A fitting farewell: an aging Abbado in a state of deep reflection following Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Requiem Mass in D Minor.
June 26, 1933 - January 20, 2014.
This much beloved conductor seemed to be destined for success: as a descendant of Royalty and son to an established musician, Abbado would naturally find himself not only in the presence of greatness, he would become one of the Classical genres top contenders in the field of conducting. Abbado was much admired not only by patrons and audiences around the globe, but also by many of the most respected names in his field and would reign over Western Classical music's vast symphonic and operatic catalogue, finding his niche in the works of 19th century Austrian Composer Gustav Mahler. It was here that Abbado would find both initial and lasting acclaim, and would come to be widely regarded amongst modern "Mahlerites" as second only in greatness to the composer himself.
The symphonic world may love, remember and forever attribute Mahler's Second Symphony with the gifted maestro, but to me, the Chevalier Abbado will forever reign as the King of the New World, where his sprightly interpretation of the third ('scherzo') movement of Dvořák's Ninth Symphony paints the most picturesque mental imagery of European longing and reflection with "the spirit" of new world discovery.
Bernstein summed the work up quite succinctly when he referred to the Ninth as “a New World symphony from the Old World, full of Old World Tradition.." Abbado's masterful technique certainly does it's composer and his audiences justice.
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| The Scherzo is listed as item 4 on
external site. I highly suggest a
purchase of this album or of the third movement itself. You will NOT be disappointed! |
Obituaries & Tributes/Listening Guides:
Deutsche Grammophon
Forbes
Rest In Peace, Maestro.
-Rose.
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