Riccardo Chailly on his Brahms Symphonies: 'it was time to rip out the bad habits'

17 September 2014, 20:20 | Updated: 18 September 2014, 10:05

The Leipzig Gewandhaus' recording of Brahms' Symphonies has won the Recording of the Year Award at the Gramophone Awards 2014.

Collecting the award from the London ceremony, Chailly praised the man who gave him the award, Sir Neville Marriner: "To be prized twice tonight, from the hand of maestro marriner... it's very emotional."

He described the feeling of winning the award, his second of the night: "I'm so rewarded that the Brahms has been recognised by everyone. It's a sense of doing something different."

Chailly also touchingly praised his wife, Gabriela.

Maestro Chailly was on hand to chat with John Suchet before the awards kicked off, and he was very clear about the inspiration behind the now award-winning recording of the complete Brahms symphonies.

"I've been conducting Brahms the most, compared to other great composers… I thought it was the time to have a look and try to rip out, somehow, the bad habits of the tradition. Maybe polish the tradition, but keeping it moving and floating."

He also spoke about his recent arm injury (he broke the arm a few months ago), which he described as "quite a difficult time… I hope to have the chance to prove myself in music again!"