One of the leading conductors of the 20th century, Pierre Monteux became our Principal Conductor in 1961 after a lengthy career of performing and conducting. In the year he would have turned 150, we look back at his time with us and get an insight into the man behind the moustache.
Pierre Monteux conducting in Japan 1963
By 1961 Pierre Monteux already had 60 years of experiences as a conductor. He brought with him a great tradition of music-making, which stemmed from his personal contacts with many significant figures in musical history including Johannes Brahms, Edward Grieg, Claude Debussy, Camille Saint-Saëns, Maurice Ravel and Igor Stravinsky. In his early years in Paris he had conducted the first performances of Igor Stravinsky’s Petrushka and The Rite of Spring, Debussy’s Jeux and Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloé. His middle years were spent working with the San Francisco Symphony.
Pierre Monteux in Osaka, Japan 1963
Did you know that Pierre Monteux became the LSO’s Principal Conductor at the age of 86?
Ignoring his advanced years, he insisted upon a 25 year contract with an option to renew for another 25 meaning he would have only left the position in 2011!
Monteux began his career in the 1890s as principal violinist of the orchestra of the Folies-Bergere. This early experience gave him a deep understanding of the psychology of the orchestra and taught him the importance of putting musicians at their ease. He was a complete musician and his professionalism, his understanding, his mischievous sense of humour, his honesty and directness earned him the devotion and genuine affection of our Orchestra. ‘Tell them I promise to be a good father to my children’ was his cabled reply to the LSO’s invitation to become their Principal Conductor and thereafter letters from his American wife and secretary, Doris, were invariably signed ‘Love Mum’!
Monteux had a boyhood ambition to become a fireman and this dream was fulfilled on his 88th birthday when he visited the headquarters of the London Fire Brigade (as pictured below). He was given a splendid demonstration of firefighting by the Brigade and was able to play with the fire engines! A week later after conducting his birthday concert at the Royal Festival Hall, he departed with the LSO for a tour to Japan.
Pierre Monteux visiting the London Fire Brigade HQ
Monteux died in July 1964, eight months short of his 90th birthday. Ernest Fleishmann, General Manager of the LSO at the time wrote:
It is quite impossible for me to find words anywhere near adequate to convey an indication of the deep gratitude of every member of the LSO for the wisdom, the artistry, the love he so unselfishly lavished on us. Few, if any orchestras throughout the world have been as privileged as we were in recent years to have learnt so much from someone who had so much to teach.
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