Conductors’ pop music favorites

“I listen to all sorts of music all the time, and my choices vary depending on whether it’s for relaxation, dancing or research! The spread and variety of my taste is really huge so it’s impossible to pin-point favorites as they change on an almost daily basis. Currently my top choices include ‘La Malaguena’ by Trio Calaveras, which I enjoy for the character, the interpretation and the vocal sound -- it’s so different from other vocal sounds and led to my interest in ‘Fado’ (during the summer I was listening to ‘Anthologia 2’ with Amalia Rodrigues’ ‘Gaivota’). During the LA Phil’s Americas festival at the Hollywood Bowl, I was split between listening to the music we were playing and the ‘Fado,’ and I’m as interested in the ‘Fado’ concept as listening to Aerosmith [pictured] -- I’ve downloaded everything I can by them and I’m amazed at their character and vocal sounds.”  (Larry Marano/Getty Images | Lawrence K. Ho/Los Angeles Times)

“I’ve listened to classical since I was a child - Dvorak’s Cello Concerto with Rostopovich was a favorite. Now it very much depends on my mood - when I first moved to Los Angeles, I was introduced to salsa music, which I love for its energy. Now when I’m in L.A., often to unwind after a rehearsal I like to listen to KJAZZ radio - I particularly like Louis Armstrong [pictured]. And there are French singers I enjoy - Danielle Bellevard, Jean Jacques Goldman -- they have a nice lounge-like feeling. I also really enjoy Norah Jones and especially loved when Donna Summer came to the Hollywood Bowl a few seasons ago. When I’m running, I enjoy listening to opera and pop French songs.”  (LAT FIle Photo | Lawrence K. Ho/Los Angeles Times)

“I find it fascinating that so many people have used the same tunes -- Bach’s Toccata and Fugue; Beethoven’s Symphony 5; Holst’s Mars from the Planets; O Fortuna from Carmina Burana -- as inspiration for new creations. A great tune or hook transcends genres, doesn’t it? I remember ‘A Fifth of Beethoven’ from the disco days -- I loved it, but all of my classical music friends thought it was blasphemous! The connection between rock and classical is a strong one. Think of ‘Deep Purple’ [pictured] and Jon Lord.”  (Grant Leighton | Paul Bergenepa/EPA )

“Of course I am listening to other music than purely ‘classical’ music. Actually, I almost never listen to classical music at home, unless I need to check something in a ‘professional’ way. I would say one of my favorite artists in the jazz area is Bill Evans (‘Turn Out the Stars’ for example). I do listen often to Chet Baker too (I’m a big fan of ‘My Funny Valentine’). I like Bjork, especially the album ‘Vespertine’ (like ‘It’s Not Up to You’) --amazing sound world. I love to listen to Joao Gilberto, (‘Desafinado’...) All time classic for me is Michael Jackson [pictured], especially the very most groovy songs of the Jackson 5 (like ‘Blame It on the Boogie’). And of course: Prince (‘Purple Rain’)... Being a teen-ager in the ‘80s, I also like many British or French artists of the ‘80s, let’s say like Talk Talk (‘Such a Shame’), Simply Red (‘Holding Back the Years’), or many French groups, especially Les Rita Mitsouko (like their great song called ‘Marcia Baila’). Very recently, I thought that Jay-Z and Alicia Keys ‘Empire State of Mind.’ or ‘Girl Put Your Record On’ by Corinne Baily Rae, ‘Rehab’ by Amy Winehouse, or, even more recent, Gotye ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ were really good songs! To finish, I have a soft spot for John Williams music, especially E.T./Star Wars/Indiana Jones, but it’s fairly ‘classical’ symphonic music now, so I don’t know if it counts as ‘non classical’ music!”  (Lawrence K. Ho/Los Angeles Times | AP)

