The world’s greatest orchestras have long awed audiences from their concert hall stages, but now, thanks to the magic of the Internet and YouTube, their reach can extend far beyond their physical auditoriums.
Today, millions of listeners around the world can watch the best orchestras’ most popular performances online and on demand.
We were curious about which videos from the best orchestras were most popular.
© clevelandorchestra.com
So we took this 2023 Bachtrack list of top ten orchestras (they came up with this list by surveying fifteen critics from eleven countries), and then looked up what those orchestras’ most popular videos are.
As of late 2025, here are the most popular performances by the world’s ten best orchestras, listed in reverse countdown order by viewcount:
10. Cleveland Orchestra
250k views
A snippet from Prokofiev’s ballet Romeo and Juliet
Founded in 1918, the Cleveland Orchestra is famous for the work it has done with legendary conductors George Szell, Christoph von Dohnányi, and Franz Welser-Möst.
Its sound has often been described as European, which is a kind of shorthand for plush, sophisticated, and multi-layered.
This excerpt from Prokofiev’s ballet Romeo and Juliet showcases those traits in spades.
9. Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
793k views
An encore performance of Boccherini’s Minuet
Munich’s Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (BRSO) was founded in 1949, and it quickly became one of Germany’s leading orchestras.
Its famous music directors – Rafael Kubelík, Sir Colin Davis, Lorin Maazel, Mariss Jansons, and now Sir Simon Rattle – have all contributed to the storied orchestra’s sound.
Their encore of Boccherini’s famous Minuet is an arrangement from his String Quintet in E-major. It displays a Classical-era grace and wit, as well as the players’ chemistry with one another.
8. Budapest Festival Orchestra
2 million views
Schubert’s Symphony No. 8
Founded in 1983 by Iván Fischer and Zoltán Kocsis, the Budapest Festival Orchestra is a relative newcomer among Europe’s major orchestras, but this performance attests to its virtuosity and lush sound.
In 2022, it won Gramophone magazine’s Orchestra of the Year award.
Their performance of Schubert’s Eighth Symphony (nicknamed the “Unfinished”) is the most popular “Unfinished Symphony” performance on YouTube.
Written in 1822 and just two movements long, the work is a high point of the early Romantic Era.
7. Leipzig Gewandhaus
2.1 million views
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5
The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra traces its roots back to 1743, making it one of the oldest orchestras in the world.
In the 1830s and 1840s, Felix Mendelssohn was their conductor, premiering works by Schubert and Schumann.
Since then, they’ve had a number of famous music directors, including Arthur Nikisch, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Bruno Walter, Kurt Masur, Herbert Blomstedt, and Riccardo Chailly.
Their Beethoven’s Fifth – perhaps the most famous symphony of all time – reaffirms their connection to the roots of the orchestral repertoire.
The symphony’s iconic four-note motif has symbolised fate, resistance, and triumph for over two centuries.
6. Berlin Philharmonic
11 million views
Itzhak Perlman playing the Beethoven violin concerto
The Berlin Philharmonic, founded in 1882, is widely considered to be the greatest orchestra in the world. (In the Bachtrack article, the top-ranking orchestra among critics was the Berlin Philharmonic.)
Under conductors like Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado, and Kirill Petrenko, the orchestra has set the modern standard for virtuosic orchestral playing.
In this vintage video, Itzhak Perlman – one of the twentieth century’s greatest violinists – plays Beethoven’s only violin concerto. It’s a moving, joyful performance.
5. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
15 million views
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7
Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, founded in 1888, is famous for its lush tone and perfect acoustics in its gorgeous home hall. Both hall and orchestra are widely considered to be among the greatest in the world.
Conductors like Willem Mengelberg, Bernard Haitink, and Riccardo Chailly have shaped its golden sound over the generations.
Beethoven’s Seventh, premiered in 1813, is one of his most famous works. The orchestra’s performance bursts with life and energy, and on a sheerly aesthetic level, it’s such a treat to see it played in this lovely and unique hall.
4. Vienna Philharmonic
20 million views
John Williams conducting The Imperial March from Star Wars
The Vienna Philharmonic was founded in 1842. It has developed a reputation for its warm sound.
It is especially famous for its recordings and broadcasts, including its annual New Year’s concerts, which began in 1939.
One of its recent recordings was this concert with conductor and composer John Williams.
In this video, Williams leads a performance of the Imperial March – his sinister anthem for the villainous Darth Vader.
The Vienna Philharmonic may not be known for its interpretations of modern American movie soundtracks, but everyone seems to be enjoying themselves here, and it’s very entertaining to see Williams’s and the musicians’ smiles.
3. Chicago Symphony Orchestra
54 million views
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9
Founded in 1891, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra has become one of America’s leading orchestras. It is especially famous for its legendary brass section.
Their viral video of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, which includes the melody known as the “Ode to Joy”, has become one of YouTube’s most-watched classical performances of all time.
It was recorded in 2015 under their music director, Riccardo Muti.
2. Los Angeles Philharmonic
95 million views
Luciano Pavarotti singing “Nessun Dorma”
The Los Angeles Philharmonic was founded in 1919.
In the late twentieth century, it developed a reputation as one of the most innovative orchestras in the world under the leadership of music directors Esa-Pekka Salonen and Gustavo Dudamel.
In this performance, tenor Luciano Pavarotti performs Puccini’s aria “Nessun Dorma”, one of the most famous moments in all opera.
1. London Symphony Orchestra
139 million views
Mr. Bean performing the theme from Chariots of Fire at the 2012 Olympics
Founded in 1904, the London Symphony Orchestra is one of the world’s most frequently recorded ensembles.
At the 2012 London Olympics, the LSO joined comedian Rowan Atkinson (playing his character Mr. Bean) in a hilarious performance of the theme from the film Chariots of Fire.
It became an instant viral sensation and showcased the orchestra’s sense of humour.
Conclusion
From Beethoven and Schubert to Star Wars and Chariots of Fire, these performances by the world’s top orchestras prove how orchestral music resonates with hundreds of millions of people around the world.
Which of these ten orchestras is your favourite? (Or is your favourite not on Bachtrack’s list?) What videos of theirs would you recommend to other classical music lovers?
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