Kletzki, Paul (originally, Pawel Klecki)
Kletzki, Paul (originally, Pawel Klecki)
Kletzki, Paul (originally, Pawel Klecki) distinguished Polish-born Swiss conductor; b. Lodz, March 21, 1900; d. while rehearsing the Royal Liverpool Phil, in Liverpool, March 5, 1973. He studied composition at the Warsaw Cons., where he also received instruction in violin from Mlynarski. After further studies at the Berlin Academy of Music, he played in the Lodz Phil. (1914–19). He was active as a conductor and composer in Berlin (1921–33), then taught composition at Milan’s Scuola Supcriora di Musica. At the outbreak of World War II (1939), he settled in Switzerland, becoming a naturalized Swiss citizen in 1947. After the war, he pursued a notable conducting career, appearing as a guest conductor with many of the major European orchs.; he also conducted in North and South America, and maintained a close association with the Israel Phil. He was music director of the Dallas Sym. Orch. (1958–62), the Bern Sym. Orch. (1964–66), and lOrchestre de la Suisse Romande in Geneva (1968–70). He was a fine interpreter of the Romantic orch. repertoire, excelling in both the Austro-German and the Slavic schools. He composed 4 syms., a Piano Concerto, a Violin Concerto, chamber music, and songs, but most of his works were destroyed by the havoc wreaked during World War II
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire