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Stravinsky: Pulcinella with Claudio Abbado and the London Symphony Orchestra, now in the Original Source Series

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Some recordings hold their place as a reference for decades, and<a href="https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/catalogue/products/claudio-abbado-the-complete-recordings-on-dg-decca-12881">&nbsp;Claudio Abbado's</a>&nbsp;account of<a href="https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/composers/igor-strawinsky">&nbsp;Igor Stravinsky's</a>&nbsp;Pulcinella is unquestionably one of them. Together with the London Symphony Orchestra and the vocal soloists Teresa Berganza, Ryland Davies and John Shirley-Quirk, Abbado set down an interpretation in 1978 that unites wit, rhythmic precision and tonal transparency into a strikingly vivid reading of this neoclassical ballet. On 13 November 2026 the recording joins Deutsche Grammophon's<a href="https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/projects/the-original-source">&nbsp;Original Source series</a>, the Yellow Label's audiophile vinyl edition.
For collectors and curious newcomers alike, this is a rare opportunity: a catalogue classic returns, cut directly from the original analogue tape and pressed on 180g virgin vinyl. Anyone who has known Pulcinella only from digital sources will discover a sound of remarkable openness here, one that makes the score's chamber-music delicacy as audible as its playful energy.
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<h2>A key work of modernism: Stravinsky's Pulcinella</h2>
Pulcinella marks one of the most consequential turning points in Igor Stravinsky's output. The ballet was first performed on 15 May 1920 at the Paris Op&eacute;ra, danced by the Ballets Russes under the aegis of Sergei Diaghilev, with choreography by L&eacute;onide Massine and designs by Pablo Picasso. Ernest Ansermet conducted. With this work Stravinsky took the step into neoclassicism, the aesthetic stance that would shape much of his subsequent oeuvre.
What makes the score special is its source material: Stravinsky drew on early eighteenth-century compositions long attributed to Giovanni Battista Pergolesi. Later scholarship has shown that a substantial portion of these models came from other composers of the period. Stravinsky shaped them into something entirely his own, threading Baroque melody through with unmistakably modern harmonies, rhythms and instrumentation.
The result is a ballet in twenty-one sections, with arias for soprano, tenor and bass, in which voice and orchestra merge into a whole that is at once light-hearted and refined. These vocal passages set the complete ballet score clearly apart from the purely orchestral suite that later became more widely known, and they bring the work's theatrical origins to the fore.
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<h2>Claudio Abbado and the London Symphony Orchestra</h2>
The partnership between Claudio Abbado and the London Symphony Orchestra is among the most fruitful chapters in the discography of both. The 1970s produced a whole series of Stravinsky recordings that remain benchmarks to this day. Abbado's Pulcinella was recorded in March and May 1978 at Henry Wood Hall in London and first appeared on record in 1979. This reading is characterised by clear articulation, a precise and never overstated command of the intricate rhythms, and the fine interplay between orchestra and the three vocal soloists.
Teresa Berganza, Ryland Davies and John Shirley-Quirk lend the vocal numbers warmth and personality without departing from the score's chamber-music character. Within the Original Source series, this release takes its place in Abbado's celebrated Stravinsky cycle with the LSO, which already includes Le Sacre du printemps and Petrushka in audiophile vinyl editions. Listeners who value this world will find Pulcinella a welcome addition.
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<h2>Original Source: pure analogue sound</h2>
The Original Source series, launched in 2023 to mark the label's 125th anniversary, pursues a single consistent aim: to bring legendary 1970s recordings to vinyl as faithfully as possible. At the Emil Berliner Studios in Berlin, the original multitrack tapes are used and then remixed and cut in a fully analogue process, with no detour via tape copies and no digital intermediate steps. A passive mixing console was developed specially for the task, one that adds no further noise to the signal.
The audible result is greater clarity, finer detail and a more natural dynamic range, from the most delicate pianissimo to the powerful tutti passages. Each edition appears on 180g virgin vinyl, produced at Optimal, as a limited and numbered deluxe edition in a fold-out gatefold sleeve. The cover art and accompanying texts follow the original, supplemented by additional photographs and facsimiles of the recording documentation. For audiophile classical music lovers, this is a format that places the deliberate, focused listening experience at its heart.
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<h2>Format and availability: now on vinyl</h2>
Stravinsky: Pulcinella with Claudio Abbado and the London Symphony Orchestra is released on 13 November 2026 as an Original Source vinyl in the official DG Store. As a limited, numbered edition, it is especially suited to collectors who value the highest sound quality and premium presentation. Pre-ordering is recommended for anyone interested, since editions in this series have a track record of selling out quickly.
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<h2>Order and enjoy Claudio Abbado's Original Source Vinyl now!</h2>
Secure Stravinsky's Pulcinella in the audiophile Original Source edition and experience a milestone of modernism in pure analogue sound. Order now from the<a href="https://store.deutschegrammophon.com/en-en">&nbsp;DG Store</a> and delve deeper into the Original Source vinyl collection!
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The Legacy of a Legend - DG celebrates Claudio Abbado's 90th Birthday

