Klaus Tennstedt was born on 6th June 1926 in Merseburg, a small Saxon town between Leipzig and Halle. He was a highly talented violinist and followed his father into the Halle Opera orchestra of which he was made leader whilst still in his teens. He also studied in Dresden and, as a member of the fire brigade, was detailed to dig bodies out of the rubble after the city was blitzed in 1944. A solo career awaited him, but a growth on his left hand brutally cut this short at the age of 19. After months of depression, he emerged as the opera’s repetiteur. He naturally watched conductors, but was not given an opportunity to try until, at an hour’s notice, he took over a performance.

The experience galvanised him to seek this path as a career but his refusal to join the Communist Party ensured that he was limited to poorer opera houses. In his mid-30s he went to Berlin seeking a chance to defect, but it was not until March 1971, aged 44, when he was allowed to conduct in Gothenburg. The freedom in the West did not give him many major opportunities either; however, the offer of the musical directorship of the Kiel Opera was accepted and, subsequently, a manager from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra heard him and duly invited him to Canada.

A chance stand-in engagement in Boston conducting Bruckner’s Eighth Symphony was met with such ecstatic reviews and audience enthusiasm that he was offered dates with the finest orchestras. He was 48 and, after his years spent in provincial theatres, this sudden fame and fortune must have been overwhelming for such a sensitive man. Luckily for the musical world he then discovered the composer whose music would make his career, a composer who like himself, suffered from self-doubt: Gustav Mahler. He had had no chance to hear any of his music during his student years as it had been banned by the Nazis.

He was uniquely able to identify with Mahler’s life-and-death struggles and the shear intensity that he brought to the performances made them unforgettable. It could be argued that his concerts provided the stimulus for the major record companies to change their policy of recording exclusively in the studio to one of taping live and relying on careful editing to remove any blemishes.

His repertoire was far from limited to Mahler – the romantics from Beethoven to Richard Strauss all received thoroughly detailed and considered readings.

He was popular too with soloists – his experience as a repetiteur and soloist gave him a unique understanding of what they needed in an accompanist.

Everything seemed to be going well, but the angst that he would die prematurely, like Mahler, proved correct for, in his 60th year, throat cancer struck. Initially he was able to continue conducting, if at a reduced pace, but gradually the disease took its awful toll. His final engagement was in Oxford where he rehearsed the University orchestra before receiving an honorary doctorate in June 1994.

It is highly appropriate that Klaus Tennstedt’s career should be reassessed in 2011 as it is the year that not only marks the centenary of Mahler’s death but also what would have been the year of Tennstedt’s 85th birthday.

Contents:
CD 1
- Symphony No.1 in D
I. Langsam. Schleppend - Immer sehr gemächlich
II. (Scherzo) Kräftig bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell - Trio: Recht gemächlich
III. Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen - Sehr einfach und schlicht wie eine Volksweise - Wieder etwas bewegter, wie im
IV. Stürmisch bewegt - Langsam - Wieder wie zu Anfang. Stürmisch bewegt - Sehr landgam - Tempo I

- Symphony No.2 in C minor, 'Resurrection'
I. Allegro maestoso
 
CD 2
- Symphony No.2 in C minor, 'Resurrection'
II. Andante moderato
III. In ruhig fließender Bewegung
IV. Urlicht (sehr feierlich aber schlicht)
V. Im Tempo des Scherzos (Wild herausfahrend) - Langsam - Allegro energico - Langsam
 
CD 3
- Symphony No.3 in D minor
1. Kräftig
2. Tempo di menuetto
3. Scherzando
4. Sehr langsam: 'O Mensch! Gib acht'
5. Lustig im Tempo: 'Es sungen drei Engel'
 
CD 4
- Symphony No.3 in D minor
1. Langsam

- Symphony No.4 in G
I. Heiter, bedächtig. Nicht eilen
II. In gemächlicher Bewegung. Ohne Hast
III. Ruhevoll
IV. Sehr behaglich [with soprano solo]
 
