Editing Bruno Walter (section)

== Biography ==
[[File:Bruno Walter, by Julius Schaarwächter.png|thumb|upright|The young Bruno Walter]]

=== Early life ===
Born near [[Alexanderplatz]] in [[Berlin]] to a [[middle-class]] [[Jew]]ish family, he began his musical education at the [[Stern Conservatory]] at the age of eight, making his first public appearance as a [[pianist]] when he was nine; he performed a concerto movement with the [[Berlin Philharmonic]] in 1889 and a full concerto with them in February 1890.<ref>{{harvp|Holden|2005|p=146}}</ref> He studied composition at Stern with [[Robert Radecke]], and remained active as a composer until about 1910 (see list of compositions below). But it was hearing a concert in 1889 by the Berlin Philharmonic led by [[Hans von Bülow]], he wrote, that "decided my future. Now I knew what I was meant for. No musical activity but that of an orchestral conductor could any longer be considered by me."<ref>{{harvp|Walter|Galston|1946|p=39}}</ref> He made his conducting début at the [[Cologne Opera]] with [[Albert Lortzing]]'s ''[[Der Waffenschmied]]'' in 1894. Later that year he left for the [[Hamburg State Opera|Hamburg Opera]] to work as a chorus director. There he first met and worked with [[Gustav Mahler]], whom he revered and with whose music he later became strongly identified.<ref>Andreas Kluge, liner notes for Bruno Walter's recording of ''Mahler's Symphonies No. 1 & No.2'' and ''Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen'' for Sony Classical, 1994.</ref>

=== Conducting ===
In 1896, he was appointed Kapellmeister of the Stadttheater (municipal opera) in [[Breslau]], on the strength of a recommendation from Mahler to the theater's director, Theodor Löwe. However, Löwe required that before taking up this position the young conductor change his last name from Schlesinger—which literally means [[Silesia]]n—"because of its frequent occurrence in the capital of Silesia".<ref>{{harvp|Walter|Galston|1946|p=89}}</ref>
In a letter to his brother, paraphrased by biographers Erik Ryding and Rebecca Pechefsky, Walter said that he had "suggested several names, which Mahler wrote down and gave to Löwe, who returned the contract with the name Bruno Walter".<ref name="Ryding_21_22">{{harvp|Ryding|Pechefsky|2001|pp=21–22}}</ref> These biographers add that Walter wrote to his parents that he found that "having to change his name was 'terrible'". They report that Mahler and his sisters "pressed" Walter to make the change of name, and add that contrary to occasional unsubstantiated reports, it "is unknown" whether Löwe's stipulation had anything to do with a desire to conceal Walter's Jewish origins.<ref name="Ryding_21_22"/>

In 1897, Walter became Chief Conductor at the municipal opera in Pressburg (now [[Bratislava]]). He found the town provincial and depressing, and in 1898 took the position of Chief Conductor of the [[Latvian National Opera|Riga Opera]], [[Russian Empire]]. While there, he converted to Christianity, probably Roman Catholicism.<ref>{{harvp|Ryding|Pechefsky|2001|pp=28–30}}: the authors consider it "almost certain" that the denomination he chose was Roman Catholicism, in that Walter is buried in a Catholic cemetery in Italy</ref> In 1899 Walter was appointed music director of the Temeswar, Austria-Hungary (now Timișoara, Romania) Opera, the current [[Banatul Philharmonic of Timișoara]]. Walter then returned in 1900 to [[Berlin]], where he assumed the post of Royal Prussian Conductor at the [[Staatsoper Unter den Linden]], succeeding [[Franz Schalk]]; his colleagues there included [[Richard Strauss]] and [[Karl Muck]]. While in Berlin he also conducted the premiere of ''[[Der arme Heinrich]]'' by [[Hans Pfitzner]], who became a lifelong friend.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}

