Wolfgang Sawallisch

Wolfgang Sawallisch

Wolfgang Sawallisch (born August 26, 1923) is a German conductor and pianist.

Biography

Sawallisch was born in Munich, and began his career at the opera house in Augsburg in 1947. [cite news | author=Stephen Moss | title=Old school titan | url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/friday_review/story/0,,222312,00.html | work=The Guardian | date=19 May 2000 | accessdate=2007-08-08]

In 1953 he conducted the Berlin Philharmonic, becoming the youngest person ever to do so. When he debuted at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus conducting "Tristan und Isolde" in 1957, he was the youngest conductor ever to appear there as well.

From 1960 to 1970 he was Principal Conductor of the Vienna Symphony. From 1971 to 1992, Sawallisch was Music Director of the Bavarian State Opera, and for several years from 1983, concurrently was the general manager of the company.

From 1993 to 2003 he was Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and is currently its Conductor Laureate. He is also Honorary Conductor Laureate of the NHK Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo.

After his tenure with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Sawallisch returned for guest-conducting appearances in Philadelphia and at Carnegie Hall. [cite news | author=Anthony Tommasini | title=Channeling Bruckner, Maestro Illuminates Elusive Score | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E7DB1030F936A25752C0A9629C8B63 | work=The New York Times | date=15 Jan 2004 | accessdate=2007-08-08] However, ill health related to orthostatic hypotension prevented Sawallisch from conducting in subsequent years. [cite news | author=Ben Mattison | title=Report: Wolfgang Sawallisch Has Retired | url=http://www.playbillarts.com/news/article/4251.html| work=Playbill Arts | date=31 March 2006 | accessdate=2008-01-11] In an article from "The Philadelphia Inquirer" of August 27, 2006, Sawallisch himself stated his retirement from the concert podium:

"It can happen without announcement that my blood pressure is too low. This instability gives me the necessity to finish my career after 57 years of concert and opera conducting." [Peter Dobrin, "At home with the maestro". "Philadelphia Inquirer", 27 August 2006.]

Sawallisch and his wife Mechthild were married for 46 years until her death in 1998. [cite news | author=James R. Oestreich | title=A 79-Year-Old Champion of Youth | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9403E0D6133CF937A35756C0A9659C8B63 | work=New York Times | date=4 May 2003 | accessdate=2008-01-11] They had a son, Jörg. Sawallisch is an honorary member of The Robert Schumann Society. In 2003, Sawallisch helped to establish a music school in Grassau, Bavaria, the Wolfgang Sawallisch Stiftung (Foundation).

Prominent interpretations

Sawallisch has been acclaimed as an interpreter of the music of Richard Strauss. [cite news | author=Edward Rothstein | title=A Cheery, Old-World 'Ariadne' | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CEFD6113EF934A25756C0A963958260 | work=New York Times | date=17 May 1995| accessdate=2007-08-08] [cite news | author=Anne Midgette | title=Music: A Musical Capital Looks to America | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E03E7DB1F3DF936A3575BC0A9679C8B63&sec=travel&spon=&pagewanted=all | work=New York Times | date=5 Aug 2001 | accessdate=2007-08-08] [cite news | author=Paul Horsley | title=A Hero's Tenure | url=http://www.playbillarts.com/features/article/199.html | work=Playbill Arts | date=1 April 2003 | accessdate=2008-01-11] As a pianist, he has accompanied a number of prominent singers in lieder, including Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Dame Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Dame Margaret Price. He has also been acclaimed for his interpretations of the symphonies of Anton Bruckner. [cite news | author=Anthony Tommasini | title=Channeling Bruckner, Maestro Illuminates Elusive Score | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E7DB1030F936A25752C0A9629C8B63| work=New York Times | date=15 January 2004 | accessdate=2008-01-11]

Sawallisch has also recorded, as piano accompanist, Franz Schubert's "Die Winterreise" and Robert Schumann's "Liederkreis" and other songs with Thomas Hampson. One of his most celebrated live concert appearances as a pianist was on 11 February 1994 in Philadelphia, when Sawallisch substituted for The Philadelphia Orchestra at an all-Wagner concert on the night that a severe snow storm prevented much of the orchestra from arriving at the Academy of Music. [cite news | author=Lesley Valdes and Peter Dobrin | title=Snow or no snow, the show went on | url= | work=Philadelphia Inquirer | date=13 Feb 1994 | accessdate=] [cite news | author=Tom Di Nardo | title="Bons mots" instead of notes from Maestro | url= | work=Philadelphia Daily News | date=28 Feb 1994 | accessdate=] [cite news | author=Nadine Brozan | title=Chronicle | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9905E4D81E38F936A25751C0A962958260 | work=New York Times | date=15 February 1994 | accessdate=2008-01-11]

