Role

:

Conductor

Birth

:

May 6, 1898 in Kiev, Ukraine

Death

:

April 2, 1973 in London, England

Period

:

Romantic

Genre

:

Symphony

 

Jascha Horenstein was a renowned conductor and musician who was born on May 6, 1898, in Kiev, Ukraine. He was born into a family of musicians, and his father was a well-known violinist. Horenstein showed an early interest in music and began studying the violin at the age of six. However, he soon switched to the piano and began taking lessons from his mother. In 1913, Horenstein moved to Vienna to study music at the Vienna Conservatory. He studied piano, composition, and conducting, and his teachers included Franz Schreker and Arnold Schoenberg. Horenstein was a talented student, and he quickly gained a reputation as a gifted conductor. In 1919, he made his conducting debut with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and he soon became a regular guest conductor with the orchestra. In the 1920s, Horenstein began to establish himself as a conductor of contemporary music. He was a champion of the music of Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern, and he conducted the premieres of several of their works. He also conducted the premieres of works by other contemporary composers, including Bartok, Stravinsky, and Hindemith. In 1933, Horenstein was forced to leave Austria due to the rise of the Nazi party. He moved to England, where he continued to conduct and teach. He became the conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra in 1947, and he remained with the orchestra until 1951. During his time with the London Symphony Orchestra, Horenstein conducted many important performances, including the British premiere of Mahler's Symphony No. 8. Horenstein also conducted many other orchestras during his career, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, and the New York Philharmonic. He was known for his interpretations of the music of Mahler, Bruckner, and Beethoven, and he was particularly admired for his ability to bring out the emotional depth of these works. In addition to his work as a conductor, Horenstein was also a composer. He wrote several works, including a symphony, a piano concerto, and a string quartet. However, his compositions were not as well-known as his conducting, and they are rarely performed today. Horenstein received many awards and honors during his career. In 1959, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society, and in 1962, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He was also awarded honorary doctorates from several universities, including the University of Vienna and the University of Leeds. Horenstein continued to conduct and teach until his death in 1973. He was a highly respected musician and conductor, and his recordings are still highly regarded today. His legacy as a champion of contemporary music and a master interpreter of the works of Mahler, Bruckner, and Beethoven continues to inspire musicians and music lovers around the world.

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