Valery Gergiev seems to have been beaten down quite a bit on this list
lately, but I would like to put in that, my one extended exposure to his
work has been his Philips recording of Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony with the
VPO.  And I find it to be a transcendent experience.  Not perfectly clean
in ensemble, yes (it is live after all), but so very clearly inspired!

Albie