5 Famous Classical Music Conductors You Should Know

We all know the great composers like Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach, but what about the conductors who bring their music to life? Here are 5 of the most famous classical music conductors you should know.

Introduction

Instrumental music became increasingly important during the Baroque era, as composers began to write music for specific instruments and ensembles. The idea of the musician as an individual virtuoso began to emerge during this time as well. But it was not until the Classical era that the conductor became an important figure in Western music.

The Classical period saw the rise of such great composer-conductors as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven. These men helped to define the role of the conductor and establish the orchestra as we know it today.

In honor of these great pioneers, here are five famous classical music conductors you should know.

1. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
2. Ludwig van Beethoven
3. Johann Strauss II
4. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
5. Felix Mendelssohn

Georg Solti

Georg Solti was a Hungarian-born conductor who is widely considered one of the greatest classical music conductors of the 20th century. He served as music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for 22 years and made numerous recordings with them, winning 31 Grammy Awards. He also held positions with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Dresden Staatskapelle, and the Vienna Philharmonic. In his lifetime, Solti was awarded many honors, including knighthoods from both Britain and Hungary.

Herbert von Karajan

Herbert von Karajan was an Austrian conductor who was one of the most prominent and influential figures in classical music from the mid-20th century until his death in 1989. He is widely regarded as one of the greatestconductors of all time.

Karajan was born in Salzburg, Austria, into a family of mixed Croatian and German descent. He began his musical studies at an early age, and first conducted in public when he was just eighteen years old. From 1927 to 1930, he studied at the Berlin Staatskapelle under the tutelage of conductor Hans Knappertsbusch.

After held the Music Directorships of several German orchestras including the Frankfurt Opera andthe Berlin Philharmonic, Karajan was appointed Music Director of the Vienna Philharmonic in 1943, a post he held until 1945. In 1949, he became Principal Conductor of La Scala in Milan, a position he held until 1956. He returned to La Scala as Music Director from 1963 to 1966.

In 1955, Karajan made his debut with the New York Philharmonic and later that same year he made his first appearance at the Salzburg Festival, where he remained a frequent guest conductor until 1988. In 1968, he became Music Director of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, a position he held until his death in 1989. He led over 2200 performances with this orchestra and made numerous recordings with them on multiple labels.

During his career, Karajan conducted most major orchestras around the world including the Philadelphia Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (of which he was Principal Conductor from 1961 to 1965) and many others. His vast repertoire included works by Bach, Beethoven (with whom he shared a birthday), Brahms, Wagnerand Verdi among many others.

Leonard Bernstein

Leonard Bernstein was an American composer, conductor, and pianist who was one of the most influential figures in classical music. He is best known for his work with the New York Philharmonic, which he led for more than 25 years. Bernstein was also a successful recording artist and television personality, and he composed music for West Side Story and Candide. He won numerous awards during his lifetime, including the Kennedy Center Honors and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Carlos Kleiber

Carlos Kleiber (July 3, 1930 – July 13, 2004) was a German-born Austrian conductor. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century.

Kleiber made his debut as a conductor in 1963 with the Vienna Philharmonic. He went on to conduct several of the world’s major orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Concertgebouw Orchestra, and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. He also made a number of highly acclaimed recordings, particularly of works by Johann Strauss II and Anton Bruckner.

Kleiber was known for his enigmatic personality and his refusal to abide by conventional attitudes or opinions about music. He was also known for his erratic conducting style, which often surprised audiences and musicians alike.

Kleiber’s admirers included many of the world’s most renowned conductors, including Leonard Bernstein, Herbert von Karajan, Daniel Barenboim, and Seiji Ozawa.