1889–1983 English conductor Boult studied under Nikisch at the Leipzig Conservatory before joining the music staff at Covent Garden in 1914. In 1918 he conducted the first performance of Holst’s The Planets, soon becoming known as a champion of contemporary English music. He was musical director of the newly formed BBC Symphony Orchestra 1930–50 and of the London Philharmonic Orchestra 1951–58. He enjoyed an Indian summer of recordings in the 1970s. Introduction | ...
b. 1959 English conductor and pianist Born in England to Italian parents, he studied in the US, working as assistant conductor at the New York City Opera and in Europe (including at Bayreuth). While music director of Norwegian Opera 1990–92 and La Monnaie, Brussels 1992–2002 he made distinguished debuts at Berlin, Vienna and the Met. He was appointed music director of Covent Garden from 2002. While excelling in the Italian operatic repertory ...
1925–2010 Australian conductor Mackerras began his career as an oboist in Australia before coming to Europe to study conducting. In Prague he became interested in Czech music, particularly Janáček, whose operas he championed through definitive recordings and performing editions. He was music director of Sadler’s Wells (later English National) Opera 1970–77, Welsh National Opera 1987–92, and later principal guest conductor of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra 1992–95, the Royal Philharmonic (1993–96), the San ...
1927–2013 English conductor Davis came to public notice as the conductor of early performances by the Chelsea Opera Group. He made his debut at Sadler’s Wells Opera in 1958, and was music director 1961–65. He was principal conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra 1967–71, music director of the Royal Opera 1971–86 and of the Bavarian State Radio Orchestra 1983–92, and principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra 1995–2005. He was particularly associated ...
1912–97 British conductor Solti joined the Budapest Opera as a répétiteur (coach), and assisted Arturo Toscanini (1867–1957) at the 1936 and 1937 Salzburg Festivals. After spending the war years in Switzerland, he was music director at the Bavarian State Opera 1946–52, in Frankfurt 1952–61, and at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden 1961–71. He was also music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra 1969–90, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra 1977–83. He made many ...
1869–1944 English conductor After studying at the Royal Academy of Music and working with opera companies, Wood established the Queen’s Hall Promenade Concerts in 1895. These concerts, now held at the Royal Albert Hall, have become an enduring British tradition. He was noted for his adventurous choice of repertory and his professionalism. Introduction | Modern Era | Classical Personalities | Claudio Abbado | Contemporary | Classical ...
1899–1970 English conductor Born in London to an Italian musical family, Barbirolli made his debut as a cellist at the age of 17 before pursuing a career conducting. In the 1920s and 30s he conducted the British National Opera Company, the Covent Garden Opera Company and the Scottish Orchestra. He succeeded Toscanini as permanent conductor of the New York Philharmonic in 1937. In 1943 he became permanent conductor of the Hallé Orchestra ...
b. 1943 English conductor Gardiner founded the Monteverdi Choir in 1964 and the Monteverdi Orchestra in 1968, when he conducted the Monteverdi Vespers at the Promenade Concerts in London. He was artistic director of the Göttingen Handel Festival 1981–90 and music director of the Lyons Opera 1983–88. He has given many performances of French Baroque opera, including the first staging of Rameau’s Les Boréades (‘The Sons of Boreas’, Aix-en-Provence, 1982). He founded ...
b. 1955 English conductor Rattle won the John Player International Conductors’ Competition in 1974. After posts with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, he was principal conductor and music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, 1980–97. In 1999 he was appointed Abbado’s successor, from 2002, at the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. He has conducted the London Sinfonietta, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the ...
1879–1961 English conductor Beecham conducted the operas of Richard Strauss at Covent Garden before World War I, and advocated the works of Delius. He founded the London Philharmonic Orchestra in 1932 and the Royal Philharmonic in 1946. His conducting was admired for its rhythmic liveliness and elegant phrasing. Introduction | Modern Era | Classical Personalities | Karl Böhm | Modern Era | Classical ...
b. 1930 American conductor, pianist and composer Previn’s family fled Germany in 1938, settling finally in Los Angeles, where he began parallel careers as an orchestrator and conductor at MGM (he went on to win four Academy awards for film music) and a jazz pianist. His classical conducting debut in 1962 led to numerous international engagements before his appointment as principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra (1968–79). He gained a high ...
1855–1922 Hungarian conductor Principal conductor at the Leipzig Opera in 1879, Nikisch became conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra 10 years later, and conductor of both the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra from 1895 until his death. He performed the works of many contemporary composers, including Bruckner, Tchaikovsky, Mahler and Strauss. Introduction | Modern Era | Classical Personalities | Eugene Ormandy | Modern Era | Classical ...
1867–1957 Italian conductor Trained as a cellist, Toscanini was artistic director of La Scala, Milan 1898–1903, 1906–08 and 1920–29, and of the Metropolitan Opera, New York 1908–15. A strict disciplinarian, he inspired devotion for his artistic integrity, his respect for the composer’s intentions and the electricity of his performances. He conducted the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in the 1920s and 30s; the NBC Symphony Orchestra was formed for him and he led ...
b. 1929 Dutch conductor Haitink studied with Felix Hupka and Ferdinand Leitner, who gave him a post as second conductor at the Netherlands Radio Union. He became principal conductor of the Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1961 (shared intitially with Eugen Jochum), and of the London Philharmonic Orchestra 1967–79. He was music director at Glyndebourne 1977–88, and at Covent Garden Opera 1987–2002, then principal conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden 2002–04 and the Chicago Symphony ...
1876–1962 German conductor After conducting at the Vienna Court Opera, Walter was music director at the Munich Opera 1913–22, and at the Städtische Oper, Berlin 1925–29. He worked at the Vienna Opera in the 1930s, but left Austria after the Anschlüss and settled in the US. He conducted regularly at Covent Garden 1924–31, and at the Metropolitan Opera 1941–57. He was noted for the intense expressiveness of his performances. Introduction | Modern Era ...
AUTHORITATIVE
An extensive music information resource, bringing together the talents and expertise of a wide range of editors and musicologists, including Stanley Sadie, Charles Wilson, Paul Du Noyer, Tony Byworth, Bob Allen, Howard Mandel, Cliff Douse, William Schafer, John Wilson...
CURATED
Classical, Rock, Blues, Jazz, Country and more. Flame Tree has been making encyclopaedias and guides about music for over 20 years. Now Flame Tree Pro brings together a huge canon of carefully curated information on genres, styles, artists and instruments. It's a perfect tool for study, and entertaining too, a great companion to our music books.
David Bowie
Fantastic new, unofficial biography covers
his life, music, art and movies, with a
sweep of incredible photographs.