Claudio Abbado is one of the leading conductors of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. He has held a number of prestigious posts, any one of which would be a crowning achievement for a conductor, and his musical presence in both concert and recordings has left an undeniable legacy of excellence.
His family traces its roots to a prominent Moorish family expelled from Spain in 1492 and is said to include the architect of the Alhambra. His father was Michelangelo Abbado, a violinist and teacher who gave both
Claudio and his brother, Marcello Abbado, their first piano and music lessons (Marcello has gone on to become a pianist and composer).
Claudio was educated at the Milan Conservatory, graduating in 1955 with a certificate in piano. While a student there, he also studied conducting with
Antonio Votto. In 1955, he studied piano with
Friedrich Gulda in Salzburg, and then (from 1956-1958) attended
Hans Swarowsky's conducting classes at the Vienna Academy of Music.
In 1958, he made his conducting debut in Trieste, and won the
Koussevitzky Competition at Tanglewood. This led to his engagement in several provincial opera houses and orchestras, as well as a teaching position at Parma Conservatory. After winning the 1963
Dimitri Mitropoulos Prize, he was awarded a five-month position on the staff of the
New York Philharmonic, with which he made his American professional debut on April 7, 1963. The year 1965 marked his debut with the
Vienna Philharmonic at the
Salzburg Festival, but more so for his return to his hometown of Milan to conduct at La Scala. He would conduct there again in 1967, become the company's resident director in 1968, and be named music director in 1971.
Abbado was credited with raising the performing standards at La Scala, and for broadening its repertory. He also organized its orchestral players into the Orchestra della Scala, whose performances of works by such composers as
Schoenberg,
Nono,
Ligeti,
Stockhausen, and
Berio brought
Abbado special acclaim as an interpreter of modern works.
In 1971, he was appointed principal conductor of the
Vienna Philharmonic. Soon after, he formed a relationship with the
London Symphony Orchestra, of which he became principal conductor in 1979, and finally music director, a post he retained until 1988. Other activities during this period included the founding of the
European Community Youth Orchestra, the
Chamber Orchestra of Europe, and the Gustav Mahler Youth Chamber Orchestra.
For the period 1982-1986,
Abbado served as principal guest conductor at the
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, after which he was appointed music director of the
Vienna State Opera. The Viennese further honored him by appointing him general music director of the city. During his tenure, he founded (1988) the
Wien Modern music festival, which has now grown to encompass all forms of contemporary art.
Abbado succeeded
Herbert von Karajan as music director of the
Berlin Philharmonic in 1989. In 1991, he relinquished his position at the
Vienna State Opera, but he has maintained a presence in the city by founding the annual Vienna prize for young composers. In 1994, he succeeded to another post once held by
Karajan, namely the directorship of the
Salzburg Easter Festival.
Abbado is an exciting conductor who relishes the beauty of tone. His extensive discography includes the complete symphonic works of
Mahler,
Schubert,
Ravel,
Tchaikovsky,
Mendelssohn, and
Beethoven, and dozens of other recordings. ~ Joseph Stevenson, All Music Guide
Haydn: 7 London Symphonies [Box Set]
Verdi per due