On Air Now
Classic FM's More Music Breakfast with Tim Lihoreau 6am - 9am
Lorin Maazel: a life in pictures
Child prodigy, composer and consummate conductor: we celebrate the incredible career of Lorin Maazel, who died on 13 July 2014, at the age of 84.
-
1. Lorin Maazel: 1930 - 2014
Born in 1930 to Jewish American parents in France, Maazel showed musical promise from a young age. It's perhaps no surprise, considering his musical heritage: his father worked as a singing teacher, his mother founded the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, and his grandfather, Isaac, was a violinist in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Photo: Facebook/Lorin Maazel
-
2. Lorin Maazel: child prodigy
The young conductor made his podium debut at the age of eight, touring America and performing with the country's major orchestras. Photo: Facebook/Lorin Maazel
-
3. Lorin Maazel's first job
By his eleventh birthday, Maazel had already shared a podium with the legendary conductor Leopold Stokowski. He secured his first steady conducting job in 1942 at the tender age of twelve. Photo: Facebook/Lorin Maazel
-
4. Lorin Maazel: violinist
As well as an in-demand conductor, Maazel was also a talented violinist, giving recitals throughout his career and composing for the instrument. Photo: Getty
-
5. Conducting at Bayreuth
In 1960, Maazel became the first American to be invited to conduct at the annual Wagner festival in Bayreuth. Photo: Getty
-
-
6. A prolific conducting career
In 1965 Maazel became chief conductor of the German Opera Orchestra, Berlin until 1971, and the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1965 to 1975. Photo: Getty
-
7. Lorin Maazel and Karajan
Following his prolific career conducting European orchestras, in 1989 Maazel tried hard to succeed Herbert von Karajan as chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. The late Claudio Abbado was appointed, to Maazel's professional dismay. Photo: Getty
-
8. Lorin Maazel and Porgy and Bess
When working with the Cleveland Orchestra in 1972, Maazel made the first recording of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess using an all-black cast. Photo: Getty
-
9. Lorin Maazel in Vienna
Maazel also had a close association with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and regularly conducted the Viennese New Year's Day Concerts. Here he is with a specially commissioned bronze bust gifted to him by the orchestra. Photo: Getty
-
10. Lorin Maazel: composer
As well as his work for violin, Maazel wrote an opera based on George Orwell's 1984, which he directed at Covent Garden and the New York Metropolitan Opera. Photo: Getty
-
-
11. Lorin Maazel at Castleton Festival
In 2009, Maazel and his wife founded the Castleton Festival, which aims to showcase classical musicians at the start of their career. He was rehearsing for this festival in July 2014 when he became ill from pneumonia - from which he died of complications.
-
12. Lorin Maazel's final concerts
The very last concerts Maazel ever conducted were in March 2014 with Philharmonia Orchestra in Basingstoke, Leicester and London. Photo: Getty
