ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER
A BIOGRAPHICAL TIMELINE
. . . she played like a goddess when she first hit the headlines at 13, and she plays like one still: wonderfully
responsive to the grandeur of Beethoven, to the drama of Vividly, and the exhilaration of Stravinsky, and all
with the purest eloquence of tone. She thinks big and bold, and she’s a staunch promoter of new music.
Independent (London), 13 September 2005
Anne-Sophie Mutter was born in Rheinfelden in Baden. She embarked on her international career as a soloist in 1976
at the Lucerne Festival and a year later made her Salzburg debut at the Whitsun Concerts under Herbert von Karajan.
Ever since then she has been in equal demand as a soloist and chamber musician, and has given concerts in all the
major music centres of Europe, North America and Asia. Since her debut with Deutsche Grammophon at the age of
14, she has received innumerable prizes for her recordings.
The violinist has also committed herself to alleviating the medical and social problems of our times and gives regular
benefit concerts to this end. She has been the recipient of numerous important honours and distinctions, including the
Order of the Republic of Germany (First Class), the Bavarian Order of Merit, the Baden-Württemberg Medal of Merit
and the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art. In 2002 she was awarded the Bavarian Maximilian Order for
Science and Art and the Munich Cultural Prize of Honour. In 2003 the Bavarian State Ministry of Science, Research
and Art bestowed on her the “Pro Meritis Scientiae et Litterarum” distinction and in 2005 she was made an “Officier
de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” by the French Minister of Culture.
1976
Lucerne Festival debut
1977
Salzburg Festival debut
1978
First recording and release for Deutsche Grammophon: Mozart Violin Concertos Nos. 3
and 5 with Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic.
1980
US debut in Washington, DC, New York and Chicago.
1981
Japanese debut in Tokyo with Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic.
1983
Becomes honorary president of the Mozart Society of Oxford University
1985
Russian debut in Moscow
1986
Appointed to the International Chair of Violin Studies at the Royal Academy of Music in
London. Gives first performance of Lutosławski’s Chain 2, with the Zurich Collegium
Musicum under its dedicatee Paul Sacher. In the years to follow Mutter earns widespread
acclaim for her constant dedication to contemporary works
1987
Founds the Rudolf Eberle Trust, which supports young string players throughout Europe.
This foundation’s activities are incorporated ten years later into the newly established
Anne-Sophie Mutter Circle of Friends Foundation which is based in Munich and operates
worldwide.
1988
Introduces Norbert Moret’s En rêve. Extended recital tour of Canada and the US.
1990
The Anne-Sophie Mutter Festival, held in London and Stuttgart in October, ranges from
the Baroque to the contemporary avant-garde, demonstrating her wide-ranging artistic
mastery and versatility.
1992
Appears at the Tanglewood and Ravinia festivals in the US. Plays the premiere of
Wolfgang Rihm’s Gesungene Zeit. Deutsche Grammophon’s recording of the Rihm
work, coupled with the Berg Concerto, is released this year and wins the Internationaler
Schallplattenpreis Frankfurt 1993; Grammy, Edison, Classic CD Awards, 1994; Golden
Harmony Award 1995.
1993
CD release of Carmen Fantasy, with Levine and the Vienna Philharmonic which quickly
becomes one of the biggest-selling recordings in Deutsche Grammophon’s history.
1994
World premiere of Sebastian Currier’s Aftersong with Lambert Orkis in Kiel, Germany.
1995
World premiere of Penderecki’s Metamorphosen in July, with the MDR Orchestra of
Leipzig under Mariss Jansons. Release of the Violin Concerto and other works by
Sibelius, with Previn conducting the Dresden Staatskapelle (CD Compact, Barcelona
1996; Edison 1997).
1996
CD release of the Berlin Recital: works by Mozart, Brahms, Franck and Debussy, with
pianist Lambert Orkis.
1998
Devotes herself exclusively to the complete Violin Sonatas of Beethoven, which she
performs all over the world with Lambert Orkis and records for Deutsche Grammophon
(Echo Award 1999; Grammy 2000). Other releases include the premiere recording of
Penderecki’s Second Violin Concerto, dedicated to Mutter, with the composer conducting
the London Symphony Orchestra (Grammy 1999).
1999
Release of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, with Mutter as soloist and conductor of the
Trondheim Soloists (Amadeus Music, Golden Harmony Awards, 2000).
2000
Undertakes a major project entitled Back to the Future: a retrospective of 20th-century’s
major violin repertoire with concerts in the US (including six concerts with the New York
Philharmonic and two Carnegie Hall recitals) and Europe and the release of a CD:
Recording of “Recital 2000”, works by Prokofiev, Crumb, Webern and Respighi with
which she tours this year with Orkis (CD Compact, Barcelona 2000). Penderecki’s Violin
Sonata, commissioned by the artist, is given its first performance in London in April.
2001
Leader and soloist in two evenings of Mozart’s complete Violin Concertos, as artist-inresidence at New York’s Carnegie Hall with the Camerata Salzburg, and with the Vienna
Philharmonic in Vienna, Baden-Baden, Ingolstadt and Wiesbaden.