On 26&nbsp;June this year, Claudio Abbado (1933-2014) would have turned 90. Over the course of four decades, the world-renowned Italian conductor made countless landmark recordings for Deutsche Grammophon &ndash; this year the label pays tribute to the man and his exceptional career with a series of special releases.
First among these is a unique, hand-numbered edition of his complete recordings for DG, Decca and Philips comprising 258 CDs and 8&nbsp;DVDs. Claudio Abbado &ndash; The Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon &amp; Decca includes hundreds of the finely crafted performances the conductor inspired from some of the world&rsquo;s greatest artists and orchestras. These span everything from Baroque works by Vivaldi, Bach and Pergolesi, to contemporary music by Xenakis, Nono and Salvatore Sciarrino, via a vast number of works by Mozart, the complete symphonies of Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Mahler, and much more besides.
Abbado&rsquo;s work as one of the most respected opera conductors of his day, music director of both La Scala and the Vienna Staatsoper at different times in his career, is reflected in both full operas and excerpts. There are works by Mozart, Rossini and Verdi &ndash; cornerstones of his operatic legacy &ndash; but Lohengrin, Pell&eacute;as et M&eacute;lisande and Wozzeck, among others, feature too. On DVD, we find such treasures as La Cenerentola, Il barbiere di Siviglia, From the House of the Dead, Peter and the Wolf and the 1991 Wiener Philharmoniker New Year&rsquo;s Concert.
Abbado&rsquo;s work with the Berliner Philharmoniker, of which he was chief conductor from 1990 to 2002, justifiably features on no fewer than 60&nbsp;CDs here. He is also heard with other such leading ensembles as the London Symphony Orchestra, Wiener Philharmoniker and Dresden Staatskapelle.
The edition includes three books providing essays on significant stages of Abbado&rsquo;s career; reminiscences from producers and colleagues; production dates and tracklistings; numerous rare photos; and a foreword by the conductor&rsquo;s four children. The individual albums are presented in their original cover jackets, while the collection as a whole is presented in a high-quality library-style box.
Our 2023 Abbado releases also include milestone recordings of two key works from the operatic and symphonic repertoire respectively. The first is his classic 1972 version of Il barbiere di Siviglia (2&nbsp;CDs + DVD + BRA), with the LSO and starring Hermann Prey in the title role and Teresa Berganza as Rosina. The second is a reissue of his masterful 1993 reading with the Berliner Philharmoniker of Mahler&rsquo;s Symphony No.&nbsp;5 which, thanks to its close association with Todd Field&rsquo;s Oscar-nominated film T&Aacute;R, is now out on vinyl for the first time.

The Legacy of a Legend - Deutsche Grammophon Pays Homage to Claudio Abbado With a Comprehensive Edition 