“My first musical loves were only pop. My parents had crooners from the 1950s in the house -- Perry Como, Sinatra, Ruby Murray. Sinatra was heavy-duty for my parents. I was a bit more progressive with Cliff Richard. He was my first musical love. Richard was huge in Europe. He and the Shadows were the biggest selling pop artists before the Beatles came along. One of my dreams is to make a Christmas album with him, hopefully with the Academy of Ancient Music, if they’ll let me do it. As a teenager, I listened to experimental symphonic rock -- Genesis and YES. I just ordered the latest YES album. Good musicians recognize other good musicians, whatever kind of music they play. Prince [pictured] is one of the most phenomenal people I’ve ever seen on stage. He’s right up there with my favorite concert experiences of all time -- with Bernstein doing Mahler One in the Concertgebouw, the last cycle he did. And with Prince in London, and Sting in 1987 at Wembley Stadium. Sting had just come out of Chile and had this massive array of South American percussionists with him, and he just let them go. For me, good pop music and rock, modern jazz, progressive rock, whatever, is the classical music of the 20th century.”  (Sasha Gusov | Laurent Gillieron/EPA)

“From the age of 13, I became totally immersed in the world of classical music. But the popular music that I heard as a very impressionable pre-teen will always hold a warm place in my heart, and never fails to move me on a strong emotional level. The songs of Simon and Garfunkel [pictured] and Cat Stevens --the innocence and wonder, set against a backdrop of change and turmoil -- were a defining element in my young life. Was it the haunting music? Was it the extraordinary poetry? The world of possibility and hope contained in that music is part of the very tapestry of my being.”  (AP Photo/Tina Fineberg | Harrison Photography)

“I’m a huge admirer of Elvis Costello. Another artist I’ve listened to and admired for a while is Art Tatum. I often go to YouTube and watch Tatum videos. I’m blown away by his facility and musicality.”  (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times | Richard Hartog/Los Angeles Times)

“My first knowledge of Bjork’s music was through iTunes. I downloaded a couple of her songs and videos, and the most impressive to me was the video clip with the song ‘Oceania.’ I love her approach to new sounds made just with her voice. Then I heard a lot of her songs, even those in Icelandic language (which I don’t understand at all, but whose sound I love). And I discovered her again as singer of a song in the (unfortunately discontinued) TV show ‘FlashForward’; it was the song ‘It’s, Oh, So Quiet.’ Her voice and her style are truly unique. She was once in the audience when I was conducting “Lulu” at the Met 2010, and my wife saw her, approached her and invited her to visit me in the intermission of the performance. She was very nice to her, but refused, saying ‘Oh, thanks, but I am so shy!’ ”  (Koichi Miura/AP | Malte Kristiansen/AFP/GettyImages)

“I love Ian Dury [pictured], an English punk rock singer of great wit with a peppery sense of humour and fun. Sadly he died a few years ago but there is a great film about him which is well worth watching. Of course as a teenager I grew up listening to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.”  (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times | Larry Armstrong / Los Angeles Times)

“When I was a boy, I was crazy about the Platters and even now my grandson loves to listen to the Platters, especially ‘Only You.’ I don’t often have time to listen to music off the podium, but I have always been impressed by Celine Dion, Tina Turner [pictured] and (the late) Whitney Houston for their fiery temperament and beautiful voices.”  (Hiroyuki Ito/Getty Images | Ken Hively/Los Angeles Times)

“I am a jazz nut and in particular the great pianists. Tatum, [Erroll] Garner [pictured], Peterson and Camilo are always on. I also have been listening to artists from South America. It is quite rare for me to listen to classical music when on the road.”  (L.A. Times File Photo | Lawrence K. Ho/Los Angeles Times)

