Martin Turnovský

Martin Turnovský (born September 29, 1928 in Prague , † May 19, 2021 in Vienna ) was a Czech conductor .

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He studied at the Prague Music Academy under the direction of the former chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Karel Ančerl and later with George Szell . In 1958 he won first prize at the International Conducting Competition in Besançon (France).

From 1963 to 1966 he was chief conductor of the Radio Symphony Orchestra in Pilsen, after which he became chief conductor of the Saxon State Orchestra in Dresden and general music director of the Dresden State Opera for two seasons (1966–1968). In 1960–1968 he was also a permanent guest conductor of the Czech Philharmonic and permanent conductor of the Brno Philharmonic .

Martin Turnovský was one of the most famous conductors in Czechoslovakia. During this productive period he made recordings with the Czech Philharmonic and the Prague Symphony Orchestra , and his recording of Bohuslav Martinů's Fourth Symphony was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque .

After troops from the Warsaw Pact countries invaded Czechoslovakia as a result of the Prague Spring in August 1968, Turnovský emigrated to Austria and received Austrian citizenship. After emigrating, he conducted various orchestras and became director of the Norwegian State Opera in Oslo (1975–1980) and musical director of the Bonn Opera (1979–83). He was a. involved in opera productions of the Deutsche Oper Berlin , the State Opera Stuttgart , the Royal Opera in Stockholm , the Théâtre du Capitole Toulouse , the Welsh National Opera .

Turnovský played among other things

• the New York Philharmonic ,
• the Cleveland Orchestra ,
• the Detroit Symphony Orchestra ,
• the London Philharmonic Orchestra ,
• the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra ,
• the Orchester de la Suisse Romande ,
• the Vienna Symphony Orchestra ,
• the Bamberg Symphony ,
• the Toronto Symphony Orchestra ,
• the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra ,
• the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra ,
• the Gunma Symphony Orchestra (as honorary conductor)
• the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra .

After the Velvet Revolution of 1989 he returned to Prague and was chief conductor of the Prague Symphony Orchestra (FOK) from 1992 to 1996 .

In 1999 Turnovský received the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art, 1st class .

Web links

• Works by and about Martin Turnovský in the catalog of the German National Library
• Martin Turnovský at Discogs

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Martin Turnovsky (1928-2021). In: klasikaplus.cz. May 19, 2021, accessed May 20, 2021 (Czech). 
2. ↑ Aryeh Oron: Martin Turnovský with Bach Cantatas, August 2005 (English)
3. ↑ Mathias Nofze: Martin Turnovsky conducts Beethoven Orchestra. ( Memento from October 29, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) In: General-Anzeiger (Bonn) , June 7, 2008
4. ^ Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art 1st Class to Martin Turnovský. In: Radio Praha International . April 13, 1999 .