Peter Maag
A highly competent conductor whose repertory was extensive, Peter Maag made his reputation in Europe, but was a presence in American theaters as well. Although most of his life was devoted to opera, he made several recordings that honestly represented his eloquence in the symphonic literature and suggested that he might have made an even more appreciable impact there had he spent more time in concert work. After musical training in Zürich and Basel, Maag studied with Ernest Ansermet in Geneva and soon became an assistant to the elder conductor. He served first as coach and chorus master in Biel-Solothum beginning in 1943, two years later working his way to full conductor. He served as principal conductor at Düsseldorf from 1952 to 1954 before becoming music director at Bonn from 1954 to 1959. Maag's Covent Garden debut came in 1959 when he conducted Die Zauberflöte. From 1964 to 1968, Maag held the post of principal conductor at the Volksoper in Vienna. Meanwhile, Maag had made his American debut at the Lyric Opera of Chicago conducting a November 1, 1961, performance of Così fan tutte. For his Fiordiligi, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf was ill, likely contributing to the caution evident in the performance. Maag was even less fortunate with Don Giovanni when Schwarzkopf succumbed and Lisa della Casa had to be flown in to sing Donna Elvira. Still, the first performance was well regarded and subsequent performances were better still when Schwarzkopf returned as Elvira. Despite a wayward horn section, Maag did well with the Lyric's Fidelio, firing an intense performance with Birgit Nilsson and Jon Vickers. Making his Metropolitan Opera debut with Don Giovanni in September 1972, Maag conducted there for three seasons. Other assignments included Norma, Die Zauberflöte, and La Traviata. Critics found him supportive of his singers, but deficient in eliciting orchestral sheen in the Verdi. From 1982 to 1991, Maag served as music director of the Berne Municipal Opera. Among Maag's most notable recordings are those devoted to the symphonies of Beethoven (the complete cycle), Mendelssohn, Mozart, Schubert, and the piano and orchestra works of Schumann. For Decca, he led a Luisa Miller with Milnes, Caballé, and Pavarotti. Several other operas are available in recordings captured from stage performances.
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W.A. Mozart: Mass in C minor K.427 "Great Mass"
Athestis Chorus, Orchestra Di Padova E Del Veneto, Peter Maag
Classical - Released by Arts Productions Ltd on 7 Nov 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
W.A. Mozart: Idomeneo, Re Di Creta K. 366
Coro RAI Di Roma, Peter Maag, Orchestra Sinfonica RAI di Roma
Opera - Released by Arts Productions Ltd on 7 Nov 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice
Coro De La Comunidad De Madrid, Orquesta Sinfonica De Galicia, Peter Maag
Opera - Released by Arts Productions Ltd on 7 Nov 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 6
Orchestra Di Padova E Del Veneto, Peter Maag
Symphonic Music - Released by Arts Productions Ltd on 7 Nov 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 & Concert Suite From The Nutcracker
Orchestra Sinfonica RAI di Roma, Peter Maag
Classical - Released by Arts Productions Ltd on 7 Nov 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Symphony No.38 - "Prague"; German Dances; Thamos Interludes
London Symphony Orchestra, Peter Maag
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 19 Jun 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Horn Concertos Nos.1-4; Notturno for Four Orchestras
Barry Tuckwell, London Symphony Orchestra, Peter Maag
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mendelssohn - Symphony No.3 Op. 56
Peter Maag, Orquesta Sinfonica De Madrid
Classical - Released by Send - Alia on 16 Nov 2002
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: Der vierjährige Posten, D. 190 (Live)
Classical - Released by Bongiovanni on 4 Sep 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Delibes: Suite de Sylvia & Extraits de La source (Mono Version)
Ernest Ansermet, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Ernest Ansermet, Peter Maag
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1961
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Concertos pour piano et orchestre Nos. 13 & 20 (Mono Version)
Julius Katchen, London Symphony Orchestra, Peter Maag
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1962
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Schumann: Spring Symphony; Overture, Scherzo & Finale etc.
Berner Symphonieorchester, Peter Maag
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 29 Sep 1988
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ticho Parly Sings Wagner
Ticho Parly, Peter Maag, Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin
Classical - Released by Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. on 5 Feb 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 29 & 36 "Linz" (Mono Version)
Karl Böhm, Peter Maag, Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1960
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Serenades Nos. 4 & 9 (The Peter Maag Edition - Volume 1)
Classical - Released by Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. on 5 Feb 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
W.A. Mozart: Cosi Fan Tutte
Coro RAI Di Roma, Peter Maag, Orchestra Sinfonica RAI di Roma
Opera - Released by Arts Productions Ltd on 7 Nov 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Franz Schubert: The Symphonies 1, 2, 3 & 4
Peter Maag, Philharmonia Hungarica
Symphonic Music - Released by AliaDigital on 21 Jan 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Red Edition - Mozart: Symphony No. 36 "Linz Symphony" & Nos. 45-46
Peter Maag, Philharmonia Hungarica
Classical - Released by RED COLLECTION by a.m. publishing house on 19 Mar 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Heroines from Great French Operas
Anna Moffo, New Philharmonic Orchestra, Peter Maag, Alexander Faris, John McCarthy
Opera - Released by Flare Records on 25 Sep 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mendelssohn - Symphony No.4, Op.90
Peter Maag, Orquesta Sinfonica De Madrid
Classical - Released by Send - Alia on 16 Nov 2002
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Symphonie No. 27, 30 und 36
Mainzer Kammerorchester, Günter Kehr, Philharmonia Hungarica, Peter Maag
Classical - Released by Adora on 15 Jan 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo