Schmidt-Isserstedt, Hans
Schmidt-Isserstedt, Hans
Schmidt-Isserstedt, Hans, respected German conductor; b. Berlin, May 5, 1900; d. Holm-Holstein, near Hamburg, May 28, 1973. He studied composition with Schreker at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik; also took courses at the univs. of Berlin, Heidelberg, and Münster. In 1923 he became a répétiteur at the Wuppertal Opera; after conducting opera in Rostock (1928–31) and Darmstadt (1931–33), he held the post of first conductor at the Hamburg State Opera (1935–43); then joined the Deutsche Oper in Berlin, where he was made Generalmusikdirektor in 1944. In 1945 he was mandated by the British occupation authorities with the direction of the music section of the Hamburg Radio; he organized the North German Radio Sym. Orch., which he led with notable distinction until his retirement in 1971; was also chief conductor of the Stockholm Phil. (1955–64). He appeared widely as a guest conductor; also conducted at Covent Garden in London and at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. He was especially admired for his cultured performances of the Austro-German repertoire.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire