Wikipedia

Bruno Walter

Bruno Walter(bornBruno Schlesinger,September 15, 1876 – February 17, 1962) was aGerman-bornconductor,pianist, and composer. Born inBerlin,he escapedNazi Germanyin 1933, was naturalised as aFrenchcitizen in 1938, and settled in the United States in 1939. He worked closely withGustav Mahler,whose music he helped to establish in the repertory, held major positions with theLeipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra,New York Philharmonic,Concertgebouw Orchestra,Salzburg Festival,Vienna State Opera,Bavarian State Opera,Staatsoper Unter den LindenandDeutsche Oper Berlin,among others, made recordings of historical and artistic significance, and is widely considered to be one of the great conductors of the 20th century.

Bruno Walter
Walter, Vienna, 1912
Born
Bruno Schlesinger

(1876-09-15)September 15, 1876
Berlin,Kingdom of Prussia,German Empire
DiedFebruary 17, 1962(1962-02-17)(aged 85)
Beverly Hills,California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Composer,conductor,pianist

Biography

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The young Bruno Walter

Early life

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Born nearAlexanderplatzinBerlinto amiddle-classJewishfamily, he began his musical education at theStern Conservatoryat the age of eight, making his first public appearance as apianistwhen he was nine; he performed a concerto movement with theBerlin Philharmonicin 1889 and a full concerto with them in February 1890.[1]He studied composition at Stern withRobert Radecke,and remained active as a composer until about 1910 (see list of compositions below). But it was hearing a concert in 1889 by the Berlin Philharmonic led byHans von Bülow,he wrote, that "decided my future. Now I knew what I was meant for. No musical activity but that of an orchestral conductor could any longer be considered by me."[2]He made his conducting début at theCologne OperawithAlbert Lortzing'sDer Waffenschmiedin 1894. Later that year he left for theHamburg Operato work as a chorus director. There he first met and worked withGustav Mahler,whom he revered and with whose music he later became strongly identified.[3]

Conducting

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In 1896, he was appointed Kapellmeister of the Stadttheater (municipal opera) inBreslau,on the strength of a recommendation from Mahler to the theater's director, Theodor Löwe. However, Löwe required that before taking up this position the young conductor change his last name from Schlesinger—which literally meansSilesian— "because of its frequent occurrence in the capital of Silesia".[4] In a letter to his brother, paraphrased by biographers Erik Ryding and Rebecca Pechefsky, Walter said that he had "suggested several names, which Mahler wrote down and gave to Löwe, who returned the contract with the name Bruno Walter".[5]These biographers add that Walter wrote to his parents that he found that "having to change his name was 'terrible'". They report that Mahler and his sisters "pressed" Walter to make the change of name, and add that contrary to occasional unsubstantiated reports, it "is unknown" whether Löwe's stipulation had anything to do with a desire to conceal Walter's Jewish origins.[5]

In 1897, Walter became Chief Conductor at the municipal opera in Pressburg (nowBratislava). He found the town provincial and depressing, and in 1898 took the position of Chief Conductor of theRiga Opera,Russian Empire.While there, he converted to Christianity, probably Roman Catholicism.[6]In 1899 Walter was appointed music director of the Temeswar, Austria-Hungary (now Timișoara, Romania) Opera, the currentBanatul Philharmonic of Timișoara.Walter then returned in 1900 toBerlin,where he assumed the post of Royal Prussian Conductor at theStaatsoper Unter den Linden,succeedingFranz Schalk;his colleagues there includedRichard StraussandKarl Muck.While in Berlin he also conducted the premiere ofDer arme HeinrichbyHans Pfitzner,who became a lifelong friend.[citation needed]

In 1901, Walter accepted Mahler's invitation to be his assistant at the Court Opera inVienna.Walter ledVerdi'sAidaat his debut. In 1907 he was elected by theVienna Philharmonicto conduct its Nicolai Concert. In 1910, he helped Mahler select and coach solo singers for the premiere of Mahler'sSymphony No. 8.In the following years Walter's conducting reputation soared as he was invited to conduct acrossEurope—inPrague,inLondonwhere in 1910 he conductedTristan und IsoldeandEthel Smyth'sThe WreckersatCovent Garden,and inRome.When Mahler died on May 18, 1911, Walter was at his deathbed. On June 6, he wrote to his sister that he was to conduct the premiere of Mahler'sDas Lied von der Erde;[7]he did so in Munich on November 20, 1911, in the first half of an all-Mahler concert (the second half contained Mahler'sSymphony No. 2).[8]On June 26, 1912, he led theVienna Philharmonicin the world premiere of Mahler'sSymphony No. 9.[9]

