Lorin Varencove Maazel (, March 6, 1930 – July 13, 2014) was an American conductor,

violin The violin, sometimes known as a '' fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone ( string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument ( soprano) in the family in regu ...

ist and

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Def ...

. He began conducting at the age of eight and by 1953 had decided to pursue a career in music. He had established a reputation in the concert halls of Europe by 1960 but, by comparison, his career in the U.S. progressed far more slowly. He served as music director of

The Cleveland Orchestra The Cleveland Orchestra, based in Cleveland, is one of the five American orchestras informally referred to as the " Big Five". Founded in 1918 by the pianist and impresario Adella Prentiss Hughes, the orchestra plays most of its concerts at Se ...

Orchestre National de France The Orchestre national de France (ONF; literal translation, ''National Orchestra of France'') is a French symphony orchestra based in Paris, founded in 1934. Placed under the administration of the French national radio (named Radio France sinc ...

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra The ''Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra'' (''PSO'') is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra's home is Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District. History The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is an Ameri ...

Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (german: Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, BRSO) is a German radio orchestra. Based in Munich, Germany, it is one of the city's four orchestras. The BRSO is one of two full-size symphony orches ...

, and the New York Philharmonic, among other posts. Maazel was well-regarded in

baton Baton may refer to: Stick-like objects *Baton, a type of club *Baton (law enforcement) *Baston (weapon), a type of baton used in Arnis and Filipino Martial Arts *Baton charge, a coordinated tactic for dispersing crowds of people *Baton (conductin ...

technique and possessed a photographic memory for scores. Described as mercurial and forbidding in rehearsal, he mellowed in old age.

Early life

Maazel was born to American parents of Ukrainian Jewish origin in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. His grandfather Isaac Maazel (1873-1925), born in

Poltava Poltava (, ; uk, Полтава ) is a city located on the Vorskla River in central Ukraine. It is the capital city of the Poltava Oblast (province) and of the surrounding Poltava Raion (district) of the oblast. Poltava is administrativel ...

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inva ...

, then in the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War ...

, was a violinist in the Metropolitan Opera orchestra. He and his wife Esther Glazer (1879-1921), originally from

Kharkiv Kharkiv ( uk, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest city and municipality in Ukraine.

, then in the

, came to America in 1900 after the birth of their eldest son Marvin (1899-1988), who later became a pianist and composer. Maazel was brought up in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

, primarily at his parents' home in the city of

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

's Oakland neighborhood. His father, Lincoln Maazel (1903–2009), was a singer, teacher of voice and piano, and an actor (he co-starred in

George A. Romero George Andrew Romero (; February 4, 1940 – July 16, 2017) was an American-Canadian filmmaker, writer, editor and actor. His ''Night of the Living Dead'' series of films about an imagined zombie apocalypse began with the 1968 film of the ...

's 1978 horror movie ''

Martin Martin may refer to: Places * Martin City (disambiguation) * Martin County (disambiguation) * Martin Township (disambiguation) Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Austr ...

''); and his mother, Marion "Marie" Shulman Maazel (1894–1992), founded the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra. Maazel was a child prodigy and had perfect pitch. He had his first conducting lesson at age seven with Vladimir Bakaleinikov, making his debut at age eight, conducting the University of Idaho Orchestra in Schubert's "Unfinished" Symphony in Los Angeles in 1938. In the same year, he conducted the National High School Orchestra at the National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan. The following year, he conducted 11 concerts by the same orchestra at the New York World’s Fair. At the age of eleven, he guest-conducted the NBC Symphony Orchestra on the radio. At twelve he toured the United States to conduct major orchestras. He made his violin debut at the age of fifteen. He attended the Fanny Edel Falk Laboratory School at the University of Pittsburgh as a child, followed by Peabody High School and the

University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the univers ...

. Maazel studied briefly with

Pierre Monteux Pierre Benjamin Monteux (; 4 April 18751 July 1964) was a French (later American) conductor. After violin and viola studies, and a decade as an orchestral player and occasional conductor, he began to receive regular conducting engagements in ...

in 1945.

