Below is The Gramophone's much disputed list of the world's top twenty orchestras, published near the end of 2008. It was created by asking respected classical music critics from the US, Europe and Asia for their favourites. See if you agree, and don't forget to check Candy's Classics regularly for CDs by many of these world-class ensembles.

1. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam 2. Berlin Philharmonic 3. Vienna Philharmonic 4. London Symphony Orchestra 5. Chicago Symphony Orchestra 6. Bavarian Radio Symphony 7. Cleveland Orchestra 8. Los Angeles Philharmonic 9. Budapest Festival Orchestra 10. Dresden Staatskapelle 11. Boston Symphony Orchestra 12. New York Philharmonic 13. San Francisco Symphony 14. Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra 15. Russian National Orchestra 16. Leningrad Philharmonic 17. Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra 18. Metropolitan Opera Orchestra 19. Saito Kinen Symphony Orchestra 20. Czech Philharmonic

Here is the latest list of the most inspiring orchestras, published in March 2009. Gramophone’s editors sought advice from a consulting jury of leading instrumentalists.

In no particular order: The YouTube Symphony Orchestra, The Simón Bolivar Youth Orchestra; The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The China Philharmonic Orchestra; The Buskaid Ensemble, The East West Divan Orchestra; Orchestre National d’Ile de France, The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra; Soweto-based Buskaid, The London Symphony Orchestra; The New York Philharmonic Orchestra

Full details can be found at: http://www.gramophone.co.uk/newsMainTemplate.asp?storyID=3181&newssectionID=1