2002
The year begins with Deutsche Grammophon sessions, including works by Gershwin,
Brahms, Fauré, Kreisler and the first recording of Tango Song and Dance, composed for
her by Sir André Previn. Tours Germany and Switzerland with Orkis and Lynn Harrell,
performing piano trios by Beethoven, Brahms and Mendelssohn. Gives the premiere
performances and records another work written for her by Previn, his Violin Concerto,
with the composer conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra (released 2003, Grammy
2005). Performs in Royal Festival Hall the world premiere of Henri Dutilleux’s Nocturne
for violin and orchestra Sur le même accord, dedicated to Mutter, with Kurt Masur
conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra (DG releases the world-premiere
recording in 2005, Echo Award, 2005 “World-premiere recording of the year”). Performs
the Beethoven Concerto at Avery Fisher Hall with Masur and the New York
Philharmonic (DG live recording released in November: CD Compact, Barcelona, Echo
Award, 2003). Plays and conducts the Mozart concerto cycle with the Vienna
Philharmonic at the Salzburg Festival.
2003
The artist’s year begins with a tour of Germany with the Munich Philharmonic under the
direction of Sir André Previn, in which she plays the Korngold Concerto, followed by a
European tour with Previn and Lynn Harrell. In March she joins the Oslo Philharmonic
for concerts throughout Europe. On the programme: the Previn Concerto, conducted by
the composer. The new CD release entitled Tango Song and Dance furnishes the
programme of a European recital tour with pianist Lambert Orkis. Performances and a
new recording of the Tchaikovsky Concerto with Previn and the Wiener Philharmoniker
(released 2004). With the same conductor and the Berlin Philharmonic, the artist
performs the Beethoven Concerto in Berlin. After that in London, Korngold’s Concerto is
on the programme (and recorded for release in 2004 with the Tchaikovsky Concerto),
with Previn conducting the London Symphony Orchestra.
2004
Once again this year she appears with many of the world’s greatest orchestras and
conductors, presenting contemporary works composed for and dedicated to her – by
Dutilleux (Nocturne Sur le même accord, including its North American premiere),
Lutosławski (Partita, Interludium, Chain 2), Rihm (Gesungene Zeit) and Previn (Violin
Concerto “Anne-Sophie”) – as well as great traditional compositions including violin
concertos by Bach, Beethoven and Brahms and chamber music by Beethoven and
Brahms.
2005/2006
This season features a comprehensive homage to Mozart’s 250th anniversary and his
violin works. Anne-Sophie Mutter performs the five Concertos and Sinfonia concertante
for violin and viola (with violist Yuri Bashmet) as soloist and leader directing the
Salzburg Camerata and the London Philharmonic Orchestra (released with great success
in autumn 2005); with Lambert Orkis (piano) she performs (and record) all 16 Violin
Sonatas in a recital tour extending from Europe to the USA to China, Japan, Korea and
Taiwan; and with Sir André Previn (piano) and cellist Daniel Müller-Schott she performs
Mozart’s Piano Trios in Germany, Denmark, Switzerland and Poland (recorded live, also
for release in 2006). The world premiere of the Violin Concerto Anthèmes III by Pierre
Boulez with the composer conducting the Basel Symphony Orchestra took place in April
2006. At the October 2005 Echo Awards ceremony Anne-Sophie Mutter is named
“Instrumentalist of the Year” (concertos by Tchaikovsky and Korngold), while her
release of works by Dutilleux, Bartók and Stravinsky is named “World-Premiere
Recording of the Year.”
In 2006 Anne-Sophie Mutter celebrates the 30th anniversary of her concert debut at
Lucerne Festival. At further celebratory Mozart Festival concerts, Anne-Sophie Mutter
directs the Tivoli Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the
Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra.
2007
Anne-Sophie Mutter’s 2007 concert calendar takes her to 13 countries and features a
variety of highlights. She performs and conducts Bach violin concertos and the double
concerto on her European tour with the Trondheim Soloists, also featuring some of her
Foundation students.
In April, Anne-Sophie performs Sir André Previn’s Double Concerto for Violin and
Contrabass together with Roman Patkolò and the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the
direction of the composer himself. Friends of Anne Sophie Mutter Foundation
commissioned the work. At the Lucerne Festival in August she gave the premiere
performance of a violin concerto by Sofia Gubaidulina dedicated to Anne-Sophie Mutter.
The concerto, which was commissioned by Paul Sacher, was also performed with the
Berlin Philharmonic under the direction of Sir Simon Rattle.
Anne-Sophie Mutter is this year’s recipient of the International Ernst von Siemens Music
Prize.
2008
In 2008 Anne-Sophie Mutter performs concerts in Asia, Europe and North America.
During a European tour she celebrates the 100th birthday of Herbert von Karajan with
Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. She performs Brahms' Violin Sonatas together with pianist
Lambert Orkis in the USA and Germany and performs Antonio Vivaldi’s "The Four
Seasons" during an Asian tour. In a chamber music extravaganza the violinist performs
Beethoven’s String Trios together with Yuri Bashmet and Lynn Harrell. Bach’s Violin
Concertos are on the program of another USA tour.
2009
The first performance of Gubaidulina’s In tempus praesens takes place in Germany and
Spain. Anne-Sophie Mutter tours Switzerland and Germany with the SWR Stuttgart
Radio Symphony Orchestra under Previn; she performs Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto
with the New York Philharmonic under Masur in New York, on a European tour with the
Oslo Philharmonic under Saraste, with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal under
Frühbeck de Burgos in Canada, and with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra under
Tilson Thomas in San Francisco; in Carnegie Hall, world premiere of Previn's Second
Piano Trio with Harrell and Previn, and of Previn's Concerto for Violin and Viola with
Bashmet and the Orchestra of St. Luke's under Previn. Release of Mendelssohn's Violin
Concerto with the Gewandhaus Orchester Leipzig under Masur coupled with chamber
works accompanied by Previn and Harrell.