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Sir Georg Solti, KBE (English pronunciation: /ˈdʒɔː(r)dʒ ˈʃɒlti/[1]; 21 October 1912 – 5 September 1997) was a 31-time Grammy Award winning, world-renowned Hungarian-British orchestral and operatic conductor. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Events 1512 - Martin Luther joins the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg. Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting Events 1590 - Alexander Farnese 's army forces Henry IV of France to raise the siege of Paris. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Conducting is the act of directing a Musical performance by way of visible gestures

Contents

Early career

Solti was born György Stern in Budapest, where he learned the piano and studied at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music. Budapest ( also /ˈbʊ-/) is the capital city of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary it serves as the country's principal Political, The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers The Franz Liszt Academy of Music ( Hungarian: Liszt Ferenc Zeneművészeti Egyetem, often abbreviated as Zeneakadémia, "Music Academy" is [2] His father Germanized young György's given name to Georg and changed his family name to Solti, to shield his son from anti-semitism. By 1935, he was gaining recognition as a conductor, and made his debut at the Budapest Opera in 1938 with The Marriage of Figaro. Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The building of the Hungarian State Opera House (Magyar Állami Operaház is a splendid example of Neo-Renaissance architecture Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Le nozze di Figaro ossia la folle giornata (Trans The Marriage of Figaro or the Day of Madness) K In 1939, with German invasion imminent, he fled Hungary because of his Jewish ancestry, and moved to Switzerland, where he continued a career as a pianist but had limited opportunities to develop his conducting. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation

After the war, Solti was music director of the Bavarian State Orchestra in Munich and the Frankfurt Opera. The title of music director or musical director is used by many Symphony orchestras to designate the primary conductor and artistic leader of the orchestra The Bayerisches Staatsorchester ( Bavarian State Orchestra) is the orchestra of the Bavarian State Opera. Munich (München; Minga is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. The Opern- und Schauspielhaus Frankfurt ( Frankfurt Opera House) is an important European opera house the home of Oper Frankfurt (the Frankfurt Opera a leading In 1951, he made his debut at the Salzburg Festival conducting Mozart's Idomeneo. Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January The Salzburg Festival (Salzburger Festspiele is a prominent festival of Music and Drama. Idomeneo re di Creta ossia Ilia e Idamante ( Italian: Idomeneo King of Crete or Ilia and Idamante; usually referred to simply as Idomeneo

In 1960, Solti signed a three-year contract (effective in 1962) to be music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic , having guest conducted the orchestra in winter concerts in downtown Los Angeles, during the summer at the Hollywood Bowl[3], and in other Southern California concerts[4]. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil LAP or LAPO is an American Orchestra based in Los Angeles, California, United States The Hollywood Bowl is a famous modern Amphitheatre in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles California, USA, that is used primarily for music Performances The orchestra had hoped that Solti would lead the orchestra when it moved into its new home at the still-to-be-completed Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, and he even began to appoint musicians to the orchestra. The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is one of the halls in the Los Angeles Music Center (which is one of the three largest performing arts centers in the United States However, Solti abruptly resigned the position in 1961 without officially taking the post after learning that the Philharmonic board of directors failed to consult him before naming then 26 year-old Zubin Mehta to be assistant conductor of the orchestra. Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> Zubin Mehta (born April 29 1936 is an Indian conductor [5] Mehta was subsequently named as music director in Solti's place.

In 1961, Solti became music director at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, serving in that capacity until 1971. WikipediaWikiProject Opera --> The Royal Opera House is an Opera house and major performing Covent Garden (Pronunciation kɒvʌnt is a district in London, England, located on the easternmost parts of the City of Westminster and the southwest Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. There, Solti's bald head and demanding rehearsal style earned him the nickname, The Screaming Skull (after the film of the same name). For the nickname of the conductor see Georg Solti The Screaming Skull ( 1958) is a horror Film directed [6]. He thereafter spent much of his time in Britain and the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

His first marriage to Hedi Oechsli, in 1946, ended in divorce. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. [7] His second marriage was to Valerie Pitts, a British television presenter whom he met when she was sent to interview him. Valerie Pitts Lady Solti, is the widow of Sir Georg Solti. She was one of the BBC 's original team of Television presenters during the 1950s A presenter, or host (sometimes hostess, in feminine form is a Person or Organization responsible for running an event They had two daughters, Gabrielle and Claudia. In 1972, he was naturalised as a United Kingdom citizen. Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. British nationality law is the law of the United Kingdom concerning Citizenship and other categories of British Nationality. He had been awarded an honorary Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1971, and was known as Sir Georg Solti after his naturalisation. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar.