Early career

In the early 1950s, Maazel toured as the conductor with the Gershwin Concert Orchestra. The orchestra consisted of 25 members and a noted array of soloists. The orchestra was organized in cooperation with Ira Gershwin, to give the public a comprehensive Gershwin program. The list of soloists included George Gershwin's friend, Jesús María Sanromá, Carolyn Long and

Theodor Uppman Theodor Uppman (12 January 1920 – 17 March 2005) was an American operatic baritone. He is best known for his creation of the title role in Benjamin Britten's opera ''Billy Budd''. Uppman, of Swedish descent, was born in San Jose, Califo ...

. In 1960, Maazel became the first

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

to conduct at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus. He was chief conductor of the Deutsche Oper Berlin from 1965 to 1971 and the Radio-Symphonie-Orchester (RSO) Berlin from 1964 to 1975.

Tenure in Cleveland

At the age of 13, Lorin Maazel was introduced to the citizens of Cleveland in a pension fund concert at Public Hall on March 14, 1943. He conducted a selection of pieces that included the overture from Wagner’s opera ''

Rienzi ' (''Rienzi, the last of the tribunes''; WWV 49) is an early opera by Richard Wagner in five acts, with the libretto written by the composer after Edward Bulwer-Lytton's novel of the same name (1835). The title is commonly shortened to ''Ri ...

'' and Schubert’s “ Unfinished” symphony, and his orchestra featured 14-year-old prodigy

Patricia Travers Patricia Travers (December 5, 1927 – February 9, 2010) was an American violin child prodigy and actress who withdrew from public performances at age 23. She lived in Clifton, New Jersey, her entire life. Career Travers began violin lessons at a ...

on violin. Earlier in his young career, Maazel had already guest conducted the NBC Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Pittsburgh Symphony. It was Artur Rodziński, in the midst of defending his decision to leave Cleveland for a post with the New York Philharmonic, who half-jokingly stated: “Look aazelover, he may be your next conductor." However, it would be nearly thirty years before Maazel would become music director of The Cleveland Orchestra, succeeding George Szell in 1972. In the wake of Szell’s crisp, chamber-like style, many critics fretted over Maazel’s emotional interpretations. Shortly after Maazel was named to the post in Cleveland, though, his status was buoyed by both an endorsement from Philadelphia Orchestra music director Eugene Ormandy and the promise of a recording contract with

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American Decca's president. ...

. In addition, Maazel chose to revitalize the Orchestra’s educational outreach programs for the city’s schoolchildren. He envisioned an annual concert at Public Hall where the chorus would be made up of area students. This project launched on May 19, 1973, with a program that included music from Gershwin’s opera ''

Porgy and Bess ''Porgy and Bess'' () is an English-language opera by American composer George Gershwin, with a libretto written by author DuBose Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin. It was adapted from Dorothy Heyward and DuBose Heyward's play '' Porgy'', ...

'', Copland’s ''A Lincoln Portrait'', and an English-language version of the “ Ode to Joy” from

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classic ...

’s Ninth Symphony. With more than 5,000 people in attendance, the concert provided a capstone to Maazel’s first season in Cleveland. A month later, the Orchestra completed its first recording in three years — Prokofiev’s '' Romeo and Juliet'' for Decca. The ensemble also returned to international touring during the 1973-74 season with a first-ever visit to Australia and New Zealand. Because of a tightly-packed schedule, conducting duties were split between Maazel,

Stanislaw Skrowaczewski Stanislav and variants may refer to: People *Stanislav (given name), a Slavic given name with many spelling variations (Stanislaus, Stanislas, Stanisław, etc.) Places * Stanislav, a coastal village in Kherson, Ukraine * Stanislaus County, Ca ...

