by Rose of Sharon Winter
synopsis
This performance video is one of a three-part series featuring three of the greatest conductors of all time: Fritz Reiner, Arturo Toscanini, and George Szell. This segment features George Szell, the precise and austere director of the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra. He studied under Toscanini, and led many European orchestras before settling in the United States. Most of his career was spent developing the Cleveland Orchestra into its great stature. In this televised performance, made in 1961, Szell is shown at his best. Selections include Mussorgsky's Prelude to Khovanshchina, Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C minor, and the Roman Carnival Overture by Berlioz.
