István Kertész (28 August 192916 April 1973) was a Hungarian orchestral and operatic conductor who throughout his brief career led many of the world's great orchestras, including the Cleveland, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Detroit, San Francisco and Minnesota Orchestras in the United States, as well as the London Symphony, Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic, and L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. Kertész's orchestral repertoire numbered over 450 works from all periods, and was matched by a repertoire of some sixty operas ranging from

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi ( ; ; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto, a small town in the province of Parma, to a family of moderate means, recei ...

Puccini Giacomo Puccini (22 December 1858 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long line of composers, s ...

and

Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most o ...

to the more contemporary

Prokofiev Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''. , group=n ( – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor who l ...

, Bartók, Britten, Kodály, Poulenc and Janáček. Kertész was part of a musical tradition that produced fellow Hungarian conductors

Fritz Reiner Frederick Martin Reiner (; December 19, 1888 – November 15, 1963) was an American conductor of opera and symphonic music in the twentieth century. Hungarian born and trained, he emigrated to the United States in 1922, where he rose to promine ...

Antal Doráti Antal Doráti (, , ; 9 April 1906 – 13 November 1988) was a Hungarian-born conductor and composer who became a naturalized American citizen in 1943. Biography Antal Doráti was born in Budapest to a Jewish family. His father Alexander Do ...

János Ferencsik János Ferencsik (18 January 190712 June 1984) was a Hungarian conductor. Ferencsik was born in Budapest; he actively played music even as a very young boy. He took violin lessons and taught himself to play the organ. He studied at the Natio ...

Eugene Ormandy Eugene Ormandy (born Jenő Blau; November 18, 1899 – March 12, 1985) was a Hungarian-born American conductor and violinist, best known for his association with the Philadelphia Orchestra, as its music director. His 44-year association with ...

George Szell George Szell (; June 7, 1897 – July 30, 1970), originally György Széll, György Endre Szél, or Georg Szell, was a Hungarian-born American conductor, composer and pianist. Considered one of the twentieth century's greatest conductors ...

János Fürst János Fürst (8 August 1935 – 3 January 2007) was a Hungary, Hungarian-born Conducting, conductor and violinist. Biography Fürst was born in Budapest to a Jewish-Hungarian family. He originally studied the violin at the Franz Liszt Academ ...

, Peter Erős,

Ferenc Fricsay Ferenc Fricsay (; 9 August 1914 – 20 February 1963) was a Hungarian conductor. From 1960 until his death, he was an Austrian citizen. Biography Fricsay was born in Budapest in 1914 and studied music under Béla Bartók, Zoltán Kodály, Ern ...

, and

Georg Solti Sir Georg Solti ( , ; born György Stern; 21 October 1912 – 5 September 1997) was a Hungarian-British orchestral and operatic conductor, known for his appearances with opera companies in Munich, Frankfurt, and London, and as a long-servi ...

Early life

Childhood

Kertész was born in

Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...

, Hungary, in 1929, the first child of Margit Muresian and Miklós Kertész. His sister, Vera, was born four years later. Miklós Kertész, born in

Szécsény Szécsény is a town in Nógrád county, Hungary. Etymology The name comes from the Slavic ''sečь'': cutting (''Sečany''). 1219/1550 ''Scecen''. History The valley of the Ipoly and especially the area of that around Szécsény was inhabite ...

, Hungary into a large

Jew Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...

ish family, was the director of a leather-works and died of appendicitis in 1938. Margit Muresian Kertész went to work to support her family. At an early age Kertész showed a great affinity for music, and began violin lessons. "When I was six and started music," he told a ''High Fidelity'' interviewer, "it was 1935 and cruel things were going on in Europe ... I found my 'exile' in music, practicing the piano, the fiddle, and writing little compositions."

World War II and the Holocaust

With the failure of Hungary's efforts to negotiate an armistice with the western Allies, German forces occupied Hungary on 19 March 1944. Aware of what was happening to Jews throughout Europe, the family went into hiding. Most of Kertész's extended family were deported to

Auschwitz Auschwitz, or Oświęcim, was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland (in a portion annexed into Germany in 1939) during World War II and the Holocaust. It consisted of Auschw ...

in July 1944 and did not survive the

Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...

. At the insistence of his mother, and despite the wartime interruptions of air raids, deportations, starvation and invasions by both Germans and later, the Russians, István Kertész continued his musical studies. By the time he was twelve, Kertész began to study the piano and composition in addition to the violin. The young Kertész, along with his sister, took advantage of Budapest's rich cultural life and attended symphonic or operatic performances almost every evening. It was at this time that Kertész decided to become a conductor. After the war, he resumed his formal studies and attended the Kölcsey- Gymnasium where, in 1947, he graduated with honors. That same year, István Kertész enrolled as a scholarship student at the Royal Academy of Music, now the

Franz Liszt Academy of Music The Franz Liszt Academy of Music (, often abbreviated as ''Zeneakadémia'', "Liszt Academy") is a music university and a concert hall in Budapest, Hungary, founded on November 14, 1875. It is home to the Liszt Collection, which features several ...