Munich

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Although Walter became anAustriancitizen in 1911, he left Vienna in 1913 to become the Royal Bavarian Music Director and General Music Director of theBavarian State Operain Munich. While there, argue Erik Ryding and Rebecca Pechefsky, "Walter's contribution to the history of Wagner performance [was] more significant than many realize. TheBayreuth Festivalwas suspended after 1914 and resumed only in 1924. During those nine years, Munich was the centre of authentic Wagner performance; its Prinzregenttheather was closely patterned after the Festspielhaus in Bayreuth, and its National Theatre had seen the world premieres ofDie Meistersinger von Nürnberg,Das Rheingold,Die Walküre,andTristan und Isolde.Walter was the city's music director for most of this period, and he presided over most of the Wagnerian repertoire. "[10]

In January 1914, Walter conducted his first concert inMoscow.During theFirst World Warhe remained actively involved in conducting, giving premieres toErich Wolfgang Korngold'sViolantaandDer Ring des Polykratesas well asHans Pfitzner'sPalestrina.In 1920, he conducted the premiere ofWalter Braunfels'Die Vögel.[citation needed]

In Munich, Walter was a good friend of Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli (laterPope Pius XII).[11]Walter's close friendship withThomas Mannseems to have begun in Munich by 1914.[12]

United States

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Walter ended his Munich appointment in 1922 (being succeeded byHans Knappertsbusch) and left for New York in 1923, working with theNew York Symphony OrchestrainCarnegie Hall;he later conducted inDetroit,MinnesotaandBoston.[13]

Berlin, Leipzig, Vienna

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Back in Europe, Walter made his debuts with both theLeipzig Gewandhaus Orchestraand theRoyal Concertgebouw Orchestrain 1923, and was Music Director of theDeutsche Oper Berlin(Städtische Oper)from 1925 to 1929. He made his debut atLa Scalain 1926, and was chief conductor of the German seasons atCovent Gardenin London from 1924 to 1931.[citation needed]

Walter served as Principal Conductor of theLeipzig Gewandhaus Orchestrafrom 1929 until March 1933, when his tenure was cut short by the new Nazi government, as detailed below.

In speeches in the late 1920s, Nazi leaderAdolf Hitlerhad complained bitterly about the presence of Jewish conductors at the Berlin opera, and mentioned Walter a number of times, adding to Walter's name the words "alias Schlesinger."[14]When the Nazis took power, they undertook a systematic process of barring Jews from artistic life.[15]

Bruno Walter, 1937

As reported by biographers Erik Ryding and Rebecca Pechefsky, when Hitler became Chancellor in January 1933, Walter was conducting in New York, but the next month sailed back to Leipzig planning to conduct his previously scheduled concerts with the Gewandhaus Orchestra in March. However, Leipzig's Chief of Police informed management that he would cancel the concerts if Walter was to conduct them. Management resisted and Walter led rehearsals, but on the day that the first concert was to take place, the police, "in the name of the Saxon ministry of the interior," forbade the dress rehearsal and the concerts; Walter left Leipzig.[16]Walter was then scheduled to conduct theBerlin Philharmonicon March 20, but its management was warned byJoseph Goebbelsthat "unpleasant demonstrations" might occur at the concert, and the Propaganda Ministry clarified this by saying that there would be violence in the hall. Hearing of this, Walter chose to withdraw, saying to management, "Then I have no further business here."[16]The concert in the end was conducted byRichard Strauss.[17]Walter later wrote, "The composer ofEin Heldenleben[ "A Hero's Life" ] actually declared himself ready to conduct in place of a forcibly removed colleague. "[18]A concert that Walter was scheduled to lead in Frankfurt was also cancelled.[19]Walter left Germany and was not to conduct there again until after the war.[19]