CD 5
- Symphony No.5 in C sharp minor
I. Trauermarsch (In gemessenen Schritt. Streng. Wie ein Kondukt)
II. Stürmisch bewegt. Mit grosser Vehemenz
III. Scherzo (Kräftig, nicht zu schnell)
IV. Adagietto. Sehr langsam
V. Rondo-Finale (Allegro)
 
CD 6
- Symphony No.7 in E minor
1. Adagio - Allegro risoluto ma non troppo
2. Nachtmusik: Allegro moderato
3. Scherzo
4. Nachtmusik: Andante amoroso
 
CD 7
- Symphony No.7 in E minor
1. Rondo_Finale

- Symphony No.6 in A minor (ed. Ratz)
I. Allegro energico, ma non troppo
II. Scherzo (Wuchtig)
III. Andante moderato
 
CD 8
- Symphony No.6 in A minor (ed. Ratz)
1. IV. Finale (Allegro moderato)

- Symphony No.8 in E flat
Part I
2. Veni, Creator Spiritus
3. Imple superna gratia
4. Infirma nostri corporis
5. Accende lumen sensibus
6. Veni, Creator Spiritus
7. Gloria Patri Domino
 
CD 9
- Symphony No.8 in E flat
Part II
1. Waldung, sie schwankt heran (Holy Anchorites)
2. Ewiger Wonnebrand (Pater Ecstaticus)
3. Wie Felsenabgrund mir zu Füssen (Pater Profundus)
4. Gerettet ist das edle Glied (Choir of Angels, Choir of Blessed Boys)
5. Uns bleibt ein Erdenrest (The More Perfect Angels, Choir of Blessed Boys)
6. Hier ist die Aussicht frei (Doctor Marianus)
7. Höchste Herrscherin der Welt (Doctor Marianus, Chorus)
8. Dir, der Unberührbaren (Chorus, A Penitent)
9. Bei der Liebe, die den Füssen (Magna Peccatrix, Mulier Samaritana, Maria Aegyptiaca)
10. Neige, neige, du Ohnegleiche (A Penitent, Choir of Blessed Boys, Mater Gloriosa)
11. Blicket auf zum Retterblick (Doctor Marianus, Chorus)
12. Alles Vergängliche (Mystic Choir)
 
CD 10
- Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth)
I. Das Trinklied vom Jammer der Erde (ten)
II. Der Einsame im Herbst (con/bar)
III. Von der Jugend (ten)
IV. Von der Schönheit (con/bar)
V. Der Trunkene im Frühling (ten)
VI. Der Abschied (con/bar)
 
CD 11
- Symphony No.9 in D
I. Andante comodo
II. Im Tempo eines gemächlichen Ländlers. Etwas täppisch und sehr derb
III. Rondo-Burleske (Allegro assai. Sehr trotzig)
 
CD 12
- Symphony No.9 in D
IV. Adagio (Sehr langsam und noch zurückhaltend)

- Symphony No.10 (unfinished)
I. Adagio
 
CD 13
- Symphony No.5 in C sharp minor
I. Trauermarsch (In gemessenem Schritt. Streng. Wie ein Kondukt)
II. Stürmisch bewegt. Mit grösster Vehemenz
III. Scherzo (Kräftig, nicht zu schnell)
IV. Adagietto (Sehr langsam)
V. Rondo-Finale (Allegro)
 
CD 14
- Symphony No.6 in A minor (edited Ratz)
I. Allegro energico, ma non troppo
II. Scherzo (Wuchtig)
III. Andante moderato
 
CD 15
- Symphony No.6 in A minor (edited Ratz)
IV. Finale (Allegro moderato)

- Symphony No.7
I. Adagio - Allegro risoluto ma non troppo
 
CD 16
- Symphony No.7
II. Nachtmusik: Allegro moderato
III. Scherzo
IV. Nachtmusik: Andante amoroso
V. Rondo: Finale