The German pianist and conductor Christoph Eschenbach had a difficult childhood
having been orphaned at an early age. The effect on him was profound and he was
unable to speak for over a year, eventually finding solace within classical
music when his uncle adopted him and started to teach him piano.
He is widely acknowledged as one of the world's greatest conductors but also has
a reputation for having a polarising effect on musicians with whom he has
worked. His four-year tenure with the Philadelphia Orchestra was a particularly
difficult time for Eschenbach and he became mir...