Tour in Batistei area – Sunday 31 August
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Showing posts with label conductor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label conductor. Show all posts
Sergiu Celibidache, conductor
Sergiu Celibidache (June 28, 1912 – August 14, 1996) was one of the most remakable conductors of the 20th century.
Constantin Silvestri
Constantin Silvestri (May 13, 1913 – February 23, 1969), great Romanian conductor, composer, pianist, a musician before his time.
As a boy in Romania, his musical talents developed quickly. He made his first public appearance as a pianist at the age of ten. He studied piano and composition at Bucharest Conservatory with Mihail Jora and the "Iron Lady" Florica Musicescu. He began his career as a pianist, but had the opportunity to conduct the Bucharest Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1930. This debut was a success, and convinced Silvestri to pursue conducting as a career. In 1935 he joined the conducting staff of the Bucharest Opera, rising eventually to becoming its music director. In 1945 he also became music director of the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra. He joined the faculty of the Bucharest Conservatory in 1948, teaching conducting. He received a State Prize for conducting in 1952. He became a frequent conductor, mainly in "friendly Socialist countries" such as the Soviet Union and others in Eastern Europe.
Silvestri left Romania in 1956 and settled in Paris. In 1957 he made his debut in Britain on January 25, 1957, with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at Royal Albert Hall, and the debut at Covent Garden in Mussorgsky's Khovanschina.
In 1961 Silvestri was appointed principal conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra to which he became passionately attached. He made this English seaside town his home and elevated the orchestra to international standard. He conducted and recorded with the world's finest orchestras including the Berlin, Vienna, London and BBC Philharmonics, the Philharmonia and Hallé, the Chicago and Philadelphia Symphony Orchestras, the Moscow and Leningrad Philharmonics, the Orchestre National de Paris, Concertgebouw, Suisse Romande and Tokyo NHKSO, the Prague and Budapest Philharmonics as well as the principal orchestras of Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Scandinavia, Italy and other European countries. The long list of celebrated musicians who played with him as soloists includes Yehudi Menuhin, David Oistrach, Paul Tortelier, Pierre Fournier, Mstislav Rostropovich, Claudio Arrau, Nathan Milstein, Clara Haskil, Daniel Barenboim and Vladimir Ashkenazy.
His discography is impressive, with over 100 recordings, of note being Silvestri - BBC Legends, 2007. His recordings received a First Prize from L'Académie Charles Cros (for Antonin Dvořák's Symphony No.9, "From the New World") and the Grand Prix du Disque (for George Enescu’s Wind Dixtuor). Silvestri also composed for orchestra, chamber, and voice. He became a naturalized citizen of the United Kingdom in 1967.
As a boy in Romania, his musical talents developed quickly. He made his first public appearance as a pianist at the age of ten. He studied piano and composition at Bucharest Conservatory with Mihail Jora and the "Iron Lady" Florica Musicescu. He began his career as a pianist, but had the opportunity to conduct the Bucharest Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1930. This debut was a success, and convinced Silvestri to pursue conducting as a career. In 1935 he joined the conducting staff of the Bucharest Opera, rising eventually to becoming its music director. In 1945 he also became music director of the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra. He joined the faculty of the Bucharest Conservatory in 1948, teaching conducting. He received a State Prize for conducting in 1952. He became a frequent conductor, mainly in "friendly Socialist countries" such as the Soviet Union and others in Eastern Europe.
Silvestri left Romania in 1956 and settled in Paris. In 1957 he made his debut in Britain on January 25, 1957, with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at Royal Albert Hall, and the debut at Covent Garden in Mussorgsky's Khovanschina.
