Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado Beethoven Symphonie No. 9 (2000 2003)

On this fantastic, critically acclaimed recording of Beethovens’ greatest masterpiece, Claudio Abbado leads the Berlin Philharmonic through a performance of such nuance, such tumultuous emotion, that it’s difficult to imagine there’s a better way to hear this massively influential piece of music. Abbado is widely considered to be one of the most virtuosic and important conductors of the 20th and 21st centuries: in addition to winning two Grammy Awards, he holds four honorary doctorates, the Imperial Prize of Japan, and the French Legion of Honour among many other honors. Add that to one of the world’s premiere orchestras performing one of the most important compositions of all time, and a stunning high resolution audio recording, and you have an absolutely essential addition to your music collection.