Walter Susskind British conductor of Czech origin Date of Birth: 01.05.1913 Country: Great Britain

1. Early Life and Musical Education
2. Musical Career in Europe
3. Escape from Czechoslovakia and Career in Britain
4. International Career
5. Notable Recordings

Early Life and Musical Education

Rafael Kubelík, a British conductor of Czech descent, was born into a musical family. His father was a music critic and pianist, and his mother was also a pianist. Kubelík studied at the Prague Conservatory under Josef Suk (composition) and Karel Hofmeister (piano), and Georg Szell (conducting) at the German Academy of Music in Prague.

Musical Career in Europe

Kubelík made his conducting debut in 1934 at the German Opera in Prague. Simultaneously, he pursued his career as a pianist, particularly with the Czech Trio. He also composed during the mid-1930s, including "Four Songs for Voice and String Quartet" (1935).

Escape from Czechoslovakia and Career in Britain

In 1939, Kubelík escaped Czechoslovakia days before the Nazi occupation. He settled in London, where he re-established the Czech Trio and performed with them, initially for the Czechoslovak government-in-exile. While performing with the trio, he met cellist Eleanor Warren, whom he married from 1943 to 1953.

Kubelík conducted at one of the minor London opera houses from 1943 to 1945. He then led the Scottish National Orchestra from 1946 to 1952, also making numerous recordings with the Philharmonia Orchestra.

International Career

Kubelík held appointments in Australia, where he led the Symphony Orchestra of Victoria (1953-1955), and in America, where he served as music director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Mendelssohn Choir (1956-1965). He subsequently led the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (1968-1975) and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (1978-1979).

Notable Recordings

Among Kubelík's notable recordings are Gustav Holst's "The Planets" and Richard Strauss's "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" with the St. Louis Orchestra.