External audio
You may listen to Bruno Walter conducting theVienna Philharmonic OrchestrainJohannes Brahms'Symphony No. 3 in F major Opus 90in 1936here on archive.org

Austria became his main center of activity for the next several years. He and his family moved to Vienna, where he regularly conducted theVienna Philharmonic—with whom he made a number of momentous recordings during this period—and at theSalzburg Festival.In 1936 he accepted an offer to be Artistic Director of theVienna State Opera,where he occupied the same office that had once been Mahler's.[20]He was also appointed Permanent Guest Conductor (eerste dirigent) of theAmsterdamConcertgebouw Orchestrafrom 1934 to 1939,[21]and made guest appearances such as in annual concerts with theNew York Philharmonicfrom 1932 to 1936. When Nazi Germany annexed Austria – theAnschluss– in 1938, Walter was in the Netherlands conducting the Concertgebouw Orchestra. His elder daughter Lotte was inViennaat the time, and was arrested by the Nazis; Walter was able to use his influence to free her. He also used his influence to find safe quarters inScandinaviafor his brother and sister during the war.[citation needed]

Walter's daughter Marguerite "Gretel" (born 1906) was murdered on August 21, 1939, by her husbandRobert Neppach,who then killed himself; his motive was jealousy over her growing relationship with the Italian bass singerEzio Pinza.[22]Walter's wife Elsa, née Korneck (born in 1871) fell into a permanent depression and died in 1945, and Walter blamed himself for the tragedy, as his daughter had met Pinza only because Walter had made special efforts to hire him to sing the role ofDon Giovanni.[citation needed]

Return to the United States

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On November 1, 1939, he set sail for theUnited States,which became his permanent home. He settled inBeverly Hills, California,where his manyexpatriateneighbors includedThomas Mann.[citation needed]

While Walter had many influences within music, in hisOf Music and Making(1957) he notes a profound influence from the philosopherRudolf Steiner.He notes, "In old age I have had the good fortune to be initiated into the world ofanthroposophyand during the past few years to make a profound study of the teachings of Rudolf Steiner. Here we see alive and in operation that deliverance of whichFriedrich Hölderlinspeaks; its blessing has flowed over me, and so this book is the confession of belief in anthroposophy. There is no part of my inward life that has not had new light shed upon it, or been stimulated, by the lofty teachings of Rudolf Steiner... I am profoundly grateful for having been so boundlessly enriched... It is glorious to become a learner again at my time of life. I have a sense of the rejuvenation of my whole being which gives strength and renewal to my musicianship, even to my music-making. "[23]

External audio
You may listen to Bruno Walter conducting theNew York Philharmonicin:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart'sSymphony No. 40 in G minor
Richard Strauss' tone poemDon Juan in E major, Op. 20
with commentary in 1953here on archive.org

During his years in the United States, Walter worked with many famous American orchestras. In December 1942, he was offered the music directorship of theNew York Philharmonic,but declined, citing his age;[24]then in February 1947, after the resignation ofArtur Rodzinski,he accepted the position but changed the title to "Music Adviser" (he resigned in 1949). Among other orchestras he worked with were theChicago Symphony Orchestra,theLos Angeles Philharmonic,theNBC Symphony Orchestra,and thePhiladelphia Orchestra.From 1946 onwards, he made numerous trips back to Europe, becoming an important musical figure in the early years of theEdinburgh Festivaland inSalzburg,Vienna and Munich. He also coached & accompanied Kathleen Ferrier in London throughout the post war period until her premature death in 1953 & was an ardent fan of her singing. In September 1950 he returned to Berlin for the first time since the aborted concert of 1933; he conducted the Berlin Philharmonic in a program of Beethoven, Mozart, Richard Strauss, and Brahms, and "gave a lecture for the students of the Municipal Conservatory – formerly his old school, the Stern Conservatory – at the students' request".[25]His late life was marked by stereo recordings with theColumbia Symphony Orchestra,an ensemble of professional musicians assembled byColumbia Recordsfor recordings. He made his last live concert appearance on December 4, 1960, with theLos Angeles Philharmonicand pianistVan Cliburn.His last recording was a series ofMozartovertures with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra at the end of March in 1961.[citation needed]

Death

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The family grave in 1998.