, and former music director Erich Leinsdorf. The season, which also featured performances of Strauss’s one-act opera '' Elektra'' at Cleveland’s Severance Hall and New York’s Carnegie Hall, closed with a dozen concerts across

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

. In 1974-75, Maazel led the Orchestra on a tour of South America and Central America. He also conducted the ensemble’s recording of Gershwin’s ''Porgy and Bess'' — the Orchestra’s first recording of an opera and Decca’s first opera recording in the United States. Three years later, on December 10, 1978, he guided the Orchestra’s 60th anniversary concert, which included Victor Herbert’s ''American Fantasy'' — also played during the ensemble’s debut concert on December 11, 1918. The following fall, however, rumors began to swirl that Maazel was the top candidate for the directorship of the Vienna State Opera. Although the appointment was still several years away, arrangements were made to have Maazel conduct The Cleveland Orchestra through the 1981-82 season before departing for Europe. During the final years of Maazel’s tenure in Cleveland, the Musical Arts Association launched a concert to honor the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which would become an annual tradition, and the Orchestra hosted a 50th anniversary celebration for Severance Hall featuring the same program as the ensemble played on the concert hall’s opening night in 1931 — Bach’s '' Passacaglia in C Minor'', Charles Martin Loeffler’s ''Invocation'', Brahms’s First Symphony, and selections from Beethoven’s '' Missa Solemnis''. Across Maazel’s final season with The Cleveland Orchestra, he would conduct only seven of the season’s subscription series concerts. His last performance at Severance Hall, on May 15, 1982, included a presentation of Verdi’s ''

Requiem A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead ( la, Missa pro defunctis) or Mass of the dead ( la, Missa defunctorum), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, ...

'', which he also brought on tour the following week to

Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 milli ...

, Carnegie Hall, and Woolsey Hall at

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the w ...

. The Verdi had been Maazel’s debut piece in New York with The Cleveland Orchestra at the start of his tenure in 1972.

Later years

In 1977, he became music director of the

in Paris, a position he held until 1991. Interior of the Vienna State Opera (12)

From 1982 to 1984, Maazel served at the Vienna State Opera as general manager and principal conductor. In 1980, he succeeded Willi Boskovsky as conductor at the Vienna New Year's Concert and he led this televised annual event each year, until 1986. He returned to it four times: in 1994, 1996, 1999 and 2005. From 1984 to 1988, Maazel was the music consultant to the

, and its music director from 1988 to 1996. In 1989, expecting – but failing – to become successor to Herbert von Karajan as chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, Maazel suddenly and publicly severed all connections with the orchestra when it was announced that Claudio Abbado was to take over. He claimed that his decision was because he was concerned for the orchestra's well-being. From 1993 until 2002, he was chief conductor of the

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and ...

. In 2000, Maazel made a guest-conducting appearance with the New York Philharmonic in two weeks of subscription concerts after an absence of over twenty years, which met with positive reaction from the orchestra musicians. This engagement led to his appointment in January 2001 as the orchestra's next music director, starting in 2002, succeeding

Kurt Masur Kurt Masur (18 July 1927 – 19 December 2015) was a German conductor. Called "one of the last old-style maestros", he directed many of the principal orchestras of his era. He had a long career as the Kapellmeister of the Leipzig Gewandhaus O ...

. Maazel conducted the New York Philharmonic on their landmark visit to

Pyongyang Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populat ...

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...

on February 26, 2008. He led the orchestra in renditions of the North Korean and United States national anthems, Dvořák's

New World Symphony New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions ' ...

's '' An American in Paris'', and closed with the traditional Korean folk song " Arirang". Maazel stepped down from the New York Philharmonic after the 2008/09 season. In 2004, Maazel became the music director of the Arturo Toscanini Philharmonic. From September 2006 till March 2011, he was the musical director of the

Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana The Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana ( es, Orquesta de la Comunidad Valenciana), is an orchestra based in Valencia, Spain and the resident orchestra of Valencia’s opera house, Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía. History The Orchestra was creat ...

, the house orchestra of the

opera house An opera house is a theatre building used for performances of opera. It usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and building sets. While some venues are constructed specifically fo ...

Palau de les Arts Palau,, officially the Republic of Palau and historically ''Belau'', ''Palaos'' or ''Pelew'', is an island country and microstate in the western Pacific. The nation has approximately 340 islands and connects the western chain of the C ...

Valencia Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. The wider urban area al ...

, Spain. His last concert there as Music Director took place on his 81st birthday on March 6, 2011, conducting his only opera '' 1984''. In March 2010, Maazel was named chief conductor of the

Munich Philharmonic The Munich Philharmonic (german: Münchner Philharmoniker, links=no) is a German symphony orchestra located in the city of Munich. It is one of Munich's four principal orchestras, along with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Munich Ra ...