, where he studied

violin The violin, sometimes referred to as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone, and is the smallest, and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in regular use in the violin family. Smaller violin-type instruments exist, including the violino picc ...

piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...

and

composition Composition or Compositions may refer to: Arts and literature *Composition (dance), practice and teaching of choreography * Composition (language), in literature and rhetoric, producing a work in spoken tradition and written discourse, to include ...

with

Zoltán Kodály Zoltán Kodály (, ; , ; 16 December 1882 – 6 March 1967) was a Hungarian composer, ethnomusicologist, music pedagogue, linguist, and philosopher. He is well known internationally as the creator of the Kodály method of music education. ...

, Leó Weiner and Rezső Kókai. Developing his keen interest in

conducting Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance, such as an orchestral or Choir, choral concert. It has been defined as "the art of directing the simultaneous performance of several players or singers by the use of gesture." The primary d ...

, Kertész became a student of

and

László Somogyi László Somogyi (25 June 1907 in Budapest, Austria-Hungary – 20 May 1988 in Geneva, Switzerland) was a Hungarian conductor. Biography Somogyi received his musical training under Zoltán Kodály and Leo Weiner at the Ferenc Liszt Academ ...

. At the conservatory, Kertész also met his wife, the lyric

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...

Edith Gancs, whom he married in 1951. She later changed her name to Edith Kertész-Gabry. The pair were part of a cohort of musicians. Musically, Kertész was most influenced by László Somogyi,

Bruno Walter Bruno Walter (born Bruno Schlesinger, September 15, 1876February 17, 1962) was a Germany, German-born Conducting, conductor, pianist, and composer. Born in Berlin, he escaped Nazi Germany in 1933, was naturalised as a French people, French cit ...

and

Otto Klemperer Otto Nossan Klemperer (; 14 May 18856 July 1973) was a German conductor and composer, originally based in Germany, and then the United States, Hungary and finally, Great Britain. He began his career as an opera conductor, but he was later bet ...

, then the director of the Budapest Opera.

Career

On 17 December 1948, István Kertész made his debut as a conductor with an all-Mozart programme.

Budapest

In 1953 Kertész was chosen as Chief Conductor of the Philharmonic Orchestra at

Győr Győr ( , ; ; names of European cities in different languages: E-H#G, names in other languages) is the main city of northwest Hungary, the capital of Győr-Moson-Sopron County and Western Transdanubia, Western Transdanubia region, and – halfwa ...

, a post that he held for two years. During this period he had the opportunity to develop a broad symphonic repertoire, leading the

Opera Orchestra from 1955 to 1957, and working as an Assistant Professor of Conducting at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music. After the upheaval of the Hungarian Revolution, and with a young family in tow, Kertész left

Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...

. Offered a fellowship to the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, Kertész studied with Fernando Previtali while his wife, Edith Kertész-Gabry sang at the Bremen Opera. Kertész graduated with distinction, and was given the highest award of the Accademia, the "Premio d'Atri." Moreover, Previtali chose Kertész for his "Corso di Perfezionamento" for two successive seasons, during which Kertész conducted the Santa Cecilia Orchestra forty times. After completing his studies in Rome, Kertész was engaged as a guest conductor of the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra and the

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...

State Opera. Guest conducting there, as well as in

Wiesbaden Wiesbaden (; ) is the capital of the German state of Hesse, and the second-largest Hessian city after Frankfurt am Main. With around 283,000 inhabitants, it is List of cities in Germany by population, Germany's 24th-largest city. Wiesbaden form ...

and

Hanover Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...

, he conducted ''

Fidelio ''Fidelio'' (; ), originally titled ' (''Leonore, or The Triumph of Marital Love''), Opus number, Op. 72, is the sole opera by German composer Ludwig van Beethoven. The libretto was originally prepared by Joseph Sonnleithner from the French of ...

'' and ''

La bohème ''La bohème'' ( , ) is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions '':wikt:quadro, quadri'', ''wikt:tableau, tableaux'' or "images", rather than ''atti'' (acts). composed by Giacomo Puccini between 1893 and 1895 to an Italian libretto b ...

''.

Augsburg Opera

In March 1960, Kertész was invited to become general music director of the

Augsburg Augsburg ( , ; ; ) is a city in the Bavaria, Bavarian part of Swabia, Germany, around west of the Bavarian capital Munich. It is a College town, university town and the regional seat of the Swabia (administrative region), Swabia with a well ...

Opera—a post especially created for him. There he conducted performances of

's ''

The Magic Flute ''The Magic Flute'' (, ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. It is a ''Singspiel'', a popular form that included both singing and spoken dialogue. The work premiered on ...

'', ''

Die Entführung aus dem Serail ' () (Köchel catalogue, K. 384; ''The Abduction from the Seraglio''; also known as ') is a singspiel in three acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The German libretto is by Gottlieb Stephanie, based on Christoph Friedrich Bretzner's . The plot concer ...

