Vladimir Ashkenazy is considered a giant in the world of classical music.
Conducting formed the largest part of his career over many decades though he is also one of the few artists to combine his conducting with a successful career as a pianist. He maintained his passion for and devotion to piano playing throughout his career, mostly in the recording studio. His discography also records his work as a conductor and charts his path to becoming the pre-eminent interpreter of Rachmaninov’s orchestral music in particular.
In 2018 he was named as the very first Conductor Laureate of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and is also Conductor Laureate at the Philharmonia Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra and Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Ashkenazy has always been driven to keep classical music in the mainstream media so it can be enjoyed by a broad audience. With that goal in mind he was involved in numerous television and documentary film projects about music and performance, including the 2004 documentary based around his Prokofiev and Shostakovich Under Stalin project. In late 2020 he announced his retirement from public performances. Vladimir Ashkenazy joined Margaret Throsby in her studio in November 2004 for this interview.
On making music:
"I don’t think I’ll stop until I just drop dead."
On his music education:
"I had a wonderful musical education because music was always important in Russia."
On being a conductor:
"Don’t tell anybody but I never studied conducting properly."
Vladimir Ashkenazy's music choices
Ravel: La Valse
NHK Symphony Orchestra / Vladimir Ashkenazy
Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 2 in E minor
Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra / Evgeni Svetlanov
Sibelius: Symphony No. 5 in E-flat major
Philharmonia Orchestra / Herbert von Karajan
Strauss: "Auf dem Gipfle" from An Alpine Symphony
Berlin Philharmonic / Herbert von Karajan
Mahler: "The Farewell" from The Song of the Earth
Vienna Philharmonic / Bruno Walter. Kathleen Ferrier (contralto)