, effective with the 2012/13 season. Early in 2014, Maazel cancelled concert engagements as a result of ill health. Subsequently, in June 2014, he announced his resignation as music director of the Munich Philharmonic, effective immediately. Maazel conducted the music for three operatic films, ''

Don Giovanni ''Don Giovanni'' (; Köchel catalogue, K. 527; Vienna (1788) title: , literally ''The rake (stock character), Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni'') is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Pon ...

'' (1979), ''

Carmen ''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first performed by the ...

'' (1984) and ''

Otello ''Otello'' () is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare's play '' Othello''. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, on 5 February 1887. ...

'' (1986). His own compositions included a poorly reviewed opera, ''1984'', based on the

George Orwell Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950), better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to totalit ...

novel '' Nineteen Eighty-Four''.Lorin Maazel, inspiring conductor who led New York Philharmonic, dies at 84
/ref> He was depicted conducting Vienna's New Year concert on an Austrian postage stamp issued in 2005. Maazel and his wife,

Dietlinde Turban Dietlinde Turban (born 27 August 1957 in Reutlingen in Germany) is the birth name and stage name of Dietlinde Turban Maazel, a German actress. Her brother is the violinist Ingolf Turban. Dietlinde Turban's first stage appearance at the age of ...

together operated a summer music festival called

Castleton Festival The Castleton Festival, launched in the summer of 2009, is a program of The Chateauville Foundation, established in 1997 by Lorin Maazel and Dietlinde Turban-Maazel. The Castleton Festival is located on Lorin Maazel's estate in Castleton, Virgini ...

at their Castleton, Virginia estate, Castleton Farms. Maazel arranged Wagner's '' Ring Cycle'' into a 70-minute

suite Suite may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Suite (music), a set of musical pieces considered as one composition ** Suite (Bach), a list of suites composed by J. S. Bach ** Suite (Cassadó), a mid-1920s composition by Gaspar Cassadó ** ''Suite ...

, ''The 'Ring' Without Words'', which he recorded in 1987 with the Berlin Philharmonic. In an interview Maazel once said, that if parents of a child prodigy make their child perform as an artist throughout its childhood and youth, they should save all the revenues from such concerts and hand them over to their child when it comes of age, as a compensation for having destroyed the child's childhood and youth. Maazel's catalogue contained over 300 recordings of works by Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, Schubert, Richard Strauss and others. He earned 10

Grand Prix du Disque Grand may refer to: People with the name * Grand (surname) * Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor * Grand Mixer DXT, American turntablist * Grand Puba (born 1966), American rapper Places * Grand, Oklahoma * Grand, Vosges, village and commun ...

awards.

Death

Maazel died on July 13, 2014, at his Castleton Farms estate in Virginia, from complications of pneumonia. He was survived by his daughters Anjali Maazel and Daria Maazel Steketee; son Ilann Maazel and daughter Fiona Maazel; his wife, Dietlinde Turban Maazel, their sons Orson and Leslie, and their daughter Tara, and four grandchildren, Kiran, Owen, Calypso, and Sahara.

Honors

Maazel was a Commander of the Légion d'honneur of the French Republic and of the Finnish Order of the Lion. He was decorated with the

Bundesverdienstkreuz The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellec ...

of the

Federal Republic of Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated between ...

. On 27 May 2013, he received an honorary membership of the Vienna State Opera and the "Großes Goldenes Ehrenzeichen" of

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

. Maazel received the Italian Premio Abbiati and was an Honorary Life Member of the

Israel Philharmonic The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (abbreviation IPO; Hebrew: התזמורת הפילהרמונית הישראלית, ''ha-Tizmoret ha-Filharmonit ha-Yisra'elit'') is an Israeli symphony orchestra based in Tel Aviv. Its principal concert venue ...

. In addition, he was a

Kentucky Colonel Kentucky Colonel is the highest title of honor bestowed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and is the most well-known of a number of honorary colonelcies conferred by United States governors. A Kentucky Colonel Commission (the certificate) i ...

