The members and staff of the Berliner Philharmoniker are saddened by the death of long-standing artistic partner Alfred Brendel, who died on 17 June 2025 at the age of 94. Eva-Maria Tomasi and Walter Küssner, members of the orchestra board, said: “For many decades, Alfred Brendel was a constant in the concerts of the Berliner Philharmoniker. Particularly in the works of Beethoven, Mozart and Brahms, his warm humanity and profound stylistic sensibility unfailingly impressed us. His interpretations were marked by a unique synthesis of intellect and emotion, resulting in performances of remarkable inner coherence. And yet he was always a seeker, considering absolute fidelity to the work ultimately unattainable. We experienced this in the meticulous care with which he questioned even the smallest musical detail. Off the podium, however, this artistic gravitas would often give way to a subtle and wry humour. For decades, Alfred Brendel was not only a trusted friend but also a source of constant surprise and delight. We shall remember him with deep respect and great affection.”
Alfred Brendel made his debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker at the New Year’s Eve concerts of 1961 under the baton of Herbert von Karajan. The programme featured the Piano Concerto No. 1 by Werner Thärichen, the orchestra’s principal timpanist. In 1973, Brendel first played a concerto by Beethoven – a composer whose works, alongside those of the Classical and Romantic repertoire more broadly, would come to define his partnership with the orchestra. He performed under many eminent conductors, including Eugen Jochum, Zubin Mehta and Daniel Barenboim. Most notably, he gave regular performances with chief conductors Claudio Abbado and Sir Simon Rattle. Brendel also joined the orchestra on tours across Europe, to Japan and the United States. In 1992, the Berliner Philharmoniker awarded him the prestigious Hans-von-Bülow medal. His final appearance with the orchestra was in November 2008, when he performed Mozart’s Piano Concerto in C minor under Simon Rattle.
Even after his farewell as a soloist, Alfred Brendel returned to the Philharmonie for special occasions — notably in February 2011, when he celebrated his 80th birthday in the Chamber Music Hall. On this occasion, he appeared as both author and speaker, presenting a lecture on humour in music, along with essays and poems. He returned once more in May 2012, when the Berliner Philharmoniker auctioned the grand piano on which he had performed with the orchestra for over two decades, in support of UNICEF.