The Shy “Savior of Leipzig”

by Paul A. Schons

Originally published by the Germanic-American Institute in July, 2001

1989, East Germany: Egon Krenz of the East German leadership had sent a telegram of congratulations to the Chinese after they had slaughtered the students demonstrating in Tienamin Square in the Chinese capital just a short time earlier. On a Monday evening in 1989 as students and others gathered once again in Leipzig in the ongoing demonstrations against their own government, rumors were everywhere that Berlin had finally had enough and that Krenz would follow the Chinese example by shooting demonstrators in Leipzig. As the Monday night demonstrators began to gather, the police had been issued extra ammunition, the hospitals had been put on alert and tensions were at their highest pitch ever.

The demonstrators of Leipzig, though, had a defender, the leader of the Gewandhaus Orchestra, Kurt Masur. Masur had enormous influence over the people and also influence with government leaders. Masur first urged the demonstrators to be nonviolent and then soothed the leadership in Berlin by phone from Leipzig. A catastrophe was averted that night in Leipzig. The details of Masur’s intervention may never be known, but the people were sufficiently convinced of his influence to give him the title “Retter von Leipzig” (Savior of Leipzig). He would later be considered as a potential head of government of East Germany and still later considered as a potential President of united Germany. He was made an honorary citizen of Leipzig, he was named “European of the Year 1990” and he was given the German “Bundesverdienstkreuz” (federal medal of honor).

The self proclaimed shy man, Kurt Masur, had a long history of standing up to the East German government by the time of that demonstration in 1989. Early in his career when he had been offered a performance outside of the country, but had been forbidden to leave by his government, he threatened to attempt an illegal escape if the permission to travel were not granted. The government gave in on that occasion. The government gave in again when Masur, as conductor of the Gewandhaus Orchestra, determined to build a needed new concert hall on a spot that government officials had determined to build a new building for the University of Leipzig. The hall stands today directly next to the university where the maestro wanted it. (And that is, by the way, the very spot where the masses gathered for the Monday demonstrations in Leipzig.)

Kurt Masur led the Gewandhaus Orchestra for 26 years from 1970-1996. During that period he returned the orchestra to a position of international prominence. After having to resort to threats in his early career to leave the country, Masur and his Leipzig Orchestra were able to leave virtually at will in the later years of the East German state. Not only did the international reputation of the orchestra bring prestige to East Germany, but it also brought in hard western currency--both were very attractive to the government.

Kurt Masur had been born far to the east in Silesia (given to Poland after World War II) on July 18, 1927. His first training was as an electrician. Finally at age 15 he was able to take up music as he was admitted to the state music school in Breslau. In 1946 he moved to Leipzig to study music. His first professional positions were in Halle and then Erfurt. For a time he worked also at the opera in Leipzig. In 1955 he became the director of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Dresden. He then worked for a time in Schwerin. In 1960 he was called to the Comic Opera of