"...another case of really dramatic improvements in sound quality...
Klemperer ... and Brouwenstijn tear into Ah! Perfido with abandon, and the Dutch soprano is in great voice. This is a true classic..."
Henry Fogel, Fanfare

OTTO KLEMPERER (1885-1973)
note from a programme booklet of
The New Philharmonia Orchestra

During a career spread over nearly six decades, Otto Klemperer defied proscription, exile, grave illness and grievous mishaps, to pursue his musical aims with a single-minded determination that had few parallels either inside or outside his profession.

His first public conducting chance came in 1906 when he was twenty one years old. Oskar Fried withdrew from a production of Orpheus in the Underworld after quarreling with one of the leading singers. Klemperer was called as substitute and conducted fifty performances with great success. Shortly afterwards, with a recommendation from Mahler in his hand, he became Chorus Master and conductor at the Neues Deutsches Theater, Prague.

From his Prague tenure stemmed appointments of greater consequence - first at Hamburg Opera from 1910-1912 and then in 1914 he went to the Stadttheater, Strasbourg, as first conductor under Hans Pfitzner. From Strasbourg he moved to Cologne Opera where he stayed until 1924. In the Autumn of 1927 after three years at Wiesbaden he went to Berlin which was at that time a scene of rare musical effervescence and achievement.

As Generalmusikdirektor of the Kroll Opera Klemperer was in musical competition with Erich Kleiber, at the Unter den Linden Opera House, and Bruno Walter, of the Stadtische Oper, who were active in Berlin at the same time. Itwas against such competitive caliber that Klemperer made the Kroll's reputation resound throughout Europe.

In 1933 because of increasing difficulties with the rise of Nazism he emigrated to the United States where he conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Here he was able to concentrate on the symphonic masterpieces which had engrossed him since his acquaintance with Mahler.

Then, spaced over twenty years, occurred a series of physical blows which would have destroyed most people. A brain tumor operation in 1929 left him paralyzed down one side and later he fell, severely breaking a femur and he also suffered serious burns.

Despite these incredible handicaps he had taken over the musical directorship of the Budapest Opera in 1947 and from this time his reputation and world-wide popularity increased - first in Budapest, then in London not only in the concert hall but through his many recordings with the Philharmonia Orchestra. His association with the orchestra as Principal Conductor was a close and rewarding one and when the New Philharmonia was formed in 1964, Dr. Klemperer kindly agreed to become Honorary President as well - an association he continued with undiminished interest until his death in 1973.

Excerpt from the sleevenotes

Find out more:   de Falla - Nights in the Gardens of Spain: 1. "At the Generalife" CD covers to print:   CD-writing cuesheet: [What's that?]

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