Bruno Walter died of aheart attackin his Beverly Hills home in 1962.[26]His final resting place is in the cemetery ofGentilinonearLuganoin theCanton of Ticino,Switzerland,in the same grave where his wife and their daughter Gretel had already been buried. Their daughter Lotte (1903–1970) was buried there as well.

Work

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Recordings

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Caricature of Walter conducting
External audio
You may listen to Bruno Walter performingWolfgang Amadeus Mozart'sPiano Concerto No. 20 in D minor K.466with theVienna Philharmonic Orchestrain 1937here on archive.org

Walter's work is documented on hundreds of recordings made between 1900 (when he was 24) and 1961. Most listeners became familiar with him through the stereo recordings made in his last few years, when his health was declining. Some critics have suggested that these recordings do not fully convey what Walter's art must have sounded like in its prime. The late recordings are said to have a geniality that contrasts with the energetic, intense and mercurial performances of earlier decades. Furthermore, Walter's late recordings focus mostly on older compositions, whereas in his youth he often conducted what was then considered newer music.[citation needed]

Walter worked closely withMahleras an assistant and protégé. Mahler did not live to perform hisDas Lied von der ErdeorSymphony No. 9,but his widow,Alma Mahler,asked Walter to premiere both. Walter led the first performance ofDas Liedin 1911 in Munich and of the Ninth in 1912 in Vienna with the Vienna Philharmonic. Decades later, Walter and the Vienna Philharmonic (with Mahler's brother-in-lawArnold Roséstill a concertmaster) made the first recordings ofDas Lied von der Erdein 1936 and of the Ninth Symphony in 1938. Both were recorded live in concert, the latter only two months before the NaziAnschlussdrove Walter (and Rosé) into exile.[citation needed]

These recordings are of special interest for the performance practices of the orchestra and also for intensity of expression. Walter was to re-record both works successfully in later decades. His famousDeccaDas Lied von der ErdewithKathleen Ferrier,Julius Patzakand theVienna Philharmonicwas made in May 1952, and he recorded it again in stereo, with the New York Philharmonic, in 1960. He conducted the New York Philharmonic in the 1957 stereo recording of the Second Symphony. He recorded the Ninth in stereo in 1961. These recordings, as well as his other American recordings, were released initially byColumbia Recordsand later on CD bySony.[citation needed]

Since Mahler himself never conducted the Ninth Symphony andDas Lied von der Erde,Walter's performances cannot be taken as documentations of Mahler's interpretations. However, in the light of Walter's personal connection with the composer and his having given the original performances, they have another kind of primary authenticity. In his other (greatly esteemed) recordings of Mahler—various songs and the First, Second, Fourth, and Fifth Symphonies—there is the great added interest that he had heard Mahler's own performances of most of them.[citation needed]

Walter made many highly acclaimed recordings of other great Germanic composers, such asMozart,Haydn,Beethoven,Schubert,Johannes Brahms,Johann Strauss Jr., andAnton Bruckner,as well as ofBach,Wagner,Schumann,Dvorak,Richard Strauss,Tchaikovsky,Smetana,and others. Walter was a leading conductor of opera, and recordings of Mozart'sDon GiovanniandThe Marriage of Figarofrom both theMetropolitan Operaand the Salzburg Festival, of Beethoven'sFidelio,and of Wagner and Verdi are now available on CD. Also of great interest are recordings from the 1950s of his rehearsals of Mozart, Mahler and Brahms, which give insight into his musical priorities and into the warm and non-tyrannical manner—as contrasted with some of his colleagues—with which he related to orchestras.[citation needed]

Compositions

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Walter composed actively until at least 1910. As detailed in the biography by Erik Ryding and Rebecca Pechefsky,[27]his compositions include:

