Jan Walter Susskind (1 May 1913 – 25 March 1980) was a Czech-born British conductor, teacher and pianist. He began his career in his native Prague. In March 1939 he was giving a piano recital in Amsterdam when Germany invaded Czechoslovakia. His mother advised him not to return to Prague so he travelled to London. He worked for substantial periods in Australia, Canada and the United States, as a conductor and teacher.
Süsskind was born in Prague.[1] His father was a Viennese music critic and his Czech mother was a piano teacher.[2] At the State Conservatorium he studied under the composer Josef Suk, the son-in-law of Dvořák.[2] He later studied conducting under George Szell,[2] and became Szell's assistant at the German Opera, Prague, making his conducting debut there with La traviata;[1] early in his career, he was often known as H. W. Süsskind (H for Hans or Hanuš).[citation needed]
Susskind was conducting a concert in Amsterdam in March 1939 when Germany occupied Czechoslovakia, and his mother advised him not to return home. (She was later interned in Theresienstadt but survived the war).[2] With the help of a British journalist and consular officials, he arrived in Britain as a refugee.[2] He formed the Czech Trio, a chamber ensemble in which he was the pianist. Encouraged by Jan Masaryk, the Czech ambassador in London, the trio obtained many engagements.[2]
After the war, Susskind became a naturalised British citizen, and though he spent much of his subsequent career outside Britain, he said he would never dream of giving up his British citizenship.[2]
Susskind's first appointment as musical director was to the Scottish Orchestra, where he served from 1946 to 1952.[1] He and his wife divorced in 1953.[3] From 1953 to 1955 he was the conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (then known as the Victorian Symphony Orchestra).[1] After free-lancing in Israel and South America he was appointed to head the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) from 1956 to 1965.[1][2]
Susskind died in Berkeley, California, at the age of 66.[1] His personal archives document his career as a conductor, piano accompanist and avant-garde composer. The BBC Radio 3 program Music Matters broadcast 29 Jan. 2022 an interview with Susskind's widow Janis, in the process of transferring these materials to the Exilarte Centre, University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna.[5]
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Not to be confused with Walter Suskind Jan Walter Susskind 1 May 1913 25 March 1980 was a Czech born British conductor teacher and pianist He began his career in his native Prague In March 1939 he was giving a piano recital in Amsterdam when Germany invaded Czechoslovakia His mother advised him not to return to Prague so he travelled to London He worked for substantial periods in Australia Canada and the United States as a conductor and teacher Walter Susskind 1950 Contents 1 Biography 2 Discography selection 3 Notes 4 External linksBiography EditSusskind was born in Prague 1 His father was a Viennese music critic and his Czech mother was a piano teacher 2 At the State Conservatorium he studied under the composer Josef Suk the son in law of Dvorak 2 He later studied conducting under George Szell 2 and became Szell s assistant at the German Opera Prague making his conducting debut there with La traviata 1 early in his career he was often known as H W Susskind H for Hans or Hanus citation needed Susskind was conducting a concert in Amsterdam in March 1939 when Germany occupied Czechoslovakia and his mother advised him not to return home She was later interned in Theresienstadt but survived the war 2 With the help of a British journalist and consular officials he arrived in Britain as a refugee 2 He formed the Czech Trio a chamber ensemble in which he was the pianist Encouraged by Jan Masaryk the Czech ambassador in London the trio obtained many engagements 2 In 1942 Susskind joined the Carl Rosa Opera Company as a conductor working with singers such as Heddle Nash and Joan Hammond 1 2 and married 1943 1953 the British cellist Eleanor Catherine Warren 3 In 1944 he made his first recording for Walter Legge of EMI conducting Liu s arias from Turandot with Hammond 2 After the war Susskind became a naturalised British citizen and though he spent much of his subsequent career outside Britain he said he would never dream of giving up his British citizenship 2 Susskind s first appointment as musical director was to the Scottish Orchestra where he served from 