Kurt Masur

Kurt Masur (born July 18, 1927, Brieg, Germany [now Brzeg, Poland]—died December 19, 2015, Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.) was a German conductor, known for his heartfelt interpretations of the German Romantic repertoire, who rose to prominence in East Germany in the 1970s.

Masur studied piano and cello at the National Music School in Breslau, Germany (now Wrocław, Poland), from 1942 to 1944. He then studied conducting, piano, and composition at the Leipzig Conservatory (now Leipzig University of Music and Theatre) from 1946 to 1948. He spent the next seven years conducting in regional East German opera houses before securing a position as conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic in 1955. After working in Mecklenburg (1958–60) and Berlin (1960–64), among other cities, he rejoined the Dresden orchestra from 1967 to 1972. During his long tenure as conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra (1970–96), Masur became internationally known and toured widely throughout the world. He was noted for his comprehensive repertoire, which featured the works of German Romantic composers such as Ludwig van Beethoven and Gustav Mahler.

A prestigious cultural figure in East Germany, Masur participated in the popular agitation that led to the fall of the communist government in late 1989. Although he was an unexpected choice as music director of the New York Philharmonic (1991–2002), he was credited with reinvigorating the orchestra, which had been in decline since the departure in 1969 of Leonard Bernstein, and raising its standards of performance. From 2000 to 2007 Masur was principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, with which he recorded and toured extensively, and from 2002 to 2008 he was also music director of the Orchestre National de France. In addition, he continued to appear as guest conductor with a number of major orchestras in the United States and Europe.

Masur was passionate about music and conducting, and he often gave master classes in conducting at major conservatories. In 1975 he became a professor at the Leipzig University of Music and Theatre. Masur reflected on the mission of the conductor in an interview with the British music critic Hilary Finch, who reported that in every performance Masur “feels the responsibility to bring to the audience the true message of the composer. ‘For that it takes inspiration from the conductor—but also the spirit, the imagination of the orchestra.’”