Hermann Levi (7 November 1839 – 13 May 1900) was aGerman Jewishorchestral conductor.
Levi was born inGiessen,Germany, the son of arabbi. He was educated at Giessen andMannheim, and came toVinzenz Lachner's notice. From 1855 to 1858 Levi studied at theLeipzig Conservatory, and after a series of travels which took him toParis, he obtained his first post as music director atSaarbrücken, which post he exchanged for that at Mannheim in 1861. From 1862 to 1864 he was chief conductor of the German Opera inRotterdam, then until 1872 atKarlsruhe, when he went toMunich, a post he held until 1896, when ill health compelled him to resign.[1] Levi also taught at the Leipzig Conservatory, where his pupils included the conductorEmil Steinbach.
Levi's name is indissolubly connected with the increased public appreciation ofRichard Wagner's music.[1] He was a longtime friend of Wagner; when preparing for the inauguralBayreuth Festival, he wrote to his father, "Wagner is the best and noblest of men ... I thank God daily for the privilege to be close to such a man. It is the most beautiful experience of my life".[2] He conducted the first performance ofParsifal atBayreuth in 1882, even though Wagner initially objected to this and was quoted as saying that Levi should be baptized before conducting it. However,Ludwig II of Bavaria, who was Wagner's patron, told him in a letter that "Nothing is more repugnant, nothing less edifying than such squabbles; people after all are brothers, in spite of all denominational differences."[3] Levi was connected with the musical life atBayreuth during the remainder of his career. He visitedLondon in 1895,[1] and died in Munich in 1900. He was interred in a mausoleum in the grounds of his villa later that year inGarmisch-Partenkirchen.
During his early years, Levi also worked as a composer. His firstopus number was apiano concerto published in Paris, besides which he also wrote aviolin sonata.
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Levi, Hermann".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 511.Bayerisches Staatsorchester General Music Directors | ||
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