Solti was a great supporter and mentor to many young musicians, including the Hungarian soprano Sylvia Sass, with whom he recorded Mozart's "Don Giovanni" and Bartok's "Bluebeard's Castle. Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Sylvia Sass ( July 12, 1951) is an acclaimed Hungarian Operatic Soprano, particularly associated with Verdi roles Don Giovanni ( K527; complete title Il dissoluto punito ossia il Don Giovanni, literally "The Rake Punish'd or Don Giovanni Duke Bluebeard's Castle (A kékszakállú herceg vára literally The Castle of the Blue-Bearded Prince) is a one-act opera by Hungarian composer " In addition, in 1994, Solti directed the "Solti Orchestral Project" at Carnegie Hall, a training workshop for young American musicians. Carnegie Hall (generally ˌkɑrnɨgi ˈhɔːl is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east [8][9]

Chicago Symphony

Solti was music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) from 1969 until 1991, when he was made the first and only Music Director Laureate in that orchestra's history. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra ( CSO) is an American orchestra based in Chicago Illinois. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Before Solti took over as the CSO's music director, CSO violinist Victor Aitay described Solti's work style as follows:

"Usually conductors are relaxed at rehearsals and tense at the concerts. Solti is the reverse. He is very tense at rehearsals, which makes us concentrate, but relaxed during the performance, which is a great asset to the orchestra. "[10]

In total, Solti conducted 999 performances with the CSO. His 1000th performance was scheduled to be in October 1997, around the time of his 85th birthday. The City of Chicago renamed the block of East Adams Street adjacent to Symphony Center as "Sir Georg Solti Place" in his memory.

Solti consolidated the reputation of the CSO as one of the great orchestras of the world, while reiteratively reminding everyone how much he owed to the pioneering work of Fritz Reiner, who never toured the orchestra abroad. WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> Frederick Martin “Fritz” Reiner ( December 19, 1888 Solti took the CSO on its first tour to Europe in 1971. [11] Solti's recordings with the CSO included the complete symphonies of Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Anton Bruckner, and Gustav Mahler. Ludwig van Beethoven ( English ˈlʊdvɪg væn ˈbeɪtoʊvən, 16 December 1770 &ndash 26 March 1827 was a German Composer and Pianist. Johannes Brahms ( pronounced ˈbʁaːms (May 7 1833 &ndash April 3 1897 was a German Composer Anton Bruckner (4 September 1824 &ndash 11 October 1896 was an Austrian composer known primarily for his symphonies, masses, and Motets Solti recorded complete operas with the CSO as well, including:

