The genius of Claudio Abbado

David Mellor explores the life and music of the brilliant conductor who died in January this year. Sunday 27 July 2014, 7pm.

Earlier this year, the classical music world lost one of its greatest conductors, Claudio Abbado, after a long period of ill health. 

On this week's show, David Mellor delves into some of Abbado's finest work, particularly exploring the period of the late 1970s when Abbado was Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, as well as his time at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as Principal Guest Conductor.

GALLERY: Claudio Abbado: A Life in Pictures > 

David will also discuss the newly released 32-CD box set of celebrated recordings by Abbado, and explore how the maestro successfully took over the baton from the great Herbert von Karajan at the Berlin Philharmonic.