Role

:

Composer Conductor Performer

Country

:

Germany

Birth

:

May 5, 1900 in Berlin, Germany

Death

:

May 28, 1973 in Holstein, Germany

Period

:

Classical

 

 

Romantic

Genre

:

Concerto

 

 

Opera

 

Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt was a renowned German conductor and composer who made significant contributions to the world of classical music. He was born on May 5, 1900, in Berlin, Germany, to a family of musicians. His father was a cellist, and his mother was a pianist. From a young age, Hans showed a keen interest in music and began studying the piano and violin. In 1918, Hans enrolled at the Berlin Conservatory, where he studied composition and conducting. He also took private lessons with the renowned conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler. After completing his studies, Hans began his career as a conductor, working with various orchestras in Germany. In 1929, Hans was appointed as the conductor of the Berlin State Opera, where he remained until 1933. During his tenure, he conducted numerous performances of operas by Mozart, Wagner, and Verdi, among others. He also conducted the premiere of Kurt Weill's "The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny." In 1933, Hans was forced to leave Germany due to the rise of the Nazi regime. He moved to Denmark, where he worked as a conductor for the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra. In 1937, he was appointed as the conductor of the Hamburg State Opera, where he remained until 1943. During World War II, Hans was drafted into the German army and served as a soldier on the Eastern Front. After the war, he was imprisoned by the British for several months before being released. He then returned to Hamburg and resumed his career as a conductor. In 1949, Hans was appointed as the principal conductor of the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra in Hamburg, a position he held until 1961. During his tenure, he conducted numerous performances of works by Beethoven, Brahms, and Bruckner, among others. He also conducted the premiere of Hans Werner Henze's "Symphony No. 1." In addition to his work in Hamburg, Hans also conducted orchestras in other parts of Europe and the United States. He made his debut with the New York Philharmonic in 1953 and went on to conduct the orchestra several times over the next few years. Hans was known for his precise and disciplined conducting style, as well as his ability to bring out the best in the musicians he worked with. He was also a respected composer, although his compositions are not as well-known as his conducting work. Throughout his career, Hans received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to classical music. In 1955, he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. He was also awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog by the Danish government in 1959. Hans continued to conduct and compose music until his death on May 28, 1973, in Hamburg, Germany. He left behind a legacy as one of the most respected and influential conductors of the 20th century.

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