The Warner Classics Remastered Edition Vol.1 Symphonic Works

“Otto Klemperer literally embodied a vast amount of 20th-century musical history,” wrote the New York Times. “There remains a tension, and a sense of architectural command, to his finest recordings that takes the listener to the heart of the music.” These 95 CDs, focusing primarily on symphonic repertoire, precede a collection of operas and sacred works. Together, the two boxes form Otto Klemperer: The Warner Classics Remastered Edition: the German-born conductor’s entire Warner Classics catalogue – originally recorded for EMI Columbia, HMV, Electrola and Parlophone – newly remastered in high definition from the original tapes (LPs) and the best available sources (78s).

Initially mentored by Gustav Mahler, Klemperer achieved prominence in the progressive climate of the Weimar Republic. His golden era as a recording artist began in the 1950s, when he established a close relationship with London’s Philharmonia Orchestra. Continuing until two years before Klemperer’s death in 1973, it produced many recordings, notably of Austro-German repertoire, which have become landmarks of the catalogue.