About this Artist

• Biography

Editorial Reviews

The first flush of the digital era brought about a boatload of unexpected recordings, including this set of Hindemith's "Kammermusik" by Claudio Abbado and the Berliner Philharmoniker. Prior to Abbado's, there had already been two superlative recordings in the digital era: Riccardo Chailly and the Concertgebouw Orchestra's propulsive and virtuosic 1990 Decca recording and Markus Stenz and the Ensemble Modern's angular and aggressive 1993 RCA recording. But Abbado was a big fan of the composer, and he had the perfect orchestra for the job in the virtuosic Berliner Philharmoniker; their performances are as well played as Chailly's, but less driven and more musical than Stenz's. With first-class soloists drawn mostly from the orchestra, plus Lars Vogt as a spectacular pianist in "Kammermusik No. 2," all parts are superbly covered. And as is almost always the case with Abbado, the conducting is alert, alive, and energetic with complete commitment to the details, the long line, and the big climax. Coupled with violist Tabea Zimmermann's dedicated and determined 1989 recording of Hindemith's "Der Schwandenreher" with David Shelton leading the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, these vivid 1996 and 1999 recordings are a clear first choice for these odd but engaging works. James Leonard, All Music Guide

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