Bob Stumpf ranked:

>1. Berlin Philharmonic
>2. Vienna Philharmonic
>3. Philadelphia Orchestra
>4. New York Philharmonic
>5. Chicago Symphony Orchestra
>6. Los Angeles Philharmonic
>7. London Symphony Orchestra
>8. Philharmonia Orchestra
>9. London Philharmonic Orchestra
>10. The Concertgebouw Orchestra (probably should be in top 10)

Rankings are terribly difficult.  Was New York that good back then? Was LA?

What about Cleveland? The Czech Phil? Maybe Leningrad?

>Okay, I should probably add the Boston Symphony Orchestra but that would
>have been prior to Leinsdorf and the Great Oz.

Absolutely prior.

Roger Hecht