“The first time I heard James Brown’s music, it knocked me out -- the attacks, the syncopation, the empty spaces, the amazing singing. I was driving to a rehearsal in Los Angeles as a young man, listening to XERB (the Mighty 1090), I don’t remember what song it was -- ‘I Got You,’ or ‘Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag’ -- I had to drive over to the side of the road and listen. When I work with young conductors, I’ll sometimes say, “You’re trying to get a lot of people to agree on where ‘now’ is,” or ask them if they’ve ever listened to James Brown’s ‘Cold Sweat.’ That song is my definition of ‘together.’ Lately, I’ve been listening to Brian Wilson’s work -- I admire his music. I’m also a big fan of Bonnie Raitt -- her new album is outstanding. I’ve also been listening to Prince, Ray Charles, Laura Nyro and Bette Midler.”  (Lori Shepler/Los Angeles Times | Michal Cizek/AFP/Getty Images)

“When travelling on a plane, or driving myself around (usually in the U.K. or Europe) I resort to my trusty iPod which is crammed packed with what my kids think is a ‘ridiculous and eccentric choice of music.’ I tend to avoid modern pop music which I find to be ridden with musical cliches, and listen to the rich vein of popular music from the years between the wars, that includes, of course, Gershwin, Cole Porter [pictured], Irving Berlin, Ivor Novello and Noel Coward. I’m a fan of Tony Bennett (whom I once worked with) and Frank Sinatra and love Jamie Cullum’s work (we once worked together at the Bowl with the L.A. Phil). John Coltrane, Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald make the list and occasionally there’s a surprise -- like Kathy Kirby or Petula Clark, both of whom were pretty big-time in the U.K. when I was growing up. I love listening to and playing jazz and have just been enjoying Andre Previn’s latest solo piano album ‘Alone,’ which is so spontaneous and unedited it’s completely delightful. He makes a great sound on the piano in both classical and jazz genres. Recently, I played at a hospice here in Vancouver and afterwards was introduced to Phil Peterson, the great, late Oscar’s brother. Although Phil said he didn’t play the piano, it was pretty intimidating to have played jazz in his presence!”  (Lawrence K. Ho/Los Angeles Times | AP Photo/Smithsonian Magazine)

“I usually have one piece of luggage full of scores I’m reading, so classical music is always connected to work. At dinner, I can relax when I’m listening to jazz. I was a professional clarinetist, so I like to listen to Benny Goodman recordings. And this young clarinetist, Anat Cohen. I went to hear her at a local jazz club and really liked her. As a teenager, I found musicians like Elvis [pictured] and Paul Anka, but had to hide them from my parents. I like these long-line guys who have seen many winters, many summers. The only criteria is that it should be well done. The music should tell you something, some kind of story. It should communicate. That’s more interesting than the mechanical kind of stuff. Do you now ‘Apocalyptica’? It’s a Finnish group of three cellists out of the Sibelius Academy and a drummer who have worked with Metallica. They have come out from the ghetto called classical music and done something no one else did before. They have also sold millions of CDs. I like this idea that you can use your cello to do real rock-and-roll or electric. If you are a well-trained musician, you can do many things. I don’t want to send everybody there, but why not try? My older son plays electric violin in a battle metal band called Turisas. After doing a Carnegie Hall concert, I walked a few blocks down on Broadway, and was listening to Turisas. It was a great moment in my life. We can play loud too, but when I listened to them, my stomach felt the bass drum and bass guitar. I would like to get a similar sound from the symphonists. There are things that should give exactly the same physical feeling in your body, like Stravinsky’s `Rite of Spring.’”  (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times | MGM)

“I’m a HUGE James Taylor [pictured] fan ... and I know the lyrics of everything he’s recorded hard to pick a favorite from his works BUT .. ‘The Secret of Life’ / ‘Into This Light’ / ‘If I Keep My Heart Out of Sight.’ I also love Willie Nelson’s ‘Blue Eyes Cryin in the Rain,’ Miles Davis, anything from the ‘Four & More’ album, John Coltrane -- ‘Naima,’ Lyle Lovett -- ‘If I Had a Boat.’  (Francine Orr/ Los Angeles Times | Robyn Beck/AFP/GettyImages)