In 1901, Walter accepted Mahler's invitation to be his assistant at the Court Opera in [[Vienna]]. Walter led [[Verdi]]'s ''[[Aida]]'' at his debut. In 1907 he was elected by the [[Vienna Philharmonic]] to conduct its Nicolai Concert. In 1910, he helped Mahler select and coach solo singers for the premiere of Mahler's [[Symphony No. 8 (Mahler)|Symphony No.&nbsp;8]]. In the following years Walter's conducting reputation soared as he was invited to conduct across [[Europe]]—in [[Prague]], in [[London]] where in 1910 he conducted ''[[Tristan und Isolde]]'' and [[Ethel Smyth]]'s ''The Wreckers'' at [[Royal Opera House|Covent Garden]], and in [[Rome]]. When Mahler died on May 18, 1911, Walter was at his deathbed. On June 6, he wrote to his sister that he was to conduct the premiere of Mahler's [[Das Lied von der Erde]];<ref>{{harvp|Ryding|Pechefsky|2001|p=90}}</ref> he did so in Munich on November 20, 1911, in the first half of an all-Mahler concert (the second half contained Mahler's [[Symphony No. 2 (Mahler)|Symphony No. 2]]).<ref>Ryding, Erik and Rebecca Pechefsky, "Gustav Mahler and Bruno Walter: A Musical Friendship," Andante CD 4973, p. 31</ref> On June 26, 1912, he led the [[Vienna Philharmonic]] in the world premiere of Mahler's [[Symphony No. 9 (Mahler)|Symphony No.&nbsp;9]].<ref>{{harvp|Fischer|2011|p=611}}</ref>

=== Munich ===
Although Walter became an [[Austria]]n citizen in 1911, he left Vienna in 1913 to become the Royal Bavarian Music Director and General Music Director of the [[Bavarian State Opera]] in Munich. While there, argue Erik Ryding and Rebecca Pechefsky, "Walter's contribution to the history of Wagner performance [was] more significant than many realize. The [[Bayreuth Festival]] was suspended after 1914 and resumed only in 1924. During those nine years, Munich was the centre of authentic Wagner performance; its Prinzregenttheather was closely patterned after the Festspielhaus in Bayreuth, and its National Theatre had seen the world premieres of ''[[Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg]]'', ''[[Das Rheingold]]'', ''[[Die Walküre]]'', and ''[[Tristan und Isolde]]''. Walter was the city's music director for most of this period, and he presided over most of the Wagnerian repertoire."<ref>Erik Ryding and Rebecca Pechefsky, "Bruno Walter – Energy and Grace," notes to EMI's ''Great Conductors of the 20th Century'' Bruno Walter release, EMI 5 75133, p. 10</ref>

In January 1914, Walter conducted his first concert in [[Moscow]]. During the [[World War I|First World War]] he remained actively involved in conducting, giving premieres to [[Erich Wolfgang Korngold]]'s ''[[Violanta]]'' and ''[[Der Ring des Polykrates (opera)|Der Ring des Polykrates]]'' as well as [[Hans Pfitzner]]'s ''[[Palestrina (opera)|Palestrina]]''. In 1920, he conducted the premiere of [[Walter Braunfels]]' ''[[Die Vögel (opera)|Die Vögel]]''.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}

In Munich, Walter was a good friend of Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli (later [[Pope Pius XII]]).<ref>{{harvp|Dalin|2005|p=50}}</ref> Walter's close friendship with [[Thomas Mann]] seems to have begun in Munich by 1914.<ref>{{harvp|Ryding|Pechefsky|2001|p=125}}</ref>

=== United States ===
Walter ended his Munich appointment in 1922 (being succeeded by [[Hans Knappertsbusch]]) and left for New York in 1923, working with the [[New York Symphony Orchestra]] in [[Carnegie Hall]]; he later conducted in [[Detroit]], [[Minnesota]] and [[Boston]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=January 6, 2015|title=Bruno Walter (1876–1962)|url=https://mahlerfoundation.org/mahler/contemporaries/bruno-walter/|access-date=March 23, 2021|website=Mahler Foundation|language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Berlin, Leipzig, Vienna ===
Back in Europe, Walter made his debuts with both the [[Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra]] and the [[Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra]] in 1923, and was Music Director of the [[Deutsche Oper Berlin]] ''(Städtische Oper)'' from 1925 to 1929. He made his debut at [[La Scala]] in 1926, and was chief conductor of the German seasons at [[Royal Opera House, Covent Garden|Covent Garden]] in London from 1924 to 1931.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}

Walter served as Principal Conductor of the [[Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra]] from 1929 until March 1933, when his tenure was cut short by the new Nazi government, as detailed below.