Recording highlights

His other recordings for EMI include highly regarded issues of Richard Strauss' "Capriccio" and the four symphonies of Robert Schumann with the Dresden Staatskapelle. He made a quadrophonic stereo album (probably the only one ever made) of Mozart's The Magic Flute in 1973 for EMI, starring Peter Schreier as Tamino, Walter Berry as Papageno, Edda Moser as the Queen of the Night, Anneliese Rothenberger as Pamina, and Kurt Moll as Sarastro. Other recordings (EMI, Orfeo and Sony) include:

*Ludwig van Beethoven's nine symphonies with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam
*Johannes Brahms' "Ein Deutsches Requiem" with the Bavarian Radio Symphony and Choir
*Johannes Brahms' Symphonies Nos. 1-4 with the London Philharmonic
*Anton Bruckner' Symphonies 1, 4, 5, 6 & 9
*Antonín Dvořák's Requiem, and Stabat Mater, both w. Cz. Ph.; Symphonies Nos. 7-9 and Cello Concerto with The Philadelphia Orchestra
*Felix Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 2 with the Berlin Philharmonic and Dusseldorf Chorus
*Franz Schubert's 9 Symphonies w. Dresden Staatskapelle; Sacred Choral Works with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
*Richard Strauss' "Intermezzo", "Elektra", "Friedenstag" and "Die Frau ohne Schatten", "Arabella" with the Bavarian State Opera
*Richard Strauss' "Ein Heldenleben", "Symphonia domestica", and "Also sprach Zarathustra" with the Philadelphia Orchestra
*Richard Strauss' Horn Concertos, with Dennis Brain and the Philharmonia
*Giuseppe Verdi's "Macbeth" (live recording, Salzburg Festival)
*Richard Wagner's "Der Ring des Nibelungen", "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg", "Die Feen" with the Bavarian State Opera; "The Flying Dutchman" and "Lohengrin" (Bayreuth Festival)
*Richard Wagner's "Wesendock Lieder" with Marjana Lipovsek and The Philadelphia Orchestra

One of his final concert and recording projects in Philadelphia focused on the music of Robert Schumann. [cite news | author=Allan Kozinn | title=Back to Schumann, With Care and Passion | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A00E1DF103DF93AA25753C1A9649C8B63 | work=The New York Times | date=19 Oct 2002 | accessdate=2007-08-08]

References

External links

*allmusic|41:50874
* [http://www.soundfountain.org/rem/remsawal.html Wolfgang Sawallisch] at The Remington Site
* [http://www.sawallisch-stiftung.de/index.php?english Wolfgang Sawallisch Foundation ]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Wolfgang Sawallisch — (* 26. August 1923 in München) ist ein deutscher Dirigent und Pianist. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Leben 2 Zusammenarbeit mit den Wiener Symphonikern 3 Auszeichnungen und Ehrungen …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Wolfgang Sawallisch — (nacido el 26 de agosto de 1923), es un director de orquesta y pianista alemán. Contenido 1 Biografía 2 Interpretaciones destacadas 3 Grabaciones destacadas …   Wikipedia Español

  • Wolfgang Sawallisch — Naissance 26 août 1923 Munich,  Allemagne Activité principale Chef d orchestre pianiste Collabo …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Sawallisch — Wolfgang Sawallisch (* 26. August 1923 in München) ist ein deutscher Dirigent und Pianist. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Leben 2 Zusammenarbeit mit den Wiener Symphonikern 3 Auszeichnungen 4 …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Sawallisch — Wolfgang Sawallisch Wolfgang Sawallisch est un chef d orchestre et pianiste allemand, né le 26 août 1923 à Munich. Sommaire 1 Biographie 2 Répertoire 3 Discographie sélective …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Wolfgang — ist ein alter deutscher, männlicher Vorname. Herkunft und Bedeutung Wolfgang setzt sich zusammen aus germanisch *wulfa, Wolf, und althochdeutsch gang, Gang, Gehen[1]. Jacob Grimm versteht den Wolf hier als magisches, heiliges Tier, das den Sieg… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Wolfgang Trommer — (* 10. Juli 1927 in Wuppertal) ist ein deutscher Dirigent und Hochschullehrer. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Studienzeit 2 Theaterjahre 3 Hochschullehrer und Gastdirigent …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Wolfgang Meyer-Tormin — (* 5. Dezember 1911 in Enger/Westfalen; † 11. September 1988 in Aachen) war ein deutscher Klarinettist und Komponist. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Leben und Wirken 2 Kompositionen (Auswahl) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Wolfgang Windgassen — est un ténor allemand, né le 26 juin 1914 à Annemasse (Haute Savoie) et mort le 8 septembre 1974 à Stuttgart. Son père, Fritz Windgassen (Hambourg 1883 Murnau 1963) était un ténor réputé ; sa mère, Vali von der Osten (1882–1923) était une… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Wolfgang Windgassen — Wolfgang Windgassen, (Annemasse, Alta Saboya, Francia 26 de junio de 1914 Stuttgart, Alemania, 8 de septiembre de 1974) fue un tenor dramático alemán, conocido por sus representaciones en las óperas wagnerianas. Biografía Perteneciente a una… …   Wikipedia Español

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”