In 1961 Silvestri was appointed principal conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra to which he became passionately attached. He made this English seaside town his home and elevated the orchestra to international standard. He conducted and recorded with the world's finest orchestras including the Berlin, Vienna, London and BBC Philharmonics, the Philharmonia and Hallé, the Chicago and Philadelphia Symphony Orchestras, the Moscow and Leningrad Philharmonics, the Orchestre National de Paris, Concertgebouw, Suisse Romande and Tokyo NHKSO, the Prague and Budapest Philharmonics as well as the principal orchestras of Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Scandinavia, Italy and other European countries. The long list of celebrated musicians who played with him as soloists includes Yehudi Menuhin, David Oistrach, Paul Tortelier, Pierre Fournier, Mstislav Rostropovich, Claudio Arrau, Nathan Milstein, Clara Haskil, Daniel Barenboim and Vladimir Ashkenazy.
His discography is impressive, with over 100 recordings, of note being Silvestri - BBC Legends, 2007. His recordings received a First Prize from L'Académie Charles Cros (for Antonin Dvořák's Symphony No.9, "From the New World") and the Grand Prix du Disque (for George Enescu’s Wind Dixtuor). Silvestri also composed for orchestra, chamber, and voice. He became a naturalized citizen of the United Kingdom in 1967.
Ionel Perlea
Ionel (Jonel) Perlea (December 13, 1900 - July 29, 1970) was a great Romanian conductor particularly associated with the Italian and German opera repertories.
Ionel Perlea was born in Ograda on December 13th 1900, of a German mother and a Romanian father. That he was talented was already clear when he was still a young boy and was sent to Munich where he received his musical education, studying with the German pedagogue Anton Beer-Walbrunn, and at the Leipzig Conservatory of Music (Leipziger Musikhochschule) with Paul Graener and Otto Lohse, all three were strongly interested in opera. Then he worked as répétiteur in Leipzig (1922-23) and Rostock (1923-25), and made his debut as conductor in Cluj-Napoca in 1927, in Aida.
In 1934 Perlea was appointed General Manager and Musical Director of the Bucharest Opera, he gave concerts with the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra and was a professor in composition at the Royal Academy of Music of Romania. At the same time he toured Europe as a guest conductor of the major orchestras.
After World War II, he settled down at Italy's great opera house, La Scala in Milan, where he conducted a wide variety of operas. In 1949 he made a successful debut at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, conducting Wagner's 'Tristan und Isolde'. A season with the San Francisco Opera Company, several broadcasts of concerts as a guest conductor of the NBC Symphony Orchestra and the musical directorship of the 1951 Grand Opera Festival at San Antonio, Texas, followed. In 1952 he was appointed to the Manhattan School of Music.
In 1955 he made his debut as conductor of the Connecticut Symphony and two years later took up the post of principal conductor of that orchestra. He led the Connecticut Symphony for ten years. His contract was not renewed. Jonel Perlea had become partially paralyzed from a stroke, and was forced to conduct with his left hand. The main reason for his leaving the orchestra however was the financial situation of the Connecticut Symphony Orchestra which was then renamed Greater Bridgeport Symphony.
On July 29, 1970, Jonel Perlea died at the age of 69 in New York.
Ionel Perlea was born in Ograda on December 13th 1900, of a German mother and a Romanian father. That he was talented was already clear when he was still a young boy and was sent to Munich where he received his musical education, studying with the German pedagogue Anton Beer-Walbrunn, and at the Leipzig Conservatory of Music (Leipziger Musikhochschule) with Paul Graener and Otto Lohse, all three were strongly interested in opera. Then he worked as répétiteur in Leipzig (1922-23) and Rostock (1923-25), and made his debut as conductor in Cluj-Napoca in 1927, in Aida.
In 1934 Perlea was appointed General Manager and Musical Director of the Bucharest Opera, he gave concerts with the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra and was a professor in composition at the Royal Academy of Music of Romania. At the same time he toured Europe as a guest conductor of the major orchestras.
After World War II, he settled down at Italy's great opera house, La Scala in Milan, where he conducted a wide variety of operas. In 1949 he made a successful debut at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, conducting Wagner's 'Tristan und Isolde'. A season with the San Francisco Opera Company, several broadcasts of concerts as a guest conductor of the NBC Symphony Orchestra and the musical directorship of the 1951 Grand Opera Festival at San Antonio, Texas, followed. In 1952 he was appointed to the Manhattan School of Music.
