George Wolfgang Cleve (July 9, 1936 – August 27, 2015) was an Austrian-born American conductor. He was best known for his interpretation of Mozart.

Life

Born in Vienna, the son of Felix Cleve (born Feb. 8th, 1890 in Vienna) and the former Melitta Monheit, the family emigrated from Austria in 1938 after the ''

Anschluss The (, or , ), also known as the (, en, Annexation of Austria), was the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into the German Reich on 13 March 1938. The idea of an (a united Austria and Germany that would form a " Greater Germany ...

'', and settled in New York City in 1940. Cleve studied at

The High School of Music & Art The High School of Music & Art, informally known as "Music & Art" (or "M&A"), was a public specialized high school located at 443-465 West 135th Street in the borough of Manhattan, New York, from 1936 until 1984. In 1961, Music & Art and the High ...

and the

Mannes College of Music Mannes School of Music is a music conservatory in The New School, a private research university in New York City. In the fall of 2015, Mannes moved from its previous location on Manhattan's Upper West Side to join the rest of the New School cam ...

. He was a student of Leonard Bernstein, George Szell and

Pierre Monteux Pierre Benjamin Monteux (; 4 April 18751 July 1964) was a French (later American) conductor. After violin and viola studies, and a decade as an orchestral player and occasional conductor, he began to receive regular conducting engagements in ...

. Monteux was the one whom suggested Cleve as a substitute conductor for a concert at the Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco, in 1960, which marked Cleve's professional debut.

Career

Cleve was music director of the

Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (WSO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Its primary concert venue is the Centennial Concert Hall, and the orchestra also performs throughout the province of Manitoba. The WSO presents an average ...

from 1968-1970. He subsequently served as music director of the

San Jose Symphony The San Jose Symphony Orchestra was a symphony orchestra performing in San Jose, California. It performed in the Civic Auditorium through 1971, and the Center for the Performing Arts afterwards until its suspension in 2001 and dissolution in 20 ...

from 1972 to 1992. He was respected, but also demanding, as musicians noted: :: 'Notorious for his moods and angry outbursts during rehearsals, Cleve could offend his players. Gilda Mazzanti, a violinist, once said, "There were many pieces that we played with clenched teeth; if you only knew what we sometimes went through." :: Wendell Rider, the orchestra's principal horn during those years, agreed that Cleve "was over the edge at times. But as far as the conducting -- it was inspiring," he said Thursday. "There was always a commitment to finding the deepest meaning of the piece. He had that channel going."' :: "Mr. Cleve had a long-standing reputation as a tempestuous, even tyrannical, collaborator, but that was a function of his high standards, iolinist RobinHansen said. 'He was difficult, but he was harder on himself than on anyone. He was all about integrity, and if you had that, then you were a colleague.'" In 1974, Cleve co-founded the

Midsummer Mozart Festival The Midsummer Mozart Festival is an annual music festival that exclusively features the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, ...

with Robert Hubbard and Wendell Rider, and served as its artistic leader from its founding until his death. In New York City, Cleve first conducted at the

Mostly Mozart Festival The Mostly Mozart Festival is an American classical music festival based in New York City. Venues The festival presents concerts with its resident ensemble, the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, principally at David Geffen Hall of the Lincoln Ce ...

in 1975 and at

New York City Ballet New York City Ballet (NYCB) is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. Léon Barzin was the company' ...

in 2000, and subsequently appeared regularly with both organisations as a guest conductor.

Death

Cleve died at the age of 79 in

Berkeley, California Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland and Emer ...

, from liver failure. He married Maria Tamburrino, a flutist, in 1986. He also has a son, Jeremiah Wiggins, from a previous relationship. His wife, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter survive him.

References

External links

Symphony Silicon Valley page on George Cleve
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cleve, George American conductors (music) American male conductors (music) 1936 births 2015 deaths Musicians from Vienna Mannes School of Music alumni The High School of Music & Art alumni