Strauss, Burleske for Piano and Orchestra in D minor
A versatile and highly respected conductor, Christoph von Dohnányi has pursued a remarkable career both in Europe and the United States. After completing a long tenure as musical director and manager of the Frankfurt Opera, he was appointed to the same posts at the Hamburg State Opera. In 1984 he succeeded Lorin Maazel as principal conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra. He became first guest conductor of the London Philharmonic in 1994 as well. His commitment to new music is evident both in concert and in recordings. He led the premieres of Henze's "Der junge Lord" and "Die Bassariden". The Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder launched his international career as a soloist after winning the Lipatti Medal in 1962 and, particularly, the Special Prize in the Van Cliburn Competition in 1966. The "Burleske" was recorded in 1977 at Vienna's Musikvereinssaal in a concert also featuring Bartók's "The Miraculous Mandarin" Suite and Mendelssohn's "Scottish" Symphony.