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Andre PrevinAmerican conductor and composer of German origin
Date of Birth: 06.04.1929
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Early Life
- Musical Beginnings
- Film and Classical Music Career
- Conductor and Musical Director
- Compositions and Personal Life
Early Life
Andreas Ludwig Previn was born into a German-Jewish family in Berlin, Germany, on April 6, 1929. In 1933, the family fled Nazi persecution and settled in Paris, France, where Previn briefly studied at the Paris Conservatory. In 1941, the family immigrated to the United States, and Previn became an American citizen in 1943.
Musical Beginnings
From the age of 13, Previn began performing as a jazz pianist, making several jazz recordings between 1945 and 1946. In 1947, he started composing music for Hollywood films.
Film and Classical Music Career
Previn's film music career flourished in the 1950s and 1960s, where he won four Academy Awards for his work on "Gigi" (1958), "Porgy and Bess" (1959), "Irma la Douce" (1963), and "My Fair Lady" (1964). However, Previn's musical interests also extended to classical music.
Conductor and Musical Director
From 1967 to the present, Previn has been a prominent figure in the world of conducting. He has served as Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Houston Symphony (1967-1969), London Symphony Orchestra (1969-1979), Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (1976-1984), Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra (1985-1989), and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (1985-1991). Since 2002, he has been Music Director of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. Previn has recorded extensively, including complete sets of Tchaikovsky's ballets, Vaughan Williams' symphonies, and many works by Prokofiev and Richard Strauss.
Compositions and Personal Life
Previn only later turned to composing in the classical genre. His most renowned compositions include the opera "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1998) and a violin concerto written for his fifth wife, the celebrated violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter (2002-2006). Previn has composed various vocal works, including three songs based on Emily Dickinson's poetry.
Previn has been married five times, including to the actress Mia Farrow from 1970 to 1979. He has received numerous American and international awards, including the Glenn Gould Prize in 2005.
