Role

:

Composer Conductor Performer

Country

:

Germany

Birth

:

May 28, 1903 in Berlin, Germany

Death

:

December 4, 1960 in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England

Genre

:

Concerto

 

 

Opera

 

 

Vocal

 

Walter Goehr was a German-born conductor and composer who made significant contributions to the world of classical music during the 20th century. He was born on June 28, 1903, in Berlin, Germany, to a family of musicians. His father, Walter Goehr Sr., was a well-known conductor and composer, and his mother, Alma Goehr, was a pianist. Goehr began his musical education at an early age, studying piano and composition with his father. He later studied at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik, where he was a pupil of Arnold Schoenberg. Goehr was deeply influenced by Schoenberg's atonal music, and he became one of the leading exponents of the Second Viennese School. In 1927, Goehr moved to England, where he began his career as a conductor. He quickly established himself as one of the most talented and innovative conductors of his generation, and he was soon in demand by orchestras throughout Europe. In 1932, he was appointed conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, a position he held until 1946. During his tenure with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Goehr conducted many important premieres, including the first performances of works by Benjamin Britten, William Walton, and Michael Tippett. He also conducted the first complete performance of Schoenberg's opera Moses und Aron in 1957. In addition to his work with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Goehr was also a prolific composer. He wrote music for a wide range of genres, including orchestral works, chamber music, and film scores. His most famous work is probably the ballet score for Jean Cocteau's La Belle et la Bête, which he composed in 1946. Goehr was also a respected music educator, and he taught at the Royal Academy of Music in London from 1946 until his retirement in 1973. Many of his students went on to become successful musicians in their own right, including the conductor Colin Davis and the composer Peter Maxwell Davies. Throughout his career, Goehr received many honors and awards for his contributions to classical music. In 1955, he was awarded the Order of Merit by the British government, and in 1960 he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He was also awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society in 1972. Walter Goehr died on December 4, 1960, in London, England, at the age of 57. He left behind a rich legacy of music and a reputation as one of the most important conductors and composers of the 20th century.

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