'', ''

Così fan tutte (''Women are like that, or The School for Lovers''), Köchel catalogue, K. 588, is an opera buffa in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It was first performed on 26 January 1790 at the Burgtheater in Vienna, Austria. The libretto was written ...

'', and ''

The Marriage of Figaro ''The Marriage of Figaro'' (, ), K. 492, is a ''commedia per musica'' (opera buffa) in four acts composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It premiered at the Burgtheater in Vienn ...

'', earning himself a reputation as an interpreter of Mozart's work. He also conducted performances of

's ''

Rigoletto ''Rigoletto'' is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the 1832 play '' Le roi s'amuse'' by Victor Hugo. Despite serious initial problems with the Austrian censors who had c ...

'', ''

Don Carlos ''Don Carlos'' is an 1867 five-act grand opera composed by Giuseppe Verdi to a French-language libretto by Joseph Méry and Camille du Locle, based on the 1787 play '' Don Karlos, Infant von Spanien'' (''Don Carlos, Infante of Spain'') by Fried ...

'', ''

Otello ''Otello'' () is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on William Shakespeare, Shakespeare's play ''Othello''. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, first performed at the La Scala, Teatro alla Scala, M ...

'' and ''

Falstaff Sir John Falstaff is a fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare and is eulogised in a fourth. His significance as a fully developed character is primarily formed in the plays ''Henry IV, Part 1'' and '' Part 2'', w ...

'', and

Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; ; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer and conductor best known for his Tone poems (Strauss), tone poems and List of operas by Richard Strauss, operas. Considered a leading composer of the late Roman ...

's ''

Salome Salome (; , related to , "peace"; ), also known as Salome III, was a Jews, Jewish princess, the daughter of Herod II and princess Herodias. She was granddaughter of Herod the Great and stepdaughter of Herod Antipas. She is known from the New T ...

'', ''

Arabella ''Arabella'', Op. 79, is a lyric comedy, or opera, in three acts by Richard Strauss to a German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal, their sixth and last operatic collaboration. Performance history It was first performed on 1 July 1933 at the D ...

'', and ''

Der Rosenkavalier (''The Knight of the Rose'' or ''The Rose-Bearer''), Op. 59, is a comic opera in three acts by Richard Strauss to an original German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. It is loosely adapted from Louvet de Couvrai's novel ''Les amours du cheva ...

''. Invited to the

Salzburg Festival The Salzburg Festival () is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer, for five weeks starting in late July, in Salzburg, Austria, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mozart's operas are a focus of ...

, he conducted ''Die Entführung aus dem Serail'' in 1961, and ''The Magic Flute'' in 1963. During this time, he also gave the first of many performances at the

Deutsche Oper Berlin The Deutsche Oper Berlin is a German opera company located in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin. The resident building is the country's second largest opera house (after Munich's) and also home to the Berlin State Ballet. Since 2004, the ...

, and conducted the

Berlin Philharmonic The Berlin Philharmonic () is a German orchestra based in Berlin. It is one of the most popular, acclaimed and well-respected orchestras in the world. Throughout the 20th century, the orchestra was led by conductors Wilhelm Furtwängler (1922� ...

London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...

Israel Philharmonic Orchestra The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (abbreviation IPO; Hebrew: התזמורת הפילהרמונית הישראלית, ''ha-Tizmoret ha-Filharmonit ha-Yisra'elit'') is a major Israeli symphony orchestra based in Tel Aviv. Its principal concert ...

San Francisco Opera The San Francisco Opera (SFO) is an American opera company founded in 1923 by Gaetano Merola (1881–1953) based in San Francisco, California. History Gaetano Merola (1923–1953) Merola's road to prominence in the Bay Area began in 1906 wh ...

, North German Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hamburg Symphony,

Munich Philharmonic The Munich Philharmonic () is a German symphony orchestra located in the city of Munich. It is one of Munich's four principal orchestras, along with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Munich Radio Orchestra and the Bavarian State Orche ...

Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (, BRSO) is a German radio orchestra. Based in Munich, Germany, it is one of the city's four orchestras. The BRSO is one of two full-size symphony orchestras operated under the auspices of Bayerischer Rundf ...

, the Festival dei Due Mondi in

Spoleto Spoleto (, also , , ; ) is an ancient city in the Italian province of Perugia in east-central Umbria on a foothill of the Apennines. It is south of Trevi, north of Terni, southeast of Perugia; southeast of Florence; and north of Rome. H ...

where he conducted Prokofiev's '' The Fiery Angel''. Kertész's earliest recordings include Beethoven's Symphony No. 2 and Symphony No. 4. Having already recorded for EMI/Columbia records, Kertész now signed an exclusive contract with Decca/London. His British debut was with the

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Royal Liverpool Philharmonic is a music organisation based in Liverpool, England, that manages a professional symphony orchestra, a concert venue, and extensive programmes of learning through music. Its orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmo ...

in 1960. He made his US debut during the 1961–62 season, also beginning an association with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra whom he guest-conducted at

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...

's Mann Auditorium in March 1962. Eventually, Kertész conducted over 378 compositions with the Israel Philharmonic over an eleven-year period.

