István Kertész
An inordinately gifted conductor, István Kertész died at age 43 in a tragic drowning off the Israeli coast. He had already reached full maturity as a musician, proving his worth in opera, oratorio, and the symphonic repertory. His interests were wide-ranging, including works from the Classical and Romantic periods and large portions of twentieth century music.
Beginning with private lessons in childhood, Kertész studied piano and violin. He continued with violin training at the Ferenc Liszt Academy in Budapest, adding composition under the supervision of such teachers as Weiner and Kodály. He pursued his conducting studies with László Somogyi, at the same time benefiting from studying the performances of Otto Klemperer, who was then working at the Hungarian State Opera. In 1953, Kertész was appointed resident conductor at Györ, two years later transferring his activities to Budapest, where he was hired as coach and conductor. Following the political uprising and Soviet response in 1956, Kertész moved with his family to Germany, subsequently acquiring German citizenship.
From 1958 to 1963, Kertész was general music director at Augsburg. His British debut took place with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in 1960, followed by appearances with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1961. His American debut came with a tour with the NDR Symphony Orchestra in 1961, during which he made a positive impression on American audiences and critics alike. An appointment as general music director in Cologne came in 1964 and 1966 brought both a Covent Garden debut, directing Un ballo in maschera. A global tour with the London Symphony Orchestra led to his succeeding Pierre Monteux as LSO principal conductor in 1966. In 1971, he became music director of Cologne's Gürzenich-Orchester, a position he held until his death two years later.
Kertész was decidedly non-interventionist as a conductor. With scrupulous attention to the composer's directions, his interpretations were more remarkable for sound musicianship than for striking individualism. Still, his performances often held high drama, and he was intentional about advocacy of works he believed in, which, in light of his broad interests, were numerous. At Cologne, he presented the German premiere of Verdi's Stiffelio as well as Mozart's La clemenza di Tito (a work he recorded in its first complete edition on disc).
For Decca, Kertész recorded a superb Bluebeard's Castle with Christa Ludwig and Walter Berry, still unsurpassed after several decades. His complete recordings of the Dvorák, Brahms, and Schubert symphonies still enjoy honorable places among the best versions committed to disc. The first Western recording of Kodály's Háry János (the complete opera) was made with the London Symphony under Kertész's direction. The Decca label coupling of Dvorák's Requiem and Kodály's Psalmus Hungaricus is another fitting tribute to a superb artist too soon departed.
In addition to Bartók, Kertész was an indefatigable champion of works by Stravinsky, Henze, and Britten. Britten's Billy Budd was first presented to German audiences under Kertész's baton and he directed the first performance of the War Requiem heard in Vienna. For Ravinia Festival audiences, Kertész directed the War Requiem with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus shortly before his death. With soloists Phyllis Curtin, Robert Tear, and John Shirley-Quirk, the conductor's shattering interpretation left audience members limp.
© TiVo
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Dvorak: Requiem Mass/Mass in D
London Symphony Orchestra, István Kertész, Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford, Simon Preston
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Serenade Nr.1, Op.11 & Nr.2, Op.16
London Symphony Orchestra, István Kertész
Classical - Released by Decca on 1 Jan 1968
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Zoltan Kodály : Psalmus Hungaricus - Missa Brevis...
Lajos Kozma, London Symphony Orchestra, István Kertész, Brighton Festival Chorus, Laszlo Heltay
Sacred Vocal Music - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 1992
The Qobuz Essential Discography16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Classical - Released by Myto Historical on 3 May 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 'Romantic'
Istvan Kertesz, London Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by >ReNovo< on 28 Aug 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Kodaly: Psalmus Hungaricus; Missa Brevis; Pange Lingua; Psalm 114; Hymn of Zrinyi; Laudes Organi. Bartok: Cantata profana
István Kertész, Sir Georg Solti
Classical - Released by Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. on 1 Jan 1971
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Haydn: Sinfonie No. 45 "Farewell" - Sinfonie No. 101 "The Clock"
Bamberger Symphoniker, István Kertész, Heinz Wallberg
Classical - Released by Adora on 3 May 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 "From the New World" (Live)
Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, István Kertész
Classical - Released by SWR Mediaservices GmbH on 1 May 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73 "Emperor": II. Adagio un poco mosso
Hans richter-Haaser, István Kertész, Philharmonia Orchestra
Classical - Released by The state51 Conspiracy Ltd on 3 Apr 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104 "Romantic" (1881 Version, Haas Edition) (Live)
István Kertész, London Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Urania Records on 30 Nov 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven, Strauss & Bartók: Orchestral Works (Live)
Berliner Philharmoniker, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, István Kertész
Classical - Released by Orfeo on 28 Oct 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Musik an westfälischen Adelshöfen, Vol. 1
Wolfgang Brunner, Janet See, István Kertész, Ludger Rémy
Classical - Released by Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm on 1 Sep 1991
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvorak The Water Goblin, My Home, The Noonday Witch, Husitska and The Golden Spinning Wheel
István Kertész, London Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Mangora Classical on 11 Jun 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos.4-6
London Symphony Orchestra, István Kertész
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 19 May 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37 - Schubert: Symphony No. 8 in B Minor, D. 759 "Unfinished" (Live)
London Symphony Orchestra, István Kertész
Classical - Released by Urania Records on 30 Nov 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 2, Piano Sonata No. 9 & 6 Bagatelles
Carl Seemann, NDR Sinfonieorchester, István Kertész
Classical - Released by Orfeo on 1 Jan 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bruckner: Symphony No. 4
István Kertész, London Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. on 1 Jan 1966
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73 "Emperor" & Rondo in C Major, Op. 51 No. 1
Hans richter-Haaser, István Kertész, Philharmonia Orchestra
Classical - Released by The state51 Conspiracy on 3 Apr 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73 "Emperor": I. Allegro
Hans richter-Haaser, István Kertész, Philharmonia Orchestra
Classical - Released by The state51 Conspiracy Ltd on 3 Apr 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Red Edition - Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 4 "Grand Sonata" & Symphony No. 4, Op. 60
Alfred Brendel, István Kertész, Bamberg Symphony
Classical - Released by RED COLLECTION by a.m. publishing house on 11 Dec 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Viviani: Capricci Armonici Da Chiesa E Da Camera, Op. 4
István Kertész, Rezsö Pertorini, Judit Peteri
Chamber Music - Released by Hungaroton on 15 Jul 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo