“Wednesday’s (July 18) Google Doodle celebrates the life of Maestro Kurt Masur, the iconic German conductor and humanitarian on what would have been his 91st birthday,” writes Alessandra Rincón in Wednesday’s (7/18) Billboard. “Born in 1927 in the now-Polish town of Brieg, Masur grew up studying music and while under Communist rule in East Germany he trained as a pianist, organist, cellist and percussionist. After a tendon injury … Masur turned to conducting … He conducted multiple East German orchestras and was eventually given the prestigious role leading the Leipzig Gewanghaus…. Masur went on to have an amazing musical career, landing the top posts at the London Philharmonic, the Orchestre National de France, and the New York Philharmonic … Masur was a devoted and decorated humanitarian. In 1989, when East Germans began to revolt against Communist Soviet rule, Masur intervened and worked to keep the peace by facilitating meetings between protestors and political leaders … Because of this, post-communist, pre-reunification leaders of East Germany thought he might have a political career in his future and some seriously considered him for president…. Masur passed away on December 19, 2015, at the age of 88 in Greenwich, Connecticut.”
Posted July 18, 2018