Cologne Opera

In 1964, Kertész received an appointment as the general music director of the

Cologne Opera The Cologne Opera (German language, German: Oper der Stadt Köln or Oper Köln) refers to both the main opera house in Cologne, Germany and its resident opera company. History of the company From the mid 18th century, opera was performed in the ...

where he conducted the first German performance of

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten of Aldeburgh (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, o ...

's ''

Billy Budd ''Billy Budd, Sailor (An Inside Narrative)'', also known as ''Billy Budd, Foretopman'', is a novella by American writer Herman Melville, left unfinished at his death in 1891. Acclaimed by critics as a masterpiece when a hastily transcribed vers ...

'' and Verdi's '' Stiffelio'', as well as the

operas ''

La clemenza di Tito (''The Clemency of Titus''), K. 621, is an ''opera seria'' in two acts composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Caterino Mazzolà, after Pietro Metastasio. Mozart completed the work in the midst of composing ''Die Zauberfl ...

'', ''

Don Giovanni ''Don Giovanni'' (; K. 527; full title: , literally ''The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni'') is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Its subject is a centuries-old Spanish legen ...

'', ''Così fan tutte'' and ''The Magic Flute''. While he established a good rapport with the often critical Cologne audience, they were sometimes unhappy with his often fast tempi. His 1970 ''

Aida ''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is a tragic opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 De ...

'', with Martina Arroyo in the title role, with one interval and some cuts, lasted under three hours.

London Symphony Orchestra

Retaining his previous position as director of the

, he also became principal conductor of the

from 1965 to 1968, and made guest appearances at the

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is a theatre in Covent Garden, central London. The building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. The ROH is the main home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orch ...

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist sit ...

. During his three years as principal conductor of the LSO, Kertész made recordings of the nine Dvořák symphonies, which included the first complete recording of the Symphony No. 1. The LSO dispensed with him when he sought control of all artistic matters; his contract was not renewed when it expired in 1968. During this period in Kertész's career, in 1966 he recorded Bartók's ''

Bluebeard's Castle ''Duke Bluebeard's Castle'' (, literally ''The Blue-Bearded Duke's Castle'') is a one-act Symbolism (movement), Symbolist opera by composer Béla Bartók to a Hungarian libretto by his friend and poet Béla Balázs. Based on the French folk legen ...

'' with Christa Ludwig singing the role of Judith and Walter Berry in the title role. Kertész's interpretation of Bartók's difficult, brooding work is considered by many to be the benchmark performance of the opera; "the playing of the London Symphony Orchestra, and Kertész's instinctive shaping of the drama ... has never been surpassed." Kertész was a frequent guest conductor of the

, the

Vienna Philharmonic Vienna Philharmonic (VPO; ) is an orchestra that was founded in 1842 and is considered to be one of the finest in the world. The Vienna Philharmonic is based at the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria. Its members are selected from the orchestra of ...

, the

Philadelphia Orchestra The Philadelphia Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra, based in Philadelphia. One of the " Big Five" American orchestras, the orchestra is based at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, where it performs its subscription concerts, n ...

, the

Chicago Symphony Orchestra The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by Theodore Thomas in 1891, the ensemble has been based in the Symphony Center since 1904 and plays a summer season at the Ravinia F ...

, and numerous other orchestras. He was appointed principal conductor of the Bamberg Symphony in 1973. The

Cleveland Orchestra The Cleveland Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. Founded in 1918 by the pianist and impresario Adella Prentiss Hughes, the orchestra is one of the five American orchestras informally referred to as the " Big Five". T ...

unsuccessfully bid for his appointment as musical director the year before. In a poll, the Cleveland musicians had given 96 "first-choice" votes to Kertész as the replacement for

, and only two for

Lorin Maazel Lorin Varencove Maazel (; March 6, 1930 – July 13, 2014) was an American conductor, violinist and composer. He began conducting at the age of eight and by 1953 had decided to pursue a career in music. He had established a reputation in t ...

, Cleveland's eventual choice. In Chicago, Kertész conducted his first performance at the

Ravinia Festival Ravinia Festival is a primarily outdoor music venue in Highland Park, Illinois. It hosts a series of outdoor concerts and performances every summer from June to September in a wide variety of musical genres from classical to pop. The first orche ...

in July 1967; he was the Festival's principal conductor from 1970 to 1972.

Death

On 16 April 1973, while on a concert tour, Kertész drowned while swimming off the coast of Israel at

Herzliya Herzliya ( ; , / ) is an affluent List of Israeli cities, city in the Israeli coastal plain, central coast of Israel, at the northern part of the Tel Aviv District, known for its robust start-up and entrepreneurial culture. In it had a populatio ...

. He had been recording

Brahms Johannes Brahms (; ; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor of the mid- Romantic period. His music is noted for its rhythmic vitality and freer treatment of dissonance, often set within studied ye ...