The world-renowned conductor Claudio Abbado recorded for Deutsche Grammophon over the course of four decades, making countless landmark albums which sound as fresh as ever today. In honour of his exceptional career, DG is releasing a strictly limited and hand-numbered edition of Abbado&rsquo;s complete recordings for the Yellow Label, Decca and Philips. Encompassing an enormous range of repertoire, the edition includes hundreds of the acclaimed performances the conductor inspired from some of the world&rsquo;s greatest artists and orchestras.
Claudio Abbado &ndash; The Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon &amp; Decca is set for release on 17 February 2023, in time to mark what would have been his 90th birthday in June 2023. Just 2650 copies of this unique 257‑CD and 8-DVD set, housed in beautifully designed packaging, will be issued.
Unquestionably one of the most multifaceted and influential musicians of recent times, Abbado was as much at home in the concert hall as he was in the opera house. He both championed new music and kept up with the latest developments in historical performance practice, while not swayed by some of its more dogmatic ideas. He summed up his philosophy as follows: &ldquo;the term &lsquo;great conductor&rsquo; has no meaning for me &ndash; it is the composer who is great&rdquo;. This was no empty rhetoric. After meticulous preparation, involving the consultation of original sources, he almost always conducted from memory.
A team player rather than an authoritarian figure, Abbado was quick to establish a rapport with his musicians, both on and off stage. He rejuvenated the Berliner Philharmoniker in the post-Karajan years, and devoted much of his time and energy to founding new ensembles, including the European Community Youth Orchestra, Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, Lucerne Festival Orchestra and Orchestra Mozart, as well as acting as mentor to individuals such as Gustavo Dudamel. With its vast scope, this edition offers unparalleled access to the many and varied strands of Abbado&rsquo;s long career.
The maestro was a man of few words and preferred to let his gestures do the talking. This was as true in the studio as it was on the concert podium. &ldquo;One of Claudio&rsquo;s main interests was the pursuit of beauty of sound,&rdquo; recalls DG producer Christopher Alder, who worked with the conductor between 1986 and 2006. That beauty is to be heard in abundance here, in finely-crafted performances spanning everything from Baroque works by Vivaldi, Bach and Pergolesi, to contemporary music by Xenakis, Nono and Salvatore Sciarrino. In between, we find a vast number of works by Mozart, the complete symphonies of Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Mahler, and much more besides.
Abbado was also one of the most respected opera conductors of his day, Music Director of both La Scala and the Vienna Staatsoper at different times in his career. That aspect of his work is generously reflected as well, in both full operas and excerpts. There are works by Mozart, Rossini and Verdi &ndash; the cornerstones of his operatic legacy &ndash; but Lohengrin, Pell&eacute;as et M&eacute;lisande and Wozzeck, among others, feature too. On DVD, moreover, we find La Cenerentola, Il barbiere di Siviglia and Jan&aacute;ček&rsquo;s From the House of the Dead (here enjoying its first release on DVD). The other DVD content includes such treats as Peter and the Wolf with Sting/Roberto Benigni, and the 1991 Wiener Philharmoniker New Year&rsquo;s Concert.
Abbado&rsquo;s work with the Berliner Philharmoniker, of which he was chief conductor from 1990 to 2002 rightfully occupies a central place in this set, featuring on 60 of its 257 CDs. Not only did he expand the orchestra&rsquo;s repertoire, he brought a renewed warmth and flexibility to its sound. He is also heard at the helm of the London Symphony Orchestra, of which he became principal conductor in 1979&nbsp;and was music director from&nbsp;1983 to 1986; Wiener Philharmoniker; Dresden Staatskapelle; Lucerne Festival Orchestra; Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester; and Orchestra Mozart, among others. In notes written especially for this edition, Alfred Brendel describes Abbado&rsquo;s ability to get the best from any ensemble: &ldquo;his attention towards bringing out the qualities of each player and blending them into a unique interpretive whole was exemplary and remains, in some ways, unique&rdquo;.
The roster of singers and instrumentalists with whom Abbado recorded is equally impressive, ranging from Martha Argerich, Cecilia Bartoli and Alfred Brendel to Bryn Terfel and Yuja Wang, via Jonas Kaufmann, Evgeny Kissin and Gidon Kremer. Oboist Albrecht Mayer, who worked with him for years as a member of the Berliner Philharmoniker, says, &ldquo;My work with Claudio and my personal dealings with him were without doubt the greatest gift I have received in the whole of my life as a musician.&rdquo;
Claudio Abbado &ndash; The Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon &amp; Decca is accompanied by one hardcover and two paperback books which provide eight essays on significant stages of Abbado&rsquo;s career; reminiscences from his producers and colleagues; production dates and detailed tracklistings; numerous rare photos; and a foreword by the conductor&rsquo;s four children, Daniele, Alessandra, Sebastian and Misha. The individual albums are presented in their original cover jackets, while the collection as a whole is presented in a high-quality library-style box.
As part of his contribution to this very special limited edition, pianist Evgeny Kissin finds the perfect words to sum up the legacy of Claudio Abbado. &ldquo;The great maestro&rsquo;s art will undoubtedly live and continue to bring joy to many millions of people, as long as mankind exists.&rdquo;

The Legacy of a Legend – Deutsche Grammophon Pays Homage to Claudio Abbado

Remembering Claudio Abbado

Die Deutsche Grammophon, das Label, das mit dem italienischen Stardirigenten Claudio Abbado &uuml;ber Jahrzehnte eng zusammengearbeitet hat, erinnert mit einer f&uuml;nfteiligen Video-Podcast-Serie an den bewunderten Maestro, der der Nachwelt einen reichen Schatz mitrei&szlig;ender Aufnahmen hinterlie&szlig;.

Claudio Abbado is remembered as one of the most outstanding conductors of his era, with an astonishing capacity to go straight to the heart of the music he performed. Today, as we remember Maestro Claudio Abbado on the seventh anniversary of his death, Jon Tolansky presents a video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJTPd3iJrU4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">podcast series</a> examining the exceptional impact the conductor made on musicians and on audiences.
After the celebrated Claudio Abbado &amp; Wiener Philharmoniker (released 2020) and Claudio Abbado &amp; Berliner Philharmoniker (released 2019), we are honouring this great maestro with the third prestigious orchestra he has been associated with: the London Symphony Orchestra in a new complete edition. This 46-CD set also includes two CDs of recordings with the New Philharmonia Orchestra and liner notes by Jon Tolansky.

Beethoven - The New Complete Edition

We release the most comprehensive and complete set of Beethoven's works ever issued. Curated in partnership with the Beethoven-Haus Bonn, DG's flagship project for #Beethoven2020 comprises over 175 hours of music &ndash; complete with new and world premiere recordings &ndash; on 118 CDs, 3 Blu-ray audio discs and 2 DVDs, as well as 16 digital albums. The set showcases legendary interpretations from DG&rsquo;s peerless Beethoven catalogue along with an array of treasures assembled in collaboration with Decca and numerous other labels. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obLRpeHgWWQ">Watch</a> violinist and President of the Beethoven-Haus Bonn, Daniel Hope, presenting Beethoven - The New Complete Edition in the video section below.
Listen to the New Complete Edition is <a href="https://dg.lnk.to/BTHVN2020">here.</a>

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Claudio Abbado - The Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon and Decca

Teresa Berganza &middot; Ryland Davies John Shirley-Quirk London Symphony Orchestra Claudio Abbado

Claudio Abbado - News | Deutsche Grammophon

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