In speeches in the late 1920s, Nazi leader [[Adolf Hitler]] had complained bitterly about the presence of Jewish conductors at the Berlin opera, and mentioned Walter a number of times, adding to Walter's name the words "alias Schlesinger."<ref>{{harvp|Ross|2007|p=343}}</ref> When the Nazis took power, they undertook a systematic process of barring Jews from artistic life.<ref>{{harvp|Friedländer|1997|pp=9–14}}</ref>
[[File:Dr. Bruno Walter, 1937.jpg|thumb|Bruno Walter, 1937]]
As reported by biographers Erik Ryding and Rebecca Pechefsky, when Hitler became Chancellor in January 1933, Walter was conducting in New York, but the next month sailed back to Leipzig planning to conduct his previously scheduled concerts with the Gewandhaus Orchestra in March. However, Leipzig's Chief of Police informed management that he would cancel the concerts if Walter was to conduct them. Management resisted and Walter led rehearsals, but on the day that the first concert was to take place, the police, "in the name of the Saxon ministry of the interior," forbade the dress rehearsal and the concerts; Walter left Leipzig.<ref name="Ryding_220_221">{{harvp|Ryding|Pechefsky|2001|pp=220–221}}</ref> Walter was then scheduled to conduct the [[Berlin Philharmonic]] on March 20, but its management was warned by [[Joseph Goebbels]] that "unpleasant demonstrations" might occur at the concert, and the Propaganda Ministry clarified this by saying that there would be violence in the hall. Hearing of this, Walter chose to withdraw, saying to management, "Then I have no further business here."<ref name="Ryding_220_221"/> The concert in the end was conducted by [[Richard Strauss]].<ref>{{harvp|Ryding|Pechefsky|2001|pp=221–222}}</ref> Walter later wrote, "The composer of [[Ein Heldenleben]] ["A Hero's Life"] actually declared himself ready to conduct in place of a forcibly removed colleague."<ref>{{harvp|Ryding|Pechefsky|2001|p=224}}, quoting Walter's 1946 autobiography ''Theme and Variations''.</ref> A concert that Walter was scheduled to lead in Frankfurt was also cancelled.<ref name="Ryding_224">{{harvp|Ryding|Pechefsky|2001|p=224}}</ref> Walter left Germany and was not to conduct there again until after the war.<ref name="Ryding_224"/>

{{ external media | float = right|width=200px |audio1 = You may listen to Bruno Walter conducting the [[Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra]] in [[Johannes Brahms]]' ''Symphony No. 3 in F major Opus 90'' in 1936 [https://archive.org/details/BRAHMSSymphonyNo.3-NEWTRANSFER/01.I.AllegroConBrio.mp3 '''here on archive.org''']}}
Austria became his main center of activity for the next several years. He and his family moved to Vienna, where he regularly conducted the [[Vienna Philharmonic]]—with whom he made a number of momentous recordings during this period—and at the [[Salzburg Festival]]. In 1936 he accepted an offer to be Artistic Director of the [[Vienna State Opera]], where he occupied the same office that had once been Mahler's.<ref>{{harvp|Ryding|Pechefsky|2001|p=248}}</ref> He was also appointed Permanent Guest Conductor (''eerste dirigent'') of the [[Amsterdam]] [[Concertgebouw Orchestra]] from 1934 to 1939,<ref>Johan Giskes, "Anthology of the Royal Concertgebouw 1935–1950," p. 7, Radio Nederlands CD 97017</ref> and made guest appearances such as in annual concerts with the [[New York Philharmonic]] from 1932 to 1936. When Nazi Germany annexed Austria{{snd}}the ''[[Anschluss]]''{{snd}}in 1938, Walter was in the Netherlands conducting the Concertgebouw Orchestra. His elder daughter Lotte was in [[Vienna]] at the time, and was arrested by the Nazis; Walter was able to use his influence to free her. He also used his influence to find safe quarters in [[Scandinavia]] for his brother and sister during the war.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}