Select recordings

* John Adams: '' On the Transmigration of Souls'' with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra (Nonesuch) Recorded 09/19-24-2002 *

Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classic ...

: Complete Symphonies (1–9), with the Cleveland Orchestra (CBS); *

: ''

Fidelio ''Fidelio'' (; ), originally titled ' (''Leonore, or The Triumph of Marital Love''), Op. 72, is Ludwig van Beethoven's only opera. The German libretto was originally prepared by Joseph Sonnleithner from the French of Jean-Nicolas Bouilly, ...

'', with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Vienna State Opera Concert Choir, featuring soloists

Birgit Nilsson Märta Birgit Nilsson (17 May 1918 – 25 December 2005) was a celebrated Swedish dramatic soprano. Although she sang a wide répertoire of operatic and vocal works, Nilsson was best known for her performances in the operas of Richard Wagner ...

(soprano), James McCracken (tenor), Kurt Böhme (bass), Tom Krause (baritone), Graziella Sciutti (soprano),

Donald Grobe Donald Roth Grobe (16 December 1929 – 1 April 1986) was an American lyric tenor who sang at the '' Deutsche Oper Berlin'' during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He made his début in Chicago, in 1952, as Borsa in '' Rigoletto''. He sang at his firs ...

(tenor), et al. (Decca 448104) * Alban Berg: '' Lulu'', with the Vienna State Opera Orchestra, featuring Julia Migenes (soprano), Brigitte Fassbaender (mezzo-soprano), Theo Adam (baritone), Ryszard Karczykowski (tenor), et al. (RCA 74321 57734 2) * Hector Berlioz: ''

Symphonie Fantastique ' (''Fantastical Symphony: Episode in the Life of an Artist … in Five Sections'') Op. 14, is a program symphony written by the French composer Hector Berlioz in 1830. It is an important piece of the early Romantic period. The first performan ...

'' with the Cleveland Orchestra (Telarc) Recorded 5/10/1982 *

Georges Bizet Georges Bizet (; 25 October 18383 June 1875) was a French composer of the Romantic music, Romantic era. Best known for his operas in a career cut short by his early death, Bizet achieved few successes before his final work, ''Carmen'', whi ...

: ''

'', with the

and the Radio France Chorus, featuring soloists Julia Migenes (soprano),

Plácido Domingo José Plácido Domingo Embil (born 21 January 1941) is a Spanish opera singer, conductor, and arts administrator. He has recorded over a hundred complete operas and is well known for his versatility, regularly performing in Italian, French ...

(tenor), Faith Esham (soprano), Ruggero Raimondi (bass-baritone), Lillian Watson (soprano), Susan Daniel (mezzo-soprano), et al. (Erato New DVD CDR10530) *

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...

: '' The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra'' with Lorin Maazel narrating, with the French National Radio Orchestra, Recorded 1-2/1962 *

Anton Bruckner Josef Anton Bruckner (; 4 September 182411 October 1896) was an Austrian composer, organist, and music theorist best known for his symphonies, masses, Te Deum and motets. The first are considered emblematic of the final stage of Austro-Ger ...

: ''Symphony No.8'' with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (EMI) Recorded 1/1990 * Antonin Dvorak: ''Symphony No.8'' and '' Symphony No.9'' with the Vienna Philharmonic (DG) Recorded 3/1981; 10/1982 * Manuel De Falla: '' El Amor Brujo'' and Dances from '' The Three Cornered Hat'' with the Radio Symphony Orchestra, Berlin (DG) Recorded 6/1965 *

Cesar Franck Cesar, César or Cèsar may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''César'' (film), a 1936 film directed by Marcel Pagnol * ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt * César Award, a French film award Places * Cesar, Portugal * Ce ...

: Symphony in D minor, with the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra (DG) Recorded 1/1967 *

: ''

'', with the Cleveland Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus featuring soloists Leona Mitchell, Willard White,

Florence Quivar Florence Quivar (born March 3, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American operatic mezzo-soprano who is considered to be "one of the most prominent singers of her generation." She has variously been described as having a "rich, earthy sound ...