1946 to 1952 1 He and his wife divorced in 1953 3 From 1953 to 1955 he was the conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra then known as the Victorian Symphony Orchestra 1 After free lancing in Israel and South America he was appointed to head the Toronto Symphony Orchestra TSO from 1956 to 1965 1 2 In 1960 he founded the National Youth Orchestra of Canada 1 While with the TSO he taught conducting at The Royal Conservatory of Music where among his pupils were Milton Barnes and Rudy Toth citation needed From 1968 to 1975 he was conductor of the St Louis Symphony Orchestra with which he made more than 200 recordings 1 During his seven year tenure with St Louis he taught across the Mississippi River at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville He was also closely involved with the Mississippi River Festival an annually recurring outdoors crossover concert series organised by the local university Susskind served as artistic advisor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra from 1978 until his death in 1980 On May 3 1971 Susskind returned to the New York City Opera to conduct Leos Janacek s Makropulos Case 4 Susskind died in Berkeley California at the age of 66 1 His personal archives document his career as a conductor piano accompanist and avant garde composer The BBC Radio 3 program Music Matters broadcast 29 Jan 2022 an interview with Susskind s widow Janis in the process of transferring these materials to the Exilarte Centre University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna 5 Discography selection EditExternal audio You may hear Walter Susskind with Glenn Gould and the CBC Symphony Orchestra in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart s Piano Concerto No 24 in C minor K 491 in 1962 Here on Archive orgRecordings include Bartok Bluebeard s Castle Op 11 Sz 48 Judith Hellwig Endre Koreh Erno Lorsy New Symphony Orchestra Bruch Violin Concerto in G minor Op 26 Yehudi Menuhin violin Philharmonia Orchestra Dvorak Cello Concerto in B minor Op 104 Zara Nelsova cello Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Dvorak Piano Concerto in G minor Op 33 Rudolf Firkusny piano Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Dvorak Violin Concerto in A minor Op 53 Ruggiero Ricci violin Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Dvorak Romance for Violin and Orchestra in F minor Op 11 Ruggiero Ricci violin Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Dvorak Mazurek for Violin and Orchestra in E minor Op 49 Ruggiero Ricci violin Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Dvorak Silent Woods Waldesruhe for Cello amp Orchestra Op 68 Zara Nelsova cello Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Dvorak Rondo in G minor for Cello and Orchestra Op 68 Zara Nelsova cello Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Handel Messiah London Philharmonic Orchestra Holst The Planets Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Mozart Motet Exsultate jubilate K 165 Elisabeth Schwarzkopf soprano Philharmonia Orchestra Mozart Piano Concerto No 20 K 466 Artur Schnabel piano Philharmonia Orchestra Mozart Piano Concerto No 24 K 491 Artur Schnabel Philharmonia Orchestra Mozart Piano Concerto No 24 K 491 Glenn Gould piano CBC Symphony Orchestra Prokofiev Chout ballet suite Op 21a London Symphony Orchestra Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No 3 in D minor Op 30 Leonard Pennario piano Philharmonia Orchestra Sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor Op 47 Ginette Neveu violin Philharmonia Orchestra Smetana Ma vlast Overture and Dances from The Bartered Bride Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Richard Strauss Also sprach Zarathustra Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Notes Edit a b c d e f g h i Bernas Richard and Ruth B Hilton Susskind Walter Grove Music Online Oxford University Press Retrieved 27 June 2014 subscription required a b c d e f g h i j Walter Susskind Gramophone April 1972 pp 1693 1694 a b Eleanor Warren obituary The Daily Telegraph 10 October 2005 Accessed 6 October 2019 Freed Richard 6 April 1980 Walter Susskind s Life in Music The Washington Post Music Matters Andreas Ottensamer Sarah Kirby Walter Susskind BBC Sounds External links Edit Media related to Walter Susskind at Wikimedia Commons Walter Susskind at AllMusic Walter Susskind bach cantatas com Portals Biography Classical music Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Walter Susskind amp oldid 1143211560, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
