Blau, Jenö Ormandy
Born: Nov 18, 1899 AD
Died: 1985 AD, at 85 years of age.
Nationality: Hungarian
Categories: Conductors
Died: 1985 AD, at 85 years of age.
Nationality: Hungarian
Categories: Conductors
1899 - Born on November 18th in Budapest. Hungarian-born American conductor who was identified with the Late Romantic and early 20th-century repertoire.
1913 - Ormandy graduated from the Budapest Royal Academy, where he studied violin with Jenö Hubay, at age 14.
1916 - By age 17 he was a professor of violin, undertaking concert tours throughout Central Europe. Lured to New York City by the prospect of a U.S. tour, he instead ended up playing the violin in the orchestra of the Capitol Theatre, accompanying silent films.
1924 - He stood in for the regular conductor and thereupon chose conducting as his career. He began conducting light classics for radio and appearing at summer concerts, which led to a position as deputy for Arturo Toscanini during a major concert series of the Philadelphia Orchestra.
1931-1936 - A contract with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra ensued, and he remained there, gaining national prominence with a series of recordings.
- He returned to the Philadelphia Orchestrato share the conductorship with Leopold Stokowski.
1938-1980 - Ormandy was made principal conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra, a post that he held until he retired.
- Ormandy shaped the orchestra's sound by developing the lush, velvety string colour that became its trademark.
1985 - Died on March 12th in Philadelphia.
1913 - Ormandy graduated from the Budapest Royal Academy, where he studied violin with Jenö Hubay, at age 14.
1916 - By age 17 he was a professor of violin, undertaking concert tours throughout Central Europe. Lured to New York City by the prospect of a U.S. tour, he instead ended up playing the violin in the orchestra of the Capitol Theatre, accompanying silent films.
1924 - He stood in for the regular conductor and thereupon chose conducting as his career. He began conducting light classics for radio and appearing at summer concerts, which led to a position as deputy for Arturo Toscanini during a major concert series of the Philadelphia Orchestra.
1931-1936 - A contract with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra ensued, and he remained there, gaining national prominence with a series of recordings.
- He returned to the Philadelphia Orchestrato share the conductorship with Leopold Stokowski.
1938-1980 - Ormandy was made principal conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra, a post that he held until he retired.
- Ormandy shaped the orchestra's sound by developing the lush, velvety string colour that became its trademark.
1985 - Died on March 12th in Philadelphia.
Page last updated: 10:42pm, 10th May '07