  • Symphony No. 1 in D minor (composed circa 1907; premiered in Vienna, 1909; recorded by CPO #777 163–2, 2007)
  • Symphony No. 2 in E (composed circa 1910)
  • Symphonic Fantasia (composed 1904; premiered by Richard Strauss in 1904)
  • String Quartet in D major (1903; premiered in Vienna by theRose Quartet)
  • Piano Quintet (premiered in 1905 in Vienna by theRose Quartet)
  • Piano Trio (premiered in 1906 in Vienna by Walter and members of theRose Quartet)
  • Sonata for Violin and Piano in A (circa 1908; premiered by Walter and Rose in Vienna in February 1909; recorded VAI vaia #1155, 1997)
  • Incidental music for "King Oedipus" (1910. The production was an adaptation of the Sophocles play byHugo von Hofmannsthal.It was directed byMax Reinhardt,and premiered in September 1910 in Munich, followed by performances in Berlin, Cologne, and Vienna.
  • Numerous songs
  • Choral Works

Written works

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  • Gustav Mahler's III. Symphonie.In:Der Merker1 (1909), 9–11
  • Mahlers Weg: ein Erinnerungsblatt.In:Der Merker3 (1912), 166–171
  • Über Ethel Smyth: ein Brief von Bruno Walter.In:Der Merker3 (1912), 897–898
  • Kunst und Öffentlichkeit.In:Süddeutsche Monatshefte(Oktober 1916), 95–110
  • Beethovens Missa solemnis.In:Münchner Neueste Nachrichten(30. Oct. 1920), Beethoven suppl., 3–5
  • Von den moralischen Kräften der Musik.Vienna 1935
  • Gustav Mahler.Wien 1936
  • Bruckner and Mahler.In:Chord and Discord2/2 (1940), 3–12
  • Thema und Variationen – Erinnerungen und Gedanken.Stockholm 1947
  • Von der Musik und vom Musizieren.Frankfurt 1957
  • Mein Weg zur Anthroposophie.In:Das Goetheanum52 (1961), 418–21
  • Briefe 1894–1962.Hg. L.W. Lindt, Frankfurt a.M. 1969

Notable recordings

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References

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  1. ^Holden (2005),p. 146
  2. ^Walter & Galston (1946),p. 39
  3. ^Andreas Kluge, liner notes for Bruno Walter's recording ofMahler's Symphonies No. 1 & No.2andLieder eines Fahrenden Gesellenfor Sony Classical, 1994.
  4. ^Walter & Galston (1946),p. 89
  5. ^abRyding & Pechefsky (2001),pp. 21–22
  6. ^Ryding & Pechefsky (2001),pp. 28–30: the authors consider it "almost certain" that the denomination he chose was Roman Catholicism, in that Walter is buried in a Catholic cemetery in Italy
  7. ^Ryding & Pechefsky (2001),p. 90
  8. ^Ryding, Erik and Rebecca Pechefsky, "Gustav Mahler and Bruno Walter: A Musical Friendship," Andante CD 4973, p. 31
  9. ^Fischer (2011),p. 611
  10. ^Erik Ryding and Rebecca Pechefsky, "Bruno Walter – Energy and Grace," notes to EMI'sGreat Conductors of the 20th CenturyBruno Walter release, EMI 5 75133, p. 10
  11. ^Dalin (2005),p. 50
  12. ^Ryding & Pechefsky (2001),p. 125
  13. ^"Bruno Walter (1876–1962)".Mahler Foundation.January 6, 2015.RetrievedMarch 23,2021.
  14. ^Ross (2007),p. 343
  15. ^Friedländer (1997),pp. 9–14
  16. ^abRyding & Pechefsky (2001),pp. 220–221
  17. ^Ryding & Pechefsky (2001),pp. 221–222
  18. ^Ryding & Pechefsky (2001),p. 224, quoting Walter's 1946 autobiographyTheme and Variations.
  19. ^abRyding & Pechefsky (2001),p. 224
  20. ^Ryding & Pechefsky (2001),p. 248
  21. ^Johan Giskes, "Anthology of the Royal Concertgebouw 1935–1950," p. 7, Radio Nederlands CD 97017
  22. ^Ryding & Pechefsky (2001),p. 267
  23. ^Hemleben (2000),p. 198
  24. ^Ryding & Pechefsky (2001),p. 283
  25. ^Ryding & Pechefsky (2001),p. 339
  26. ^"Bruno Walter".IMDb.RetrievedJanuary 22,2019.
  27. ^Ryding & Pechefsky (2001)

Bibliography

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