Walter's daughter Marguerite "Gretel" (born 1906) was murdered on August 21, 1939, by her husband [[Robert Neppach]], who then killed himself; his motive was jealousy over her growing relationship with the Italian bass singer [[Ezio Pinza]].<ref>{{harvp|Ryding|Pechefsky|2001|p=267}}</ref> Walter's wife Elsa, née Korneck (born in 1871) fell into a permanent depression and died in 1945, and Walter blamed himself for the tragedy, as his daughter had met Pinza only because Walter had made special efforts to hire him to sing the role of [[Don Giovanni]].{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}

=== Return to the United States ===
On November 1, 1939, he set sail for the [[United States]], which became his permanent home. He settled in [[Beverly Hills, California]], where his many [[expatriate]] neighbors included [[Thomas Mann]].{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}

While Walter had many influences within music, in his ''Of Music and Making'' (1957) he notes a profound influence from the philosopher [[Rudolf Steiner]]. He notes, "In old age I have had the good fortune to be initiated into the world of [[anthroposophy]] and during the past few years to make a profound study of the teachings of Rudolf Steiner. Here we see alive and in operation that deliverance of which [[Friedrich Hölderlin]] speaks; its blessing has flowed over me, and so this book is the confession of belief in anthroposophy. There is no part of my inward life that has not had new light shed upon it, or been stimulated, by the lofty teachings of Rudolf Steiner ... I am profoundly grateful for having been so boundlessly enriched ... It is glorious to become a learner again at my time of life. I have a sense of the rejuvenation of my whole being which gives strength and renewal to my musicianship, even to my music-making."<ref>{{harvp|Hemleben|2000|p=198}}</ref>

{{ external media | float = right|width=200px |audio1 = You may listen to Bruno Walter conducting the [[New York Philharmonic]] in: <br> [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart]]'s [[Symphony No. 40 (Mozart)|Symphony No. 40 in G minor]] <br> [[Richard Strauss]]' tone poem ''[[Don Juan (Strauss)|Don Juan in E major, Op. 20]]'' <br> with commentary in 1953 [https://archive.org/details/AnEveningWithBRUNOWALTER/03.Mozart-SymphonyNo.40InGMinor-Ii.Andante.mp3 '''here on archive.org''']}}

During his years in the United States, Walter worked with many famous American orchestras. In December 1942, he was offered the music directorship of the [[New York Philharmonic]], but declined, citing his age;<ref>{{harvp|Ryding|Pechefsky|2001|p=283}}</ref> then in February 1947, after the resignation of [[Artur Rodzinski]], he accepted the position but changed the title to "Music Adviser" (he resigned in 1949). Among other orchestras he worked with were the [[Chicago Symphony Orchestra]], the [[Los Angeles Philharmonic]], the [[NBC Symphony Orchestra]], and the [[Philadelphia Orchestra]]. From 1946 onwards, he made numerous trips back to Europe, becoming an important musical figure in the early years of the [[Edinburgh Festival]] and in [[Salzburg]], Vienna and Munich. He also coached & accompanied Kathleen Ferrier in London throughout the post war period until her premature death in 1953 & was an ardent fan of her singing. In September 1950 he returned to Berlin for the first time since the aborted concert of 1933; he conducted the Berlin Philharmonic in a program of Beethoven, Mozart, Richard Strauss, and Brahms, and "gave a lecture for the students of the Municipal Conservatory – formerly his old school, the Stern Conservatory – at the students' request".<ref>{{harvp|Ryding|Pechefsky|2001|p=339}}</ref> His late life was marked by stereo recordings with the [[Columbia Symphony Orchestra]], an ensemble of professional musicians assembled by [[Columbia Records]] for recordings. He made his last live concert appearance on December 4, 1960, with the [[Los Angeles Philharmonic]] and pianist [[Van Cliburn]]. His last recording was a series of [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart]] overtures with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra at the end of March in 1961.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}

=== Death ===
[[File:Walter 1 1978.jpg|thumb|The family grave in 1998.]]
Bruno Walter died of a [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]] in his Beverly Hills home in 1962.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0909989/bio|title=Bruno Walter|website=IMDb|access-date=January 22, 2019}}</ref> His final resting place is in the cemetery of [[Gentilino]] near [[Lugano]] in the [[Canton of Ticino]], [[Switzerland]], in the same grave where his wife and their daughter Gretel had already been buried. Their daughter Lotte (1903–1970) was buried there as well.