's '' Variations on a Theme by Haydn'', as well as the complete Brahms symphonies. After his death, and in tribute to him, the Vienna Philharmonic finished recording the ''Haydn Variations'' without a conductor. Kertész was survived by his wife, operatic soprano Edith Kertész-Gabry, his children, Gábor, Péter, and Kathrin, his mother, Margit Muresian Kertész Halmos, and his sister, the graphic artist Vera Kertész.

International orchestras

István Kertész served as principal and or guest conductor with the following orchestras:

Bamberg Symphony Orchestra The Bamberg Symphony (German: Bamberger Symphoniker – Bayerische Staatsphilharmonie) is a renowned German orchestra top-class orchestra that has been residing in Bamberg since its foundation in 1946 and travels the world as a touring orchestra. ...

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (, ) is a Dutch symphony orchestra, established in 1888 at the Amsterdam Royal Concertgebouw (concert hall). It is considered one of the world's leading orchestras. It was known as the Concertgebouw Orchestra u ...

(Amsterdam), Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Gürzenich Orchestra (

Cologne Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...

, Japan Philharmonic Orchestra (Tokyo),

Los Angeles Philharmonic The Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil) is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California. The orchestra holds a regular concert season from October until June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from ...

Minnesota Orchestra The Minnesota Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded originally as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1903, the Minnesota Orchestra plays most of its concerts at Minneapolis's Orchestra Hall. History Th ...

, New Philharmonia Orchestra (London),

Munich Philharmonic Orchestra The Munich Philharmonic () is a German symphony orchestra located in the city of Munich. It is one of Munich's four principal orchestras, along with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Munich Radio Orchestra and the Bavarian State Orches ...

New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic is an American symphony orchestra based in New York City. Known officially as the ''Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.'', and globally known as the ''New York Philharmonic Orchestra'' (NYPO) or the ''New Yo ...

, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (Munich), Orquesta Nacional (

Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...

), Orchestre Radio-Télévision (Paris),

Orchestre de la Suisse Romande The Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (OSR) is a Swiss symphony orchestra, based in Geneva at the Victoria Hall. In addition to symphony concerts, the OSR performs as the opera orchestra in productions at the Grand Théâtre de Genève. History ...

(

Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra is resident at Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District. Since 2008, the orchestra's music director is Manfred Ho ...

, Radio Symphony Orchestra (Berlin), Opera Orchestra of Santa Cecila (Rome),

San Francisco Symphony The San Francisco Symphony, founded in 1911, is an American orchestra based in San Francisco, California. Since 1980 the orchestra has been resident at the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall in the city's Hayes Valley, San Francisco, Hayes Valley ne ...

, Symphonie Orchester des Norddeutschen Rundfunks (

Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra ( or , literal translations, "Royal Philharmonic" or "Royal Philharmonic Orchestra") is a Swedish orchestra based in Stockholm. Its principal venue is the Konserthuset. History The orchestra was foun ...

, Tonhalle-Orchester (Zürich),

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Vienna Philharmonic (VPO; ) is an orchestra that was founded in 1842 and is considered to be one of the finest in the world. The Vienna Philharmonic is based at the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria. Its members are selected from the orchestra of ...

Discography

His many recordings include the first complete recording of

's ''

''.see:

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...

, Online Catalog
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Deutsches Musikarchiv

Österreichische Nationalbibliothek Katalog der Musiksammlung
He was also the first to record the complete Dvořák symphonies and his interpretations of them are still considered classics of their kind. Pianists

Clifford Curzon Sir Clifford Michael Curzon CBE (né Siegenberg; 18 May 19071 September 1982) was an English classical pianist. Curzon studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London, and subsequently with Artur Schnabel in Berlin and Wanda Landowska and ...

, Hans Richter-Haaser,

Vladimir Ashkenazy Vladimir Davidovich Ashkenazy (, ''Vladimir Davidovich Ashkenazi''; born 6 July 1937) is a Soviet-born Icelandic pianist, chamber music performer, and conductor. Ashkenazy has collaborated with well-known orchestras and soloists. In addition, ...

and Julius Katchen each made records with Kertész. He recorded Kodály's ''Psalmus Hungaricus'' and ''Peacock Variations''. * Bartók, Béla, ''

'' ( Ludwig,

Berry A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples of berries in the cul ...

), London Symphony Orchestra (1965),

DECCA Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, record label * Decca Gold, classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, musical theater record label * Decca Studios, recording facility in West ...

SET 311 *Bartók, Béla, Piano Concerto No. 3 in E, Sz. 119 ( Katchen), London Symphony Orchestra (1965),

SXL 6209 *Beethoven, Ludwig van **'' Coriolan Overture'', Op. 62, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra (1961), ARIOLA/Bacc. ZK 7928 **''Egmont Overture'', Op. 84, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, DENON ** ''Leonore'' Overture No. 3, Op. 72b, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, DENON *

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...

