Remembering Klaus Tennstedt

On June 6, 2026, we celebrate the centennial of the marvelous German conductor Klaus Tennstedt (1926–1998), who led the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on several occasions over the course of two decades.

“Tennstedt shone with a clear, illuminating inner light,” according to Thomas Willis in the Chicago Tribune, following the conductor’s debut with the Orchestra in December 1976. “Each delicate insertion of a motive, each singing melody was underscored with lightness, flexibility and an infallibly musical instinct . . . a performance which danced in the air.”

During his final residency in May and June of 1990, Tennstedt led two weeks of concerts to close out the Orchestra’s 1989-90 season, and the first set of performances included Mahler’s First Symphony. “Tennstedt is one of the best Mahler conductors around,” wrote Robert C. Marsh in the Chicago Sun-Times. “He knows the idiom thoroughly and he easily finds the tempos, the textures and the sounds that bring it to life. Give him the CSO to work with and you can expect remarkable things, and they happened.” The performances were captured by EMI for audio and video commercial release.

"The final program of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s 99th season, heard Thursday at Orchestra Hall, came as close to perfection as musicmaking can get in a sorely imperfect world," wrote John von Rhein in the Tribune on June 8, 1990. "Tennstedt’s way with [Haydn and Mahler’s] music is identifiably his own, and the kinds of responses he is able to draw from the Chicagoans in this music [was] warm, mellow, finely molded."

A complete list of Klaus Tennstedt’s appearances with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is below.

December 8, 9, 10, and 11, 1976, Orchestra Hall
December 13, 1976, Uihlein Hall, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
BLACHER Concertante Musik, Op. 10
TCHAIKOVSKY Concerto for Violin in D Major, Op. 35
Henryk Szeryng, violin
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

December 3, 4, and 5, 1981, Orchestra Hall
BRUCKNER Symphony No. 8 in C Minor

May 31, June 1, and 2, 1984, Orchestra Hall
MOZART Symphony No. 36 in C Major, K. 425 (Linz)
BRUCKNER Symphony No. 7 in E Major

June 4, 1984, Uihlein Hall, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
MENDELSSOHN Concerto for Violin in E Minor, Op. 64
Edith Peinemann, violin
BRUCKNER Symphony No. 7 in E Major

June 7, 8, and 9, 1984, Orchestra Hall
WEBER Overture to Oberon
MENDELSSOHN Concerto for Violin in E Minor, Op. 64
Edith Peinemann, violin
STRAUSS Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30

October 24, 25, and 27, 1985, Orchestra Hall
SHOSTAKOVICH Violin Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 99
Samuel Magad, violin
MAHLER Symphony No. 1 in D Major

October 31, November 1, and 2, 1985, Orchestra Hall
November 4, 1985, Uihlein Hall, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
BEETHOVEN Concerto for Violin in D Major, Op. 61
Kyung-Wha Chung, violin
BRUCKNER Symphony No. 4 in E-flat Major

April 14, 15, 16, and 19, 1988, Orchestra Hall
BRAHMS Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77
Kyung-Wha Chung, violin
SCHUBERT Symphony in C Major, D. 944 (Great)

May 31, June 1, 2, and 5, 1990, Orchestra Hall
STRAUSS Oboe Concerto
Ray Still, oboe
MAHLER Symphony No. 1 in D Major

June 7, 8, and 9, 1990, Orchestra Hall
HAYDN Symphony No. 100 in G Major (Military)
MAHLER Symphony No. 4
Arleen Augér, soprano

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