for an ailing Chailly were lacklustre affairs, very disappointing.

Still troubled by his broken arm, I think.

[BBMmk2]

Should the NYT not follow where the for3 board boldly goes?

.............and in a galaxy far, far away.....................

[Stanfordian]

I think Barenboim has ruled himself out. Nelsons is firmly in place in Boston. I've said before that the BPO have a big problem here and several front runners have gone out of their way to rule themselves out. Perhaps the days are gone when a conductor would be considered crazy to turn down a summons from the BPO.

Hiya Petrushka,
I believe the job is the biggest and most prestigious in classical music. Those ruling themselves out probably thought they were not in the running and maybe hadn't been sounded out.

[Roehre]

I think Barenboim has ruled himself out. Nelsons is firmly in place in Boston. I've said before that the BPO have a big problem here and several front runners have gone out of their way to rule themselves out. Perhaps the days are gone when a conductor would be considered crazy to turn down a summons from the BPO.

That's exactly why the Concertgebouw orcehstra was so quick in contracting Gatti - an orchestra cannot be without a principal conductor for too long.

[Sir Velo]

- an orchestra cannot be without a principal conductor for too long.

A certain Austrian orchestra, with a not inconsiderable reputation, seems to manage all right.

[Bryn]

A certain Austrian orchestra, with a not inconsiderable reputation, seems to manage all right.

Indeed, though Roehre's " an orchestra cannot be without a principal conductor for too long" is open to entirely contradictory interpretations.

[slarty]

A certain Austrian orchestra, with a not inconsiderable reputation, seems to manage all right.

Yes indeed, however - this certain orchestra also has a "day job" to keep them all going, - they are fully employed as the Vienna State Opera Orchestra. That is why they should never really be used as a comparison.

[Beef Oven!]

Are they obliged to have a Chief Conductor? Could they decide to do a Vienna Phil and just invite conductors to work with them - even if only for a few years until somebody becomes an "obvious" choice?

This is the BPO,not the OAE!!!

[MrGongGong]

This is the BPO,not the OAE!!!

I'd have the OAE rather than the BPO any day

[Stanfordian]

He's conducting Turandot at La Scala for most of May and to some acclaim

Hiya Zucchini, Ah, I'm glad he's healed and back on the podium.