In one of his last concerts with the London Philharmonic Orchestra before his retirement from public performance, Klaus Tennstedt turned to Beethoven’s unequivocal proclamation of human love and brotherhood: the Ninth Symphony. As the conductor struggled with illness, every one of his late concerts in London became an event, as if any could be his last. Tennstedt’s singularly grand and lengthy view of Beethoven’s music was unique; that, and the acute atmosphere of his last London appearances, shines through in this performance, one of a pair of concerts marking the Orchestra’s 60th anniversary. Tenndstedt was in great demand as a conductor during his life. Besides the London Philharmonic Orchestra he worked with many leading orchestras including the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra and all of the major American orchestras.