Up Close: Members of the Vienna Philharmonic recommend - Michael Bladerer
This playlist presents some of my favourite recordings – in my opinion, they embody the sound of the Vienna Philharmonic exceptionally well. Along with the 2nd Symphony by Jean Sibelius, my playlist also includes the Piano Quartet op. 25 by Johannes Brahms in the orchestral version by Arnold Schönberg and Ludwig van Beethoven's String Quartet op. 131 in the orchestral version by Leonard Bernstein. Another highlight is the recording of Richard Wagner's Walküre from Act 3 "Wotans Abschied" and Arnold Schönberg's "Gurre-Lieder", conducted by Claudio Abbado. As an encore I recommend the "Sphärenklänge" by Josef Strauss in the recording with Herbert von Karajan from the New Year's Concert in 1987: "The waltz can hardly be played more nobly and finely than it has succeeded. Everything flows organically and could not be more beautiful". – Michael Bladerer