, Ludwig van ** Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, OPERA EPK 3269 ** Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 95 (Hans Richter-Haaser), Philharmonia Orchestra and Rondo No. 2 in G, Op. 51 (1961), COLUMBIA *Beethoven, Ludwig van ** Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra (1961), OPERA EPK S 91 ** Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra (1961), DENON COGQ-1008 ** Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra (1964), OPERA *

, ** Serenade No. 1 in D major, Op. 11, London Symphony Orchestra (1967),

SXL 6340 ** Serenade No. 2 in A major, Op. 16, London Symphony Orchestra (1967),

SXL 6368 *Brahms, ** Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1973),

SXL 6675 ** Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1964),

SXL 6172 ** Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1973),

SXL 6677 ** Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1972),

SXL 6678 *Brahms, '' Variations on a Theme by Haydn'', Op. 56, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1973),

SXL 6677 * Bruckner, Symphony No. 4 in E-flat major, "Romantic", London Symphony Orchestra (1965),

SXL 6227 *

Donizetti Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti (29 November 1797 – 8 April 1848) was an Italian Romantic composer, best known for his almost 70 operas. Along with Gioachino Rossini and Vincenzo Bellini, he was a leading composer of the ''bel canto'' opera ...

, ''

Don Pasquale ''Don Pasquale'' () is a Gaetano Donizetti opera buffa, or comic opera, in three acts, with an Italian libretto completed largely by Giovanni Ruffini as well as the composer. It was based on a libretto by Angelo Anelli for Stefano Pavesi's oper ...

'' (Sciutti, Corena, Krause, Oncina), Vienna State Opera Orchestra and Choir (1964),

SET 280/81 *Dvořák, Overtures: **''In Nature's Realm'', London Symphony Orchestra (1966),

SXL 6348 **''Carneval,'' London Symphony Orchestra (1965),

SXL 6348 **''Otello,'' London Symphony Orchestra (1965),

SXL 6348 **''Scherzo Capriccioso'' London Symphony Orchestra (1963),

SXL 6348 *Dvořák, ''

Requiem A Requiem (Latin: ''rest'') or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead () or Mass of the dead (), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the souls of the deceased, using a particular form of the Roman Missal. It is ...

'', Op. 89 (Lorengar, Komlossy, Ilosfalvy, Krause), London Symphony Orchestra (1968),

SET 416/7 * Dvořák, Serenade in D minor for Winds, Op. 44, London Symphony Orchestra (1968),

SXL 6368 *Dvořák, ''Slavonic Dances Nos. 1, 3, 8, 9, 10'',

(1962),

SXL 6024 *Dvořák, Symphonic Poems: ''Hussite'', ''My Home'', ''The Noonday Witch'', ''The Water Goblin'', London Symphony Orchestra, (1965, 1965, 1970, 1970 respectively)

SXL 6543 *Dvořák, '' Symphonic Variations'', London Symphony Orchestra (1970),

SXL 6510 *Dvořák, ** Symphony No. 1 in C minor, London Symphony Orchestra (1966),

SXL 6288 ** Symphony No. 2 in B-flat major, London Symphony Orchestra (1966),

SXL 6289 ** Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, London Symphony Orchestra (1966),

SXL 6290 ** Symphony No. 4 in D minor, London Symphony Orchestra (1966),

SXL 6257 ** Symphony No. 5 in F major, London Symphony Orchestra (1965),

SXL 6273 ** Symphony No. 6 in D major, London Symphony Orchestra (1965),

SXL 6253 ** Symphony No. 7 in D minor, London Symphony Orchestra (1964),

SXL 6115 ** Symphony No. 8 in G major, London Symphony Orchestra (1963),

SXL 6044 ** Symphony No. 9 in E minor "From the New World" VPO

r&i:61, SXL 2289 ** Symphony No. 9 in E minor "From the New World" London Symphony Orchestra (1966),

SXL 6291 * Egk, Werner, '' Furchtlosigkeit und Wohlwollen'', ( Wunderlich)

& Chorus, Orfeo 510011 * Gershwin, George, ''

Rhapsody in Blue ''Rhapsody in Blue'' is a 1924 musical composition for solo piano and jazz band by George Gershwin. Commissioned by bandleader Paul Whiteman, the work combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects and premiered in a concer ...

'' ( Katchen), London Symphony Orchestra (1968),

SXL 6411 *

Grieg Edvard Hagerup Grieg ( , ; 15 June 18434 September 1907) was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is widely considered one of the leading Romantic era composers, and his music is part of the standard classical repertoire worldwide. His use of N ...

Piano Concerto A piano concerto, a type of concerto, is a solo composition in the classical music genre which is composed for piano accompanied by an orchestra or other large ensemble. Piano concertos are typically virtuosic showpieces which require an advance ...

in A minor ( Katchen),

(1962),

SMD 1152 *

Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( ; ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...

** Symphony No. 45 in F-sharp minor, "Farewell" Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, ** Symphony No. 104 in D major, "London" ARIOLA/Bacc. ZK 80051 * Kodály, '' Háry János'',

Edinburgh Festival __NOTOC__ This is a list of Arts festival, arts and cultural festivals regularly taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland. The city has become known for its festivals since the establishment in 1947 of the Edinburgh International Festival and the ...

