Niemand heeft kunnen voorzien dat Claudio Abbado op 26 augustus 2013 in Lucerne – omringd door vele muziekvrienden – zijn laatste concert zou dirigeren. Abbado – altijd op zoek naar nieuwe uitdagingen – kende het woordje einde niet. Het is dan ook symbolisch dat hij juist de negende symfonie van Bruckner uitvoert, met het Adagio dat de sfeer van oneindigheid oproept. In tegenstelling tot zijn opname met de Wiener Philharmoniker zet Abbado hier een lichte en transparante negende neer. Daarmee komt Bruckner laatste werk, dat hij tussen 1887 en 1894 schreef, uitstekend ten goede. In de resterende twee jaren van zijn leven slaagt Bruckner er niet in om deze negende symfonie te voltooien.
Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor
Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
In January 2014, music lovers worldwide were saddened to learn that Claudio Abbado had passed away.
Deutsche Grammophon feels immensely blessed and proud to be releasing together with Accentus Music Bruckner’s Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, which was recorded as part of Abbado’s final concert
The concert received very positive reviews from the press:
“Mr. Abbado led an otherworldly account of Bruckner's 9th Symphony. Never have I heard as magisterial and moving performance of the work as that given by the 80-year-old maestro and his fabulous Lucerne Festival Orchestra.” (Wall Street Journal)
The most recent Abbado / Mozart release featuring Martha Argerich has not only received critical acclaim worldwide, but did really well commercially: the album entered the pop charts in Italy at 16 and is still in the German classical charts at number 4.
With 40,000 units sold today, it is one of DG' s bestselling core classical albums of 2014 & is still going strong.
This new and unique Bruckner album has a real potential amongst the core classical audiences worldwide.
To support the release, DG has filmed an interview with Sid McLauchlan who has been Claudio Abbado's DG producer for many years.
The concert was recorded by Accentus Music during the 75th Lucerne Festival in 2013 with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra.
This release is a fitting tribute to an irreplaceable artist, who was one of the greatest conductors and most inspiring musical figures of our time.
With this record, Deutsche Grammophon and Accentus Music wish to pay tribute to the maestro and honour what would have been his 81st birthday at the end of June
This was a very special concert which captivated the audience:
“The audience celebrates the 80 year-old with standing ovations…” (Der Tagesspiegel)
