Kurt Sanderling
Encyclopedia
Kurt Sanderling, CBE (19 September 191217 September 2011) was a German conductor
.
, Kingdom of Prussia
, German Empire
(now Orzysz
, Poland
) to Jewish parents. After early work at the Deutsche Oper Berlin
, he left for the Soviet Union
in 1936, where he worked with the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra. From 1942-60 he was joint principal conductor with Yevgeny Mravinsky of the Leningrad Philharmonic. As a German refugee with a broad cultural outlook, he grew very close to Dmitri Shostakovich
.
Sanderling was a favorite of musicians world over. His easy going conducting manner proved he could get the finest results with orchestras of much lesser calibre. His Brahms and Sibelius cycles are held in highest critical acclaim. Listeners may note a warmth of approach more akin to old world conductors rather than the current "jet-set" style modern interpreters.
He returned to East Germany where he led the Berlin Symphony Orchestra and Dresden Staatskapelle. He made his British debut in 1970. He later became particularly associated with the Philharmonia Orchestra
in London starting in January 1980, with a series of performances of the complete Beethoven
symphonies at Wembley
. The Philharmonia later appointed Sanderling their Conductor Emeritus. He was also Emeritus Conductor of the Madrid Symphony Orchestra
.
Sanderling had conducted several major symphony orchestras, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, who had asked Sanderling to be the permanent conductor of the orchestra, however, Sanderling's commitments made him refuse the offer. Martin Bernheimer
praised Sanderling's conducting skills. He announced his retirement from conducting in 2002.
In September 2002, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire
(CBE).
His recordings include sets of the complete Beethoven symphonies with the Philharmonia Orchestra, and the piano concertos with pianist Mitsuko Uchida
, Nos. 3, 4 with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
and Nos. 1, 2 and 5 with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
. He was among the first conductors to perform and record Deryck Cooke
's completion of Gustav Mahler
's 10th symphony
, which his friend Berthold Goldschmidt
had premiered.
Sanderling died on 17 September 2011, two days before his 99th birthday in Berlin.
after his return to East Germany in 1960. His second wife was the former Barbara Wagner, a double bass
ist in the Berlin Symphony Orchestra; they had two sons, the conductor Stefan Sanderling
, who in 2002 became music director of the Florida Orchestra, and the cellist/conductor Michael Sanderling
.
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
.
Biography
Kurt Sanderling was born in ArysOrzysz
Orzysz is a town in Pisz County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland, with 7,512 inhabitants .-Notable residents:* Kurt Sanderling , conductor* Wolfgang Heyda , U-boat commander...
, Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
, German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
(now Orzysz
Orzysz
Orzysz is a town in Pisz County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland, with 7,512 inhabitants .-Notable residents:* Kurt Sanderling , conductor* Wolfgang Heyda , U-boat commander...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) to Jewish parents. After early work at the Deutsche Oper Berlin
Deutsche Oper Berlin
The Deutsche Oper Berlin is an opera company located in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin, Germany. The resident building is also home to the Berlin State Ballet.-History:...
, he left for the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1936, where he worked with the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra. From 1942-60 he was joint principal conductor with Yevgeny Mravinsky of the Leningrad Philharmonic. As a German refugee with a broad cultural outlook, he grew very close to Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was a Soviet Russian composer and one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century....
.
Sanderling was a favorite of musicians world over. His easy going conducting manner proved he could get the finest results with orchestras of much lesser calibre. His Brahms and Sibelius cycles are held in highest critical acclaim. Listeners may note a warmth of approach more akin to old world conductors rather than the current "jet-set" style modern interpreters.
He returned to East Germany where he led the Berlin Symphony Orchestra and Dresden Staatskapelle. He made his British debut in 1970. He later became particularly associated with the Philharmonia Orchestra
Philharmonia Orchestra
The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the leading orchestras in Great Britain, based in London. Since 1995, it has been based in the Royal Festival Hall. In Britain it is also the resident orchestra at De Montfort Hall, Leicester and the Corn Exchange, Bedford, as well as The Anvil, Basingstoke...
in London starting in January 1980, with a series of performances of the complete Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
symphonies at Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
. The Philharmonia later appointed Sanderling their Conductor Emeritus. He was also Emeritus Conductor of the Madrid Symphony Orchestra
Madrid Symphony Orchestra
The Madrid Symphony Orchestra , founded in 1903, is the oldest existing Spanish symphony orchestra not linked to an opera house in Spain.-History:...
