Editing Bruno Walter (section)

=== 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>