Chorus and the London Symphony Orchestra (1968),

SET 399/400 *Kodály ** Háry János Suite'' **''Dances of Galanta'' (Szönyi), London Symphony Orchestra (1964),

SXL 6136 *Kodály, ''Psalmus Hungaricus'', Op. 13, London Symphony Orchestra (1969/70),

SXL 6497 *Kodály, ''Peacock Variations'', London Symphony Orchestra (1969/70),

Liszt Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor and teacher of the Romantic period. With a diverse body of work spanning more than six decades, he is considered to be one of the most pro ...

** Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, S. 124 ** Piano Concerto No. 2 in A major (Karolyi), S. 125, Julian von Karolyi, Philharmonia Hungarica (1961),

EMI EMI Group Limited (formerly EMI Group plc until 2007; originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At t ...

C 047 - 50517 *

, ''

'', K. 588 (selections) ( Popp, Fassbaender, Krause), Vienna Haydn Orchestra (1965),

433 066-2 *Mozart, ''

'', ( Wunderlich, Putz, Holm, Wolf, Wohlfahrt, Littasy), K.384, Salzburger Festspiele (1961),

DK 11 560/1-2 *Mozart, ''

Die Zauberflöte ''The Magic Flute'' (, ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. It is a ''Singspiel'', a popular form that included both singing and spoken dialogue. The work premiered on ...

'', K. 620 ( Popp, Krauss, Krenn), Vienna Haydn Orchestra (1967),

DK 11 560/1-2 *Mozart, ''

La Clemenza di Tito (''The Clemency of Titus''), K. 621, is an ''opera seria'' in two acts composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Caterino Mazzolà, after Pietro Metastasio. Mozart completed the work in the midst of composing ''Die Zauberfl ...

'', K. 621 ( Berganza, Casula, Fassbaender, Popp, Krenn, Franc), Vienna State Opera Orchestra and Choir (1967),

SET 357/59 *Mozart, "Masonic Funeral Music", (Fischer, Krenn, Krause), London Symphony Orchestra (1968),

SXL 6409 *Mozart: **Piano Concerto No. 8 in C major, K. 246 ** Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat major, "Jeunehomme", K. 271 **Rondo in A minor, K. 511 ( Ashkenazy), London Symphony Orchestra (1966),

SXL 6259 *Mozart ** Piano Concerto No. 17 in G major, K. 453 ** Piano Concerto No. 26 in D major, "Coronation", K. 537 (Richter-Haaser), London Philharmonia Orchestra,

1 047 - 50506 *Mozart ** Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K. 488 ** Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K. 491 (

Curzon Curzon may refer to: People Americans * Aria Curzon (born 1987), American actress * Walter de Curzon Poultney (1845–1929), one of Baltimore, Maryland's most colorful and flamboyant high-society members Britons * Christopher Curzon (born 1958), ...

), London Symphony Orchestra (1967,

SXL 6354 *Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 27 in B-flat major, K.595 (

), London Symphony Orchestra (1967), Philips-DECCA 456757 *Mozart, ''"Mozart Festival"'', Vol. I, Vienna Haydn Orchestra,

DK 11 536/1-2 *Mozart, ''"Mozart Festival"'', Vol. II, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra,

DK 11 560/1-2 *Mozart,

in D minor, K. 626 ( Ameling, Horne, Benelli, Franc), Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1965),

SMD 1242 *Mozart ** Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major, K. 364 **

Clarinet Concerto A clarinet concerto is a concerto for clarinet; that is, a musical composition for solo clarinet together with a large ensemble (such as an orchestra or concert band). Albert Rice has identified a work by Giuseppe Antonio Paganelli as possibly th ...

in A major, K. 622 (Lautenbacher, Koch, Dörr), Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, Turnabout STV 34 098 *Mozart **Sonata for Organ and Orchestra No. 5 **Sonata for Organ and Orchestra No. 11 in D, K. 245 **Sonata for Organ and Orchestra No. 13 **Sonata for Organ and Orchestra No. 14 (Ella), Corelli Chamber Orchestra, Hungaraton HCD 128662 *Mozart ** Symphony No. 25 in G minor, K. 183/173 dB, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1972),

/Vienna (Sofiensaal) KING 230E 51016 ** Symphony No. 29 in A major, K. 201, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1973),

/Vienna (Sofiensaal) KING 230E 51016 ** Symphony No. 35 in D major, "Haffner", K.385, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1962),

/Vienna (Sofiensaal) KING 230E 51016 *Mozart **Symphony No. 33 in B-flat major, K. 319, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1963),

SXL 6056 ** Symphony No. 39 in E-flat major, K. 543, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1962),

SXL 6056 *Mozart ** Symphony No. 36 in C major, "Linz", K. 425, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1963), Vienna (Sofiensaal)/KING ** Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1972), Vienna (Sofiensaal)/KING *Mozart **''

Eine kleine Nachtmusik (Serenade No. 13 for strings in G major), K. 525, is a 1787 composition for a chamber ensemble by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791). The German title means "a little night music" and is one of Mozart's most famous works. The serena ...

