Although Christoph Eschenbach belongs firmly in a line of distinguished conductors of the German tradition, he began his illustrious music career as a pianist. Since his focus moved to conducting in the 1970s, he has held the directorship of numerous renowned orchestras throughout the world and received the highest musical honors. He has also performed as a featured pianist with the NHKSO many times. As a conductor, this 2017 performance was the first collaboration with the NHKSO in thirty years. Eschenbach is a perfectionist, an exacting conductor who pays attention to the minutest of details to polish the sound for a consummate performance. Be amazed at the virtuosity of an orchestra that presents very different interpretations of symphonies by the same composer reflecting the zeitgeist and the style of the conductor.