.
Sanderling had conducted several major symphony orchestras, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, who had asked Sanderling to be the permanent conductor of the orchestra, however, Sanderling's commitments made him refuse the offer. Martin Bernheimer
Martin Bernheimer
Martin Bernheimer is an American music critic. He studied at Brown University and the Hochschule für Musik in Munich, along with the famous musicologist Gustave Reese at New York University....
praised Sanderling's conducting skills. He announced his retirement from conducting in 2002.
In September 2002, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(CBE).
His recordings include sets of the complete Beethoven symphonies with the Philharmonia Orchestra, and the piano concertos with pianist Mitsuko Uchida
Mitsuko Uchida
, born 20 December 1948, is a Japanese naturalized British classical pianist.-Career:Born in Atami, a seaside town close to Tokyo, Japan, Uchida moved to Vienna, Austria, with her diplomat parents when she was twelve years old, after her father was named the Japanese ambassador to Austria...
, Nos. 3, 4 with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is a symphony orchestra of the Netherlands, based at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. In 1988, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands conferred the "Royal" title upon the orchestra...
and Nos. 1, 2 and 5 with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, in German Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks is the internationally renowned orchestra of the Bayerischer Rundfunk , based in Munich, Germany. It is one of the three principal orchestras in the city of Munich, along with the Munich Philharmonic...
. He was among the first conductors to perform and record Deryck Cooke
Deryck Cooke
Deryck Cooke was a British musician, musicologist and broadcaster.-Life:Cooke was born in Leicester to a poor and working class family; his father died when he was a child, but his mother was able to afford piano lessons. Cooke acquired a brilliant technique and began to compose...
's completion of Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler was a late-Romantic Austrian composer and one of the leading conductors of his generation. He was born in the village of Kalischt, Bohemia, in what was then Austria-Hungary, now Kaliště in the Czech Republic...
's 10th symphony
Symphony No. 10 (Mahler)
The Symphony No. 10 by Gustav Mahler was written in the summer of 1910, and was his final composition. At the time of Mahler's death the composition was substantially complete in the form of a continuous draft; but not being fully elaborated at every point, and mostly not orchestrated, it was not...
, which his friend Berthold Goldschmidt
Berthold Goldschmidt
Berthold Goldschmidt was a German Jewish composer who spent most of his life in England...
had premiered.
Sanderling died on 17 September 2011, two days before his 99th birthday in Berlin.
Family
Sanderling was married twice. His son by his first wife, Nina Bobath, whom he married in 1941, is the conductor Thomas Sanderling. His marriage to his first wife ended in divorceDivorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
after his return to East Germany in 1960. His second wife was the former Barbara Wagner, a double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
ist in the Berlin Symphony Orchestra; they had two sons, the conductor Stefan Sanderling
Stefan Sanderling
Stefan Sanderling is an orchestral conductor. His parents are the conductor Kurt Sanderling and the double-bass player Barbara Sanderling. His half-brother is the conductor Thomas Sanderling. His brother Michael Sanderling is a cellist and conductor.In his youth, Sanderling played the piano and...
, who in 2002 became music director of the Florida Orchestra, and the cellist/conductor Michael Sanderling
Michael Sanderling
Michael Sanderling is a German violoncellist and conductor.- Biography :Michael Sanderling, son of the contrabassist Barbara Sanderling and the conductor Kurt Sanderling, got his first cello lessons at the age of five in Berlin. At the age of eleven, he became student of Matthias Pfaender at the...
.
Publications
- 2002: Kurt Sanderling & Ulrich Roloff-Momin: Andere machen Geschichte, ich machte Musik. Parthas, Berlin 2002, 431 pp., ill., discographie, ISBN 3-932529-35-9, (Biography; in German)
Film
- Seine Liebe zu Brahms. Kurt Sanderling unterrichtet die 4. Sinfonie. (with the Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart of the SWR) Documentation, 60 Min., a film by Norbert Beilharz, First transmission: 2. November 2003, Inhaltsangabe des SWR (German)