A Maestro as a diplomatic institution of his people. The conductor as homo politicus: This association of seemingly disparate moments succeeded in music history only one man. Kurt Masur became the role of a social figure of integration – exactly the opposite of elitist, autocratic and untouchable console God. With this feat an important part of his life’s work is already being referred to. The most amazing thing: It was almost in a single day instead of
on 9 October 1989 Masur was one of the drafters of the call. “No violence!” at the Leipzig Monday demonstrations. His word was of enormous effectiveness. It is little exaggeration to attribute the process of the peaceful revolution and people like Masur (in addition to a government that shrank from massive public authority in this case). The symbolic key role that took Masur in the historical process of reunification, no one will take him again.
In fact, Masur was a prudent, wise and often ruthlessly honest man when you talked to him. He did not act out of a learned in music attitude out he expressed. “I acted without thinking.” Decades later, he was “raised by the people, as if I had a direct access to their individual problems. They tell me her story.” On the Road Kurt Masur: a political microcosm of Turning Point. And popular as a pop star.
Leipzig, his city
The man appeared with the finely trimmed sailor beard more like a representative of an art aristocracy in the GDR – but beyond Brecht and beyond socialist realism. It was the same. Born in Brzeg in Lower Silesia on July 18, 1927 Son of an engineer graduated from a solid education as an electrician before he found the courage to devote himself entirely to music. The organ was originally his instrument. Only a gradual outcropping finger curvature motivated him to switch on Conducting
His studies in Leipzig -. At Heinz Bongartz and Kurt Soldan – he broke off prematurely worked as a dance musician. In 1948 he was accompanist in Halle and worked his way – in the blinking of the immediate postwar years – practical for conductors up. 1951 we engaged him in Erfurt. Just two years later he was first Kapellmeister in that city whose musical life he was over 50 years characterize and represent:. In Leipzig
As a “Karajan of East “, he became the principal conductor of the GDR. Since 1970, he used the dark, fine German silver sound of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra with more self-confident, sophisticated hand. And was able to carry on the great times Furtwängler, Abendroth and Konwitschny.
Masur It was also in 1977 the foundation stone for a new Gewandhaus, the new hall of the homeless since the war Orchestra put. Not by chance, following the example of Karajan Berlin Philharmonic. Already in this period that some of his most important recordings of Weber, Mendelssohn, Liszt and Max Bruch. With lovers repertoire to the otherwise hardly anyone cared.
He managed to attract international stars such as Aurèle Nicolet and Jessye Norman for recordings. His resultant together with Norman “Ariadne auf Naxos” and the weight-weightless “Four Last Songs” (1982) by Richard Strauss are showpieces of the all-German war production.
Lucky for Leipzig also that Masur has not really warmed up with the competition in Dresden. After he had offered the local Staatskapelle to become followers of Lovro von Matatic (and then but for Otmar Suitner decided), Masur rumbled for decades – until recently.
He founded traditions
There is no question that Masur greatest time not in Germany, but after the turn took place at the New York Philharmonic. Here he was able to confidently play the European card. As the last in a gallery of European exports (earlier there were emigrants) he favored old master style which together went amazingly well with glitz and glamor. Because the paternal confidence, a dignified level of maturity and good stage presence could be in New York immediately ummünzen in star quality and Showmanship.
Masur was proud at all former chief positions even at the age regularly return. Even occasionally at the Komische Oper, where he had until 1964, to the 1960 young guns in the shadow of the great Walter Felsenstein. And can turn to London and Paris, where he had the honor rounds of his career seemingly endless.
cessation namely it fell harder than he cared to admit. Masur was a conductor who, wherever he had started something, and wanted to turn piles establish continuity. . With long-term effect
representative of his own
The tragic implications of this life were read at one small thing on the fact that Masur used no baton for decades. With a debt of his own car accident his second wife Irmgard died 1972 (the mother of the mezzo-soprano Carolin Masur) and two other people. Two fingers he could not move because of this accident. A relationship with actress Barbara Beautiful was solved when Masur met his third wife Tomoko. The two married 1975th
To make persistent rumors an end, had kindled in his state of health, Masur was in 2012 announced that he was to Parkinson ill. “Everyone in my private life has been loaded with relevant questions by inquiring behind his hand: ‘What did he actually’” He stood to his illness and is aware, so Masur, that he had to make them forget the concert to convince the public.
In its own sphere grown
In April 2012, he crashed during a concert in Paris from the podium. After another incident, he was walking, with floor, obviously difficult. The orchestra of course, with whom he worked, knew him long enough to know how he wanted to have it. So Masur conducted as later representative of his own for a while merrily on.
Kurt Masur was a monument to the ability to act as E-musician politically and the own sphere transcend. In this he was unique. Also appeared in his connection to the traditions of Mendelssohn and Schumann still present, that have built up a musical center of international standing in Leipzig.
Early in the morning of December 19 is Kurt Masur, as the New York Philharmonic mitt rushed, died. The great conductor was 88 years old.
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