, Barbara Hendricks, François Clemmons,

McHenry Boatwright John McHenry Boatwright (February 29, 1928November 5, 1994) was an American operatic bass-baritone and singing teacher. Early life and education He was born in Tennille, Georgia, in 1928, and studied piano and voice at the New England Conserva ...

, Arthur Thompson, Barbara Conrad, et al. (Decca) * Gustav Mahler: Complete symphonies (1–9 plus the Adagio of Symphony No. 10), with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. (CBS/Sony) *

Felix Mendelssohn Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions include sym ...

- Symphony No.4 and Symphony No.5 with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (DG) Recorded 4/1960 and 1/1961 * Modest Mussorgsky: '' Pictures at an Exhibition'' (orch. Ravel) and '' Night on Bald Mountain'' (orch.

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov . At the time, his name was spelled Николай Андреевичъ Римскій-Корсаковъ. la, Nicolaus Andreae filius Rimskij-Korsakov. The composer romanized his name as ''Nicolas Rimsk ...

) with the Cleveland Orchestra ( Telarc CD-80042), Recorded 10/20/1978 *

Sergei Prokofiev Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''., group=n (27 April .S. 15 April1891 – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, ...

: ''

Peter and the Wolf ''Peter and the Wolf'' ( rus, Петя и Bолк, r="Pétya i volk", p=ˈpʲetʲə i volk, links=no) Op. 67, a "symphonic fairy tale for children", is a musical composition written by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936. The narrator tells a children's s ...

,'' with Alec Clunes, narrator, with the French National Radio Orchestra (DG) Recorded 1-2/1962 *

: '' Romeo and Juliet'', with the Cleveland Orchestra (Decca) *

Sergei Rachmaninoff Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff; in Russian pre-revolutionary script. (28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one o ...

: with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (DG) ** ''Symphony No.1'' - 4&6/1984 ** '' Symphony No.2'' - 12/1982 ** Symphony No.3 - 11/1981 ** '' Symphonic Dances'', '' Vocalise'', and ''Intermezzo from Aleko'' - 1/1983 ** '' The Rock'' - 4&6/1984 ** '' Isle of the Dead'' *

Maurice Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composers rejected the term. In ...

: '' L'enfant et les sortilèges'', with the French National Radio Orchestra and the Radio France Chorus, featuring soloists Françoise Ogéas (soprano), Jeannine Collard (alto),

Jane Berbié Jane Berbié (born 6 May 1931) is a French mezzo-soprano particularly associated with Mozart and Rossini roles. Life and career Berbié was born Jeanne Bergougne, in Villefranche-de-Lauragais, Haute-Garonne, France, and as a child was ent ...

(soprano), Sylvaine Gilma (soprano), Colette Herzog (soprano), Michel Sénéchal (tenor), Heinz Rehfuss (baritone), et al. (DG 423718) Recorded 11/1960 *

: '' L'Heure espagnole,'' with the French National Radio Orchestra, featuring soloists Jane Berbie (Concepcion, Torquemada's Wife), Jean Gireadeau (Torquemada), Gabriel Bacquier (Ramiro, muleteer), Jose van Dam (Don Iñigo Gomez, banker), Michel Senechal (Gonzalve, student) (DG) Recorded 2/1965 *

: '' Daphnis et Chloé'', with the Cleveland Orchestra (Decca 4250 492) *

Ottorino Respighi Ottorino Respighi ( , , ; 9 July 187918 April 1936) was an Italian composer, violinist, teacher, and musicologist and one of the leading Italian composers of the early 20th century. His compositions range over operas, ballets, orchestral su ...

: '' Pines of Rome'', with the Berliner Philharmonic (DG 138 033) Recorded 12/1958 *

: '' Pines of Rome'' and '' Roman Festivals'', with the Cleveland Orchestra (Decca) Recorded 5/1976 * Nicholas Rimsky-Korsakov: ''Suite from The Golden Cockerel'', with the Cleveland Orchestra (Decca) Recorded 10/1979 * Nicholas Rimsky-Korsakov: ''Symphony No.2'', with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (Telarc) Recorded 3/1986 *

Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wo ...

