Abbado Posthumously Awarded Gramophone's 'Recording of the Year'

It has been announced today that Conductor Claudio Abbado has been posthumously awarded the coveted Gramophone Magazine 'Recording of the Year' accolade - for his 2014 live performance of Bruckner's Symphony No. 9, with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra.

“This is very special on so many counts,” Gramophone Magazine's Editor-in-Chief, James Jolly has said, “ ….the last performance that Claudio Abbado conducted, a live concert with his hand-picked Lucerne Orchestra and a work that crowned a compositional career …. Beauty, intensity, intelligence, power – all come together to make for a lasting experience of huge rewards.”

The release, on the Deutsche Grammophon label , beat over 600 new releases to win the ultimate prize.

Conductor Paavo Jarvi was crowned 'Artist of the Year', by public vote and conductor Bernard Haitink was recognised for this 'Lifetime Achievement' - paying respect to his 60 years in the industry.

'Young Artist of the Year' was presented to 27 year old German pianist, Joseph Moog.

'Label of the Year' was presented to the Amsterdam-based Channel Classics.