Recordings

Solti was as enthusiastic making music in the recording studio as in the opera house or concert hall. Arnold Schoenberg ( pronounced ˈʃøːnbɛrk (13 September 1874 &ndash 13 July 1951 was an Austrian and later American Composer, associated with Carnegie Hall (generally ˌkɑrnɨgi ˈhɔːl is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east He developed a long and productive partnership with the legendary producer John Culshaw at Decca. John Royds Culshaw ( May 28, 1924 - April 27, 1980) was a pioneering English classical Record producer Decca Records is a British Record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Products of this partnership included the first ever complete studio recording of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen with the Vienna Philharmonic (VPO). Der Ring des Nibelungen ( The Ring of the Nibelung) is a cycle of four epic Music dramas by the German composer The Vienna Philharmonic (in German: die Wiener Philharmoniker) is an Orchestra in Austria, regularly considered one of the finest in the No less distinguished and equally groundbreaking were his studio recordings of the operas of Richard Strauss, which, like his Wagner recordings, have been remastered and released on CD where they are still praised for their musicianship and expert production values. Richard Georg Strauss (11 June 1864 &ndash 8 September 1949 was a German Composer of the late Romantic era and early modern era particularly noted A Compact Disc (also known as a CD) is an Optical disc used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio [15] His performances and recordings of works by Giuseppe Verdi, Gustav Mahler and Béla Bartók were also widely admired. Béla Viktor János Bartók (March 25 1881&ndashSeptember 26 1945 was a Hungarian Composer and Pianist, considered to be one of the greatest In addition to his recordings with the CSO, Solti recorded other repertoire with orchestras such as the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Vienna Philharmonic, such as the two symphonies of Edward Elgar, selected symphonies of Tchaikovsky, William Walton's Belshazzar's Feast, Michael Tippett's Symphony No. The London Philharmonic Orchestra ( LPO) based in London, is one of the major Orchestras of the United Kingdom, and is based in the Royal The Vienna Philharmonic (in German: die Wiener Philharmoniker) is an Orchestra in Austria, regularly considered one of the finest in the Sir William Turner Walton, OM ( March 29, 1902 &ndash March 8, 1983) was a British Composer and Sir Michael Kemp Tippett, OM (2 January 1905 &ndash 8 January 1998 was one of the foremost English Composers of the 20th century 4 and Byzantium, and the Da Ponte/Mozart operas.

In addition, Solti collaborated with Dudley Moore to create a 1991 television series, Orchestra!, which was designed to introduce audiences to the symphony orchestra. Dudley Stuart John Moore, CBE (19 April 1935 &ndash 27 March 2002 was an English Actor, Comedian and Musician. Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic

Later career

In addition to his tenure in Chicago, Solti was music director of the Orchestre de Paris from 1972 until 1975. The Orchestre de Paris is a French Orchestra founded in 1967 based in Paris, whose current music director is Christoph Eschenbach. Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. From 1979 until 1983, he was principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) The London Philharmonic Orchestra ( LPO) based in London, is one of the major Orchestras of the United Kingdom, and is based in the Royal During this time with the London Philharmonic he performed and recorded many works by Elgar including the two symphonies, the Violin Concerto with Kyung Wha Chung and the Cello Concerto with Julian Lloyd Webber. Julian Lloyd Webber (born April 14 1951) is one of the world's most renowned solo cellists For the 50th anniversary of the United Nations, Solti formed the World Orchestra for Peace, which consisted of musicians from 47 orchestras around the world. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security

Solti continued to add new works to his repertoire in the latter days of his career, voicing particular enthusiasm for the music of Dmitri Shostakovich, whom he admitted he failed to appreciate fully during the composer's lifetime. Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich ( Russian: ru Дмитрий Дмитриевич Шостакович ( &ndash 9 August 1975 was a Russian Composer His commercial recordings of Shostakovich symphonies included Nos. 1 (Concertgebouw Orchestra), 5 (VPO), 8, 10, 13 and 15 (all CSO). The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (In Dutch: Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest) is the best-known and most respected Symphony orchestra of the

Solti never truly retired, and his sudden death in 1997 meant several years of planned performances and recording projects would never be realized. According to his last wish, Solti rests in Hungarian soil. After a state funeral, he was placed beside the remains of Bartók: his one-time tutor and mentor. After Solti's death, his widow and daughters began the Solti Foundation to assist young musicians. In 2002, a website dedicated to Solti was launched, under the instigation of Lady Solti. [16]

Solti co-wrote his memoirs with Harvey Sachs, published in the UK under the title Solti on Solti,[17], Memoirs[18] in the USA, and Emlékeim in Hungary, and the book appeared in the month after his death. Harvey Sachs, (born June 8 1946 is an American - Canadian writer who has written many books on musical subjects His life has also been documented in a film by Peter Maniura entitled Sir Georg Solti: The Making of a Maestro.