: with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (DG) **'' Symphony No.2 -'' 3/1962 **'' Symphony No.3 -'' 3/1962 **'' Symphony No.4 -'' 11/1959 **'' Symphony No.5 -'' 1/1961 **'' Symphony No.6 -'' 1/1961 **'' Symphony No.8 -'' 11/1959 *

Alexander Scriabin Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin (; russian: Александр Николаевич Скрябин ; – ) was a Russian composer and virtuoso pianist. Before 1903, Scriabin was greatly influenced by the music of Frédéric Chopin and composed ...

: '' Piano Concerto in F sharp'' and ''Prometheus'' with London Philharmonic Orchestra,

Vladimir Ashkenazy Vladimir Davidovich Ashkenazy (russian: Влади́мир Дави́дович Ашкена́зи, ''Vladimir Davidovich Ashkenazi''; born 6 July 1937) is an internationally recognized solo pianist, chamber music performer, and conductor. He ...

, piano (London) Recorded 4/1971 *

: '' The Poem of Ecstasy'', with the Cleveland Orchestra (London) Recorded 5/1978 * Dmitri Shostakovich: ''Symphony No.5'', with Cleveland Orchestra (Telarc) Recorded 4/1981 *

Jean Sibelius Jean Sibelius ( ; ; born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius; 8 December 186520 September 1957) was a Finnish composer of the late Romantic and early-modern periods. He is widely regarded as his country's greatest composer, and his music is often ...

: Complete symphonies (1–7), with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. (Decca 430778) Recorded 1963-1968 *

Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras, he has been described as a successor of Richard Wag ...

: Symphonic Poems, with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. * Igor Stravinsky: '' The Firebird Suite'' and '' Song of the Nightingale'', with Radio Symphony Orchestra, Berlin (DG) 11/1957 * Igor Stravinsky: '' The Rite of Spring'' with the Cleveland Orchestra (Telarc) Recorded 5/14/1980 * Peter Tchaikovsky: ''Symphony No.2'' with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (Telarc) Recorded 3/1986 * Peter Tchaikovsky: ''Symphony No.4'' with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (DG) Recorded 1/1960 * Andrew Lloyd Webber: Variations with Julian Lloyd Webber (

cello The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a bowed (sometimes plucked and occasionally hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually tuned in perfect fifths: from low to high, C2, G2, ...

) and the London Philharmonic Orchestra (Philips 420 342) * Andrew Lloyd Webber:

with

, Sarah Brightman, Paul Miles-Kington and the English Chamber Orchestra (EL 270242 1) *

Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...

: The "Ring" Without Words, with the Berliner Philharmoniker (TELARC 80154)

References/

External links

Lorin Maazel official website

Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra

Oral History Collection at the University of Pittsburgh, Marie Maazel in 1974

Oral History Collection at the University of Pittsburgh, Lincoln Maazel in 1994

*
Interview with Marion Maazel mother of Lorin Maazel (1974)
''University of Pittsburgh''
The Châteauville Foundation
was established at Castleton Farms, VA in 1997 by Lorin and Dietlinde Maazel. The Foundation's mission is to nurture young artists, foster collaborative artistic enterprise and create opportunities within the community for shared cultural experience.

October 22, 1986
Castleton Festival, "Maestro Lorin Maazel – 1930–2014". 13 July 2014

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO (YouTube)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maazel, Lorin 1930 births 2014 deaths 20th-century American conductors (music) 21st-century American conductors (music) American child musicians American classical violinists Male classical violinists American male violinists American male conductors (music) Child classical musicians Deaths from pneumonia in Virginia General Directors of the Vienna State Opera Grammy Award winners Honorary Members of the Royal Philharmonic Society Members of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts Music directors (opera) Music directors of the Vienna State Opera Musicians from Pittsburgh Opera managers Musicians from Shaker Heights, Ohio University of Pittsburgh alumni 21st-century American composers Music directors of the New York Philharmonic American male classical composers American classical composers American people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent Jewish American classical composers Jewish violinists 20th-century classical violinists 20th-century American composers 20th-century American Jews 20th-century American violinists Knights Commander of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Infectious disease deaths in Virginia Erato Records artists