In 1955 he made his debut as conductor of the Connecticut Symphony and two years later took up the post of principal conductor of that orchestra. He led the Connecticut Symphony for ten years. His contract was not renewed. Jonel Perlea had become partially paralyzed from a stroke, and was forced to conduct with his left hand. The main reason for his leaving the orchestra however was the financial situation of the Connecticut Symphony Orchestra which was then renamed Greater Bridgeport Symphony.
On July 29, 1970, Jonel Perlea died at the age of 69 in New York.
Sergiu Celibidache
Sergiu Celibidache (June 28, 1912 – August 14, 1996) - great Romanian conductor.
Celibidache was born in Roman, Romania. His childhood was spent in the Moldavian town of Iassy, becoming interested in musical composition at an early age. He studied Philosophy and Mathematics at the University of Bucharest. In 1936 he went to Berlin and continued his studies, largely concerning himself with wave mechanics, but also with composition studies at the Berlin Academy of Music (Hochschule für Musik). Two years later he enrolled to study conducting under Walter Gmeindl, and subsequently graduated from the Friedrich Wilhelm University with a dissertation on Josquin des Pres (a 15th-century Flemish composer whose polyphonic works had great influence on 16th-century music). At the same time the young Celibidache became attracted to Zen Buddism, an ancient Chinese (and, later, Japanese) school of thought for guidance in the way of life.
After the end of World War II, Celibidache, fresh from university, was appointed conductor pro tempore of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in 1946, filling in for Wilhelm Fürtwangler (the latter was involved in controversies during the Nazi regime, leading to his withdrawal from the appointment as conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic; his name was later cleared). When Fürtwangler resumed his post in 1948, Celibidache became co-conductor. After having rehearsed and conducted more than 400 concerts with the Berlin Philharmonic, Celibidache looked set to succeed as conductor after Fürtwangler's death; the Orchestra, to his disappointment, chose Herbert von Karajan instead.
1948 saw the debut of Sergiu Celibidache in London. Then he frequently conducted in Italy. From 1959 he was regularly invited by the Stuttgart Radio Orchestra. From 1960 to 1962 he held master courses at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena; the young conductors were extremely keen to be admitted. In 1962 he became the director of the Stockholm Radio Symphony Orchestra, which he completely rebuilt (until 1971). From 1973 to 1975 he was the primary permanent guest conductor of the French Orchestre National. In 1979 he became the general musical director of the City of Munich and artist director of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, which he made one of the best orchestras in the world. In Munich he held master courses in orchestral conducting. He regularly taught at Mainz University in Germany and in 1984 taught at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Teaching was a major focus throughout his life and his courses were frequently open to all without fee. Sergiu Celibidache also composed, but he refused to allow any performances of his compositions. Although his severe illness he didn't stop conducting until a few month before his death.
Among the many honours and awards bestowed on Celibidache are the appointment to an Honorary Professorship of the Federal Capital Berlin and the Bavarian Order of Merit. He is also an honorary citizen of his hometown Iassy and a "doctor honoris causa" of the Iassy Academy of Art. On his eightieth birthday he was awarded the Great Cross of Distinction of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany and honorary citizenship of the City of Munich. In 1970 he was awarded Denmark's Sonning Award.
Celibidache's approach to music-making is often described in terms of what he did not do instead of what he did. For example, much has been made of Celibidache's "refusal" to make recordings even though almost all of his concert activity actually was recorded with many released posthumously by major labels such as EMI and Deutsche Grammophon with consent of his family. Nevertheless, Celibidache did pay little attention to making these recordings, which he viewed merely as by-products of his orchestral concerts. Celibidache's focus was instead on creating, during each concert, the optimal conditions for a what he called a "transcendent experience". Aspects of Zen Buddhism, such as ichi-go ichi-e, were strongly influential on him. He believed that musical experiences were extremely unlikely to ensue when listening to recorded music, so he eschewed them. As a result, some of his concerts did provide audiences with exceptional and sometimes life-altering experiences, including, for example, a 1984 concert in Carnegie Hall by the Orchestra of the Curtis Institute that New York Times critic John Rockwell touted as the best of his twenty-five years of concert-going.
