Doráti, Antal

Doráti, Antal, distinguished Hungarian-born American conductor and composer; b. Budapest, April 9, 1906; d. Gerzensee, near Bern, Nov. 13, 1988. He studied with Leo Weiner, both privately and at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, where he also received instruction in composition from Kodály (1920–24). He was on the staff of the Budapest Opera (1924–28); after conducting at the Dresden State Opera (1928–29), he was Generalmusikdirektor in Munster (1929–32). In 1933 he went to France, where he conducted the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo, which he took on a tour of Australia (1938). He made his U.S. debut as guest conductor with the National Sym. Orch. in Washington, D.C., in 1937. In 1940 he settled in the U.S., becoming a naturalized citizen in 1947. He began his American career as music director of the American Ballet Theatre in N.Y (1941–44); after serving as conductor of the Dallas Sym. Orch. (1945–9), he was music director of the Minneapolis Sym. Orch. (1949–60). From 1963 to 1966 he was chief conductor of the BBC Sym. Orch. in London; then of the Stockholm Phil. (1966–70). He was music director of the National Sym. Orch. in Washington, D.C. (1970–77), and of the Detroit Sym. Orch. (1977–81); was also principal conductor of the Royal Phil, in London (1975–79). He made numerous guest conducting appearances in Europe and North America, earning a well- deserved reputation as an orch. builder. His prolific recording output made him one of the best-known conductors of his time. His recordings of Haydn operas and all the Haydn syms. were particularly commendable. In 1984 he was made an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In 1969 he married Use von Alpenheim, who often appeared as a soloist under his direction. His autobiography was publ. as Notes of Seven Decades (London, 1979).

Works

Divertimenton for Orch.; Graduation Ball, ballet, arranged from the waltzes of Johann Strauss; The Way of the Cross, dramatic cantata (Minneapolis, April 19, 1957); 2 syms.: No. 1 (Minneapolis, March 18, 1960) and No. 2, Querela pads (Detroit, April 24, 1986); 7 Pieces for Orch. (1961; perf. as a ballet, Maddalend); Piano Concerto (1974; Washington, D.C., Oct. 28, 1975); Cello Concerto (Louisville, Oct. 1,1976); chamber music.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire