Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos
Probably there are not many internationally known Spanish conductors, but if that is so, Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos is a notable exception. I have been aware of him for many years and he was a frequent visitor to the London scene from the sixties onwards. He is now in his seventieth third year and I see was conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra a few years ago during their interregnum between conductors. The programme consisted of Beethoven’s 6th. Symphony and Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and a reviewer in Boston’s web newspaper ‘The Tech’ writes of ‘his grandiose gestures’ and notices that he conducted without a score and inspired an orchestra which apparently was not at its best.
Burgos was born in the city of that name and his early studies were at the Bilbao conservatory, and later he became the conductor of that city’s orchestra. He also studied in Madrid and in Munich and has held a wide variety of posts. He is presently the Conductor Emeritus of the Spanish National Orchestra and the Chief Conductor and Arts Director of the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra whose prospectus for the 2005-6 Season I have been looking at. It shows the breadth of Burgos’ musical appreciation and expertise.
So no specialist, this reputable and reliable conductor of many years, a fact emphasised by the 100 recordings he has made throughout his career and with many different orchestras. I have one of them –Carl Orff’s uproarious cantata ‘Carmina Burana played on an HMV disc with bravura and finesse.
Burgos was granted Spain’s most important musical award, the Jacinto Guerrero award, which was handed to him in 1997 by Queen Sophia of Spain.
B.R.
Burgos was born in the city of that name and his early studies were at the Bilbao conservatory, and later he became the conductor of that city’s orchestra. He also studied in Madrid and in Munich and has held a wide variety of posts. He is presently the Conductor Emeritus of the Spanish National Orchestra and the Chief Conductor and Arts Director of the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra whose prospectus for the 2005-6 Season I have been looking at. It shows the breadth of Burgos’ musical appreciation and expertise.
So no specialist, this reputable and reliable conductor of many years, a fact emphasised by the 100 recordings he has made throughout his career and with many different orchestras. I have one of them –Carl Orff’s uproarious cantata ‘Carmina Burana played on an HMV disc with bravura and finesse.
Burgos was granted Spain’s most important musical award, the Jacinto Guerrero award, which was handed to him in 1997 by Queen Sophia of Spain.
B.R.
posted by Euroresidentes at 10:36 AM
1 Comments:
I sang Carmina Burana in the chorus under Maestro Fruhback de Burgos some 30 years ago with the Cleveland Orchestra. He is the most exciting, passionate, unique and creative conductor I have ever experienced. His interpretation of everything is unparalled and transcendent. The musicians in the Cleveland Orchestra and Boston Symphony obviously deeply repected him - a fairly rare occurrence with this discriminating bunch. I am thrilled to have known him for a brief period and hope to see him conduct again. Am now singing Carmina Burana with the Jacksonville Symphony and will miss Maestro Fruhbeck. There is no one like him.
Lorraine Mallet
lorrmall@msn.com
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