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Karl Böhm

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Karl Böhm was an Austrian conductor, born in 1894 in Graz and died in 1981 in Salzburg. He was the son of a lawyer and first studied law. He then went to the conservatoire, also in Vienna. In 1917 he made his debut as a conductor in Graz. Via the opera houses of Munich, Darmstadt and Hamburg he came to Dresden in 1934, where he headed the Semperoper until 1942. There he conducted the first performances of Richard Strauss's Die schweigsame Frau (1935) and Daphne (1938). Daphne is dedicated to him. From 1943 he worked at the Vienna State Opera, where he later became music director.

Music and breakthrough

After the war came a two-year ban under denazification. He then conducted again in Milan, Paris and Buenos Aires. In 1957 he made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where he conducted 262 performances. From 1962 he appeared at Bayreuth. His Wagner received mixed reviews. At the end of his life he worked with the London Symphony Orchestra, of which he became president.

Influence

Böhm is known for his sturdy, rhythmic performances of Mozart. In the 1960s he recorded all of Mozart's symphonies with the Berliner Philharmoniker. His recordings of Beethoven's symphonies with the Wiener Philharmoniker from 1971 were highly regarded. He also championed Alban Berg's Wozzeck and Lulu, when they were not yet part of the standard repertoire. In this way he represents the generation of conductors who recorded the great operas on disc.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to the beginning of Beethoven's Eroica in his 1962 recording. Notice how firm and regular the rhythm remains, even when the orchestra gets louder.

Discography

Studio albums

Categories: Artists