Beethoven Symphonies, conducted by Claudio Abbado

"The most wonderful symphonic cycle of the last decade" (La Repubblica)

In February 2001, the Berliner Philharmoniker and Claudio Abbado (1933-2014) performed all of Beethoven's symphonies at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome. The success was overwhelming: after each performance there was a standing ovation, and the press spoke of great moments of music. For decades, Claudio Abbado has repeatedly and intensively studied Beethoven's music in order to decipher its laws. The starting point for these performances was Jonathan Del Mar's new critical edition of the scores. New in Abbado's Beethoven interpretations in Rome was the absence of the orchestra's usual large string instrumentation. The orchester followed faster tempi than in previous performances, with convincing tempo changes between movements, as well as exciting dramatic developments and sensitive lyrical cantilenas. La Repubblica called it "the most wonderful symphonic cycle of the last decade". The Beethoven symphonies mark the culmination of Abbado's relationship with the Berliner Philharmoniker and his twelve years as principal conductor. "Abbado lets go of all the contradictory elements of Beethoven's cosmos - nothing works anymore, the music threatens to explode for good, somewhere has to." Note: Beethoven's 9th Symphony was recorded live from the Berlin Philharmonie, also performed by the Berliner Philharmoniker under the baton of Maestro Claudio Abbado.

For decades, Claudio Abbado has repeatedly and intensively studied Beethoven's music in order to decipher its laws. The starting point for these performances was Jonathan Del Mar's new critical edition of the scores. New in Abbado's Beethoven interpretations in Rome was the absence of the orchestra's usual large string instrumentation. The orchester followed faster tempi than in previous performances, with convincing tempo changes between movements, as well as exciting dramatic developments and sensitive lyrical cantilenas.

La Repubblica called it "the most wonderful symphonic cycle of the last decade". The Beethoven symphonies mark the culmination of Abbado's relationship with the Berliner Philharmoniker and his twelve years as principal conductor. "Abbado lets go of all the contradictory elements of Beethoven's cosmos - nothing works anymore, the music threatens to explode for good, somewhere has to."

Note: Beethoven's 9th Symphony was recorded live from the Berlin Philharmonie, also performed by the Berliner Philharmoniker under the baton of Maestro Claudio Abbado.

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