Alfred Brendel: The Farewell Concerts

Alfred Brendel has for many years been among the world s greatest pianists: in concert, recital and on many best-selling recordings. Here, in his last CD release recorded in the year of his retirement (2008), he gives his final public performances in solo recital and in concert revealing a master musician in total command of his art. This 2CD digipak souvenir set captures these two memorable occasions, available at an attractive price. Recorded live in Hanover, Brendel s farewell recital featured composers with whom he is most closely associated throughout his career with a set of variations by Haydn, and sonatas by Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert. It is fitting that Alfred Brendel s final public performance should be in Vienna s beautiful Musikverein, with the Wiener Philharmoniker an orchestra with whom he has enjoyed a long and fruitful collaboration. The concert was conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras, marking the end of an exceptional partnership between pianist and conductor. The booklet includes Brendel s own notes on the recital repertoire, and tributes from Sir Charles Mackerras and Prof. Dr. Clemens Hellberg of the Vienna Philharmonic, as well as a farewell statement from Alfred Brendel himself.