Claudio Abbado: The Symphony Edition is a sturdy, cube-shaped box set of 41 CDs, bringing together many of the conductor's critically acclaimed recordings for Deutsche Grammophon. The great symphonists are represented by their most essential works, with full cycles by
Ludwig van Beethoven,
Franz Schubert,
Felix Mendelssohn, and
Johannes Brahms,
Gustav Mahler's nine completed symphonies, five of
Anton Bruckner's eleven symphonies, and important symphonies of
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and
Franz Joseph Haydn.
Abbado conducted a variety of ensembles for these recordings, including the
Orchestra Mozart, the
Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the
London Symphony Orchestra, the
Lucerne Festival Orchestra, the
Vienna Philharmonic, the
Berlin Philharmonic, and the
Mahler Chamber Orchestra, and all deliver first-rate performances, some of which are exemplary. While this may seem like a reference collection for
Abbado's fans, it is an excellent set for newcomers to explore the symphonic repertoire, and
Abbado is an exceptional guide to this repertoire. Recorded between 1967 and 2013, the mix of live and studio recordings makes the sound a little variable.