'' in G major, K. 525 Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1963),

SXL 6091 *Mozart, Coronation Mass in C major, K. 317, ( Kertész-Gabry, Rössel-Majdan, Kmentt, Weiner), Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1963), OPERA EPK 3257 *

, Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, op. 26 ( Katchen), London Symphony Orchestra (1968),

SXL 6411 *

Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism in music, Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composer ...

, Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in G ( Katchen), London Symphony Orchestra (1968),

SXL 6209 *Ravel, Concerto for the Left Hand in D major ( Katchen), London Symphony Orchestra (1968),

SXL 6411 * Respighi **'' Pines of Rome'' **'' Fountains of Rome'' **''The Birds (Gliuccelli)'', London Symphony Orchestra (1968),

SXL 6401 *

Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. He gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano p ...

, ''Stabat Mater'' Pilar Lorengar,

Luciano Pavarotti Luciano Pavarotti (, , ; 12 October 19356 September 2007) was an Italian operatic tenor who during the late part of his career crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most acclaimed tenors of all time. He made numerou ...

, Yvonne Minton, Sotin, London Symphony Orchestra (1970/1),

SXL 6524 *

Shostakovich Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, group=n (9 August 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist who became internationally known after the premiere of his Symphony No. 1 (Shostakovich), First Symphony in 1926 and thereafter was regarded ...

, Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47,

(1962),

SXL 6018 *

Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; ; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical period (music), Classical and early Romantic music, Romantic eras. Despite his short life, Schubert left behind a List of compositions ...

** Symphony No. 1 in D major, D. 82, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1971),

SXL 6552 ** Symphony No. 2 in B-flat major, D. 125, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1971),

SXL 6552 ** Symphony No. 3 in D major, D. 200, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1971),

SXL 6553 ** Symphony No. 4 in C minor, "Tragic", D. 417, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1970),

SXL 6483 ** Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major, D. 485, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1970),

SXL 6483 ** Symphony No. 6 in C major, "The Little C major", D. 589, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1970),

SXL 6553 ** Symphony No. 8/7 in B minor, "Unfinished", D. 759, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1963),

SXL6090 ** Symphony No. 9/7/8 in C major, "The Great C major", D. 944, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1962),

SXL 6089 **Overtures ''Des Teufels Lustschloss'', D. 84, in the Italian style in C major, D. 591, ''Fierabras'', D. 796, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1963),

SXL6090 *

Schumann Robert Schumann (; ; 8 June 181029 July 1856) was a German composer, pianist, and music critic of the early Romantic music, Romantic era. He composed in all the main musical genres of the time, writing for solo piano, voice and piano, chamber ...

in A minor, Op. 54 ( Katchen),

(1962),

SMD 1152 * Smetana, ''Bohemian Rhapsody'': '' The Moldau'', ''

The Bartered Bride ''The Bartered Bride'' (, ''The Sold Bride'') is a comic opera in three acts by the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana, to a libretto by Karel Sabina. The work is generally regarded as a major contribution towards the development of Czech music. It ...

Overture'',

(1962),

SXL 6024 *

Strauss Strauss, Strauß, or Straus is a common Germanic surname. Outside Germany and Austria ''Strauß'' is usually spelled ''Strauss'' (the letter " ß" is not used in the German-speaking part of Switzerland). In classical music, "Strauss" most com ...

, Franz, Horn Concerto, Op. 8, (

Barry Tuckwell Barry Emmanuel Tuckwell, (5 March 1931 – 16 January 2020) was an Australian French horn player who spent most of his professional life in the UK and the United States. He is generally considered to have been one of the world's leading horn p ...

), London Symphony Orchestra (1966),

SXL 6285 *

, Richard, Horn Concertos, Nos. 1-2, (Barry Tuckwell), London Symphony Orchestra (1966), Decca BDX1259 *

, ''

'',

State Opera (1962), OPERA EPK 1220

References

Bibliography

* Holmes, John L.: ''Conductors. A record collector's guide'', Gollancz Ltd. 1988. * Jaeger, Stefan. ''Das Atlantisbuch der Dirigenten'', Atlantis Musikbuch-Verlag, 1985. * Lyman, Darryl. ''Great Jews in Music'', J. D. Publishers, 1986. * * Myers, Kurtz. ''Index to record reviews 1984–1987'', G.K. Hall, 1989. * Pâris, Alain. ''Dictionnaire des interpretes et de l'interpretation musicale au XX siecle'', Robert Laffont, 1989. * Sadie, Stanley. ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', Macmillan, 1980.

External links

*
Fritz Wunderlich Colleagues
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kertesz, Istvan 1929 births 1973 deaths Musicians from Budapest Hungarian Jews Deaths by drowning in Israel 20th-century Hungarian conductors (music) Hungarian male conductors (music) British male conductors (music) Jewish classical musicians Accidental deaths in Israel Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia alumni Franz Liszt Academy of Music alumni London Symphony Orchestra principal conductors 20th-century Hungarian composers 20th-century British musicians 20th-century Hungarian male musicians