Otto Klemperer - Symphonies Nos. 2–4; String Quartets Nos. 3 & 7 (Otto Klemperer; Philharmonia String Quartet)

Information

Composer: Otto Klemperer

• Symphony No. 2
• String Quartet No. 7
• Das Ziel: Merry Waltz
• Symphony No. 3
• Symphony No. 4
• String Quartet No. 3

New Philharmonia Orchestra

Otto Klemperer, conductor

Philharmonia String Quartet

Date: 1970 / 2025

Label: Warner Classics

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Like many conductors of his generation, Otto Klemperer was also well versed in musical composition. Towards the end of his career he left a discographic testimony of this aspect of his work by recording some of his compositions. His symphonies are in keeping with the modernity of the early 20th-century, while paying homage to the great German Romantic figures, of whom he was one of the most fervent defenders. Most of the pieces on this album, notably his string quartets, have been very rarely recorded elsewhere and are available to digital partners for the first time.

Otto Klemperer (1885–1973) was a German-born conductor and composer, renowned for his interpretations of both German and European orchestral and operatic repertoires. A prominent figure in the 20th century, Klemperer was known for his deep, analytical approach to music and his precise, authoritative conducting style. He held key positions with the Berlin Philharmonic and the Cologne Opera, and later in life, he became the principal conductor of the Philharmonia Orchestra in London. Klemperer was particularly celebrated for his performances of works by composers like Beethoven, Brahms, and Mahler. Despite facing personal and political challenges, including fleeing Nazi Germany, Klemperer left an enduring legacy as one of the great conductors of his time.