Claudio Abbado RIP

[Prommer]

Agreed. Compare the final moments in the RAH performance with those in the hall at Lucerne, available on YouTube. Both wonderful.

[Nick Armstrong]

It would be fitting if the BBC broadcast this again in tribute.

I so wish they would.

[AjAjAjH]

On a number of occasions supporters of the Halle Orchestra have told me that it was the Halle who introduced Claudio Abbado to his first British audience and they have told me with quite a sense of pride as his career blossomed.

Also on a number of occasions, tributes have been paid at Halle concerts to notables from the world of classical music following their deaths either by playing a piece of music in their honour or dedicating a piece on the programme to them.

I was surprised and dismayed that no such tribute was paid to Claudio Abbado at this evening's concert. I wonder if any others who were at the concert or who listened on Radio 3 felt the same.

[slarty]

My first Abbado performance was in 1975 at Covent Garden where he conducted a very fine Ballo in Maschera, but that was just the Overture for his next visit in 1976 with the La Scala Company and that iconic production of Simone Boccanegra.
He was one of the great opera conductors and was GMD in Milan in the 70s and Vienna in the mid to late 80s.
One of the greatest ever Verdi interpreters, he also conducted the finest Wozzeck I have ever seen or heard, not to mention
Lohengrin, Elektra and Tristan which he did in concert with the BPO later in his career.
The last of the truly Great conductors.
I saw him many times and will miss him tremendously.

[Nick Armstrong]

The official announcement and details for any memorial donations:

CLAUDIO ABBADO (26 June 1933 – 20 January 2014)
It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of one of the greatest conductors of this and the last century.

THE FAMILY ASKS TO RESPECT CLAUDIO'S WISHES and SHARE THEIR MEMORIES by offering a DONATION IN LIEU OF FLOWERS:

Centro di ematologia oncologia pedriatica Bologna
IBAN: IT 87 E 0200802474000103019755
CODICE BIC: UNCRITMM

Casa Circondariale Dozza
Giovanni Nicolini
IBAN: IT78 W063 8536 7900 7400 0048 43S
coordinata bancaria internazionale
BIC: CRBOIT2B

[mercia]

if it isn't known already, the schedule of this afternoon's 'Afternoon on 3' has been changed to an Abbado tribute

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03q5fy2

Brahms Tragic Overture in D minor, op. 81
Schoenberg Orchestral Interlude and Song of the Wood Dove, from Gurrelieder
Mihoko Fujimura (mezzo-soprano),
c. 2.30pm
Schubert Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D. 759 ('Unfinished')
c. 3.00pm
Bruckner Symphony No. 9 in D minor, WAB 109
Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Claudio Abbado (conductor).

[Karafan]

The BPO make Abbado concerts free to view in memory of their late Maestro

http://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/Article/370337,berlin-phil-makes-abbado-concerts-free-to-view.aspx

Karafan

[Stanley Stewart]

Thank you, mercia. Recorder at the ready!

[Karafan]

Agreed. Compare the final moments in the RAH performance with those in the hall at Lucerne, available on YouTube. Both wonderful.

Do we have a link to the RAF M3 please Prommer? I can't seem to find it when searching...?

Thx

[Nick Armstrong]

http://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/...e-to-view.aspx

Karafan

Many thanks for this, Kara

[Petrushka]

if it isn't known already, the schedule of this afternoon's 'Afternoon on 3' has been changed to an Abbado tribute

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03q5fy2

Brahms Tragic Overture in D minor, op. 81
Schoenberg Orchestral Interlude and Song of the Wood Dove, from Gurrelieder
Mihoko Fujimura (mezzo-soprano),
c. 2.30pm
Schubert Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D. 759 ('Unfinished')
c. 3.00pm
Bruckner Symphony No. 9 in D minor, WAB 109
Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Claudio Abbado (conductor).

I missed the Christmas-time broadcast and now I miss this as well.

Off to the I-player it is then.

[jean]

And Last Word on Radio 4, now.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qpmv

[Flay]

The Bruckner was stunning! What a perfectly terrifying third movement!

Did I hear it right? Was that the last music he ever conducted? If so then could anyone wish to end their career more poignantly?

[Petrushka]

The Bruckner was stunning! What a perfectly terrifying third movement!

Did I hear it right? Was that the last music he ever conducted? If so then could anyone wish to end their career more poignantly?

I'll be catching this on I-player later but one would hope and expect that this performance will appear on CD in due course, perhaps quite soon.

And I agree in doubting if anyone could end their career more poignantly. I think it quietly, but comprehensively, destroys all thought of the Bruckner 9 'completion' out of my head for all time.

[EdgeleyRob]

I don't listen to a lot of Bruckner but I did catch this after an early dart from work.
Absolutely wonderful.