Eccentric and genial, difficult and stubborn, Sergiu Celibidache was the last of the 'Mad Genius Conductors'.
Celibidache was born in Roman, Romania. His childhood was spent in the Moldavian town of Iassy, becoming interested in musical composition at an early age. He studied Philosophy and Mathematics at the University of Bucharest. In 1936 he went to Berlin and continued his studies, largely concerning himself with wave mechanics, but also with composition studies at the Berlin Academy of Music (Hochschule für Musik). Two years later he enrolled to study conducting under Walter Gmeindl, and subsequently graduated from the Friedrich Wilhelm University with a dissertation on Josquin des Pres (a 15th-century Flemish composer whose polyphonic works had great influence on 16th-century music). At the same time the young Celibidache became attracted to Zen Buddism, an ancient Chinese (and, later, Japanese) school of thought for guidance in the way of life.
After the end of World War II, Celibidache, fresh from university, was appointed conductor pro tempore of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in 1946, filling in for Wilhelm Fürtwangler (the latter was involved in controversies during the Nazi regime, leading to his withdrawal from the appointment as conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic; his name was later cleared). When Fürtwangler resumed his post in 1948, Celibidache became co-conductor. After having rehearsed and conducted more than 400 concerts with the Berlin Philharmonic, Celibidache looked set to succeed as conductor after Fürtwangler's death; the Orchestra, to his disappointment, chose Herbert von Karajan instead.
1948 saw the debut of Sergiu Celibidache in London. Then he frequently conducted in Italy. From 1959 he was regularly invited by the Stuttgart Radio Orchestra. From 1960 to 1962 he held master courses at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena; the young conductors were extremely keen to be admitted. In 1962 he became the director of the Stockholm Radio Symphony Orchestra, which he completely rebuilt (until 1971). From 1973 to 1975 he was the primary permanent guest conductor of the French Orchestre National. In 1979 he became the general musical director of the City of Munich and artist director of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, which he made one of the best orchestras in the world. In Munich he held master courses in orchestral conducting. He regularly taught at Mainz University in Germany and in 1984 taught at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Teaching was a major focus throughout his life and his courses were frequently open to all without fee. Sergiu Celibidache also composed, but he refused to allow any performances of his compositions. Although his severe illness he didn't stop conducting until a few month before his death.
Among the many honours and awards bestowed on Celibidache are the appointment to an Honorary Professorship of the Federal Capital Berlin and the Bavarian Order of Merit. He is also an honorary citizen of his hometown Iassy and a "doctor honoris causa" of the Iassy Academy of Art. On his eightieth birthday he was awarded the Great Cross of Distinction of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany and honorary citizenship of the City of Munich. In 1970 he was awarded Denmark's Sonning Award.
Celibidache's approach to music-making is often described in terms of what he did not do instead of what he did. For example, much has been made of Celibidache's "refusal" to make recordings even though almost all of his concert activity actually was recorded with many released posthumously by major labels such as EMI and Deutsche Grammophon with consent of his family. Nevertheless, Celibidache did pay little attention to making these recordings, which he viewed merely as by-products of his orchestral concerts. Celibidache's focus was instead on creating, during each concert, the optimal conditions for a what he called a "transcendent experience". Aspects of Zen Buddhism, such as ichi-go ichi-e, were strongly influential on him. He believed that musical experiences were extremely unlikely to ensue when listening to recorded music, so he eschewed them. As a result, some of his concerts did provide audiences with exceptional and sometimes life-altering experiences, including, for example, a 1984 concert in Carnegie Hall by the Orchestra of the Curtis Institute that New York Times critic John Rockwell touted as the best of his twenty-five years of concert-going.
Eccentric and genial, difficult and stubborn, Sergiu Celibidache was the last of the 'Mad Genius Conductors'.
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