In September 2007, as a tribute on the 10th anniversary of Solti's death, a recording of his last concert was released on Decca, a performance with the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 5. The Symphony No 5 by Gustav Mahler was written in 1901 and 1902 mostly during the summer months at Mahler's cottage at Maiernigg. [19]

Awards and recognition

References

  1. ^ According to the BBC Pronouncing Dictionary of British Names, the name Georg Solti is pronounced in English as George Shollti, the Sholl- part rhyming with the word doll.
  2. ^ "Books / Livres" (June 1998). La Scena Musicale vol. 3 (no. 8).  
  3. ^ Pulcinella Suite
  4. ^ Santa Barbara Community Arts Music Association (CAMA) concert archives 1950-60
  5. ^ "Buffie & the Baton", Time, 14 April 1961. Retrieved on 2007-11-08. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration  
  6. ^ Sir Georg Solti, Conductor, Dies
  7. ^ Steven Rubin. "Solti? That's How You Spell Chicago", New York Times, 25 April 1971. Retrieved on 2007-08-04. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans.  
  8. ^ Bernard Holland. "Georg Solti, Teacher, Leads Carnegie's Orchestral Workshop", New York Times, 15 June 1994. Retrieved on 2007-08-04. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans.  
  9. ^ James R. Oestreich. "Master and Pupils Mesh As Solti Project Concludes", New York Times, 24 June 1994. Retrieved on 2007-08-04. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans.  
  10. ^ "Into the Fray", Time, 11 April 1969. Retrieved on 2007-09-07. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1251 BC - A Solar eclipse on this date might mark the birth of legendary Heracles at Thebes Greece.  
  11. ^ John von Rhein. "10 years after Solti's death, impact still felt at CSO", Chicago Tribune, 2 September 2007. Retrieved on 2007-09-04. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 476 - Romulus Augustus, last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, is deposed when Odoacer proclaims himself  
  12. ^ Donal Henehan. "Pavarotti, Struggling With a Cold And a Handkerchief, as Otello", New York Times, 18 April 1991. Retrieved on 2007-08-04. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans.  
  13. ^ James R. Oestreich. "2-Day 'Meistersinger' By Chicago Symphony", New York Times, 26 Sep 1995. Retrieved on 2007-08-04. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans.  
  14. ^ Anthony Tommasini. "Two Proven Wagnerians Who Are Still Evolving", New York Times, 13 Jan 1997. Retrieved on 2007-08-04. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans.  
  15. ^ Andrew Clements. "By Georg...", The Guardian, 15 Jan 1999. Retrieved on 2007-08-04. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans.  
  16. ^ Martin Cullingford. "New Solti website explores conductor's craft", Gramophone, 18 Oct 2002. Retrieved on 2007-08-04. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans.  
  17. ^ Solti, Georg; Sachs, Harvey (1997). Solti on Solti. London: Chatto & Windus. ISBN 0701166304.  
  18. ^ Solti, Georg; Sachs, Harvey (1997). Memoirs. New York: Alfred Knopf. ISBN 067944596X.  
  19. ^ Andrew Clements. "Mahler: Symphony No 5, Zurich Tonhalle Orch/ Solti", The Guardian, 31 August 2007. Retrieved on 2007-09-04. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 476 - Romulus Augustus, last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, is deposed when Odoacer proclaims himself  

External links

Preceded by
Paul Kletzki		 Music Director, Dallas Symphony Orchestra
1961-1962		 Succeeded by
Donald Johanos
Preceded by
Rafael Kubelík		 Music Director, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
1961-1971		 Succeeded by
Colin Davis
Preceded by
Irwin Hoffman (acting)		 Music Director, Chicago Symphony Orchestra
1969-1991 (Music Director Laureate as of 1991)		 Succeeded by
Daniel Barenboim
allmusic (previously All Music Guide) is a Metadata database about music owned by All Media Guide. Paul Kletzki ( 21 March 1900 &ndash 5 March 1973) was a Polish conductor and composer The Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO is an American Orchestra. It performs its concerts in the Meyerson Symphony Center in the Arts District of Donald George Johanos ( February 10, 1928 &ndash May 29, 2007) was a conductor and music director with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> Rafael Jeroným Kubelík ( June 29 1914 &ndash WikipediaWikiProject Opera --> The Royal Opera House is an Opera house and major performing For the former Formula One driver see Colin Davis (driver WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes Irwin Hoffman (born 26 November 1924) is an American conductor, born in New York. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra ( CSO) is an American orchestra based in Chicago Illinois. Daniel Barenboim (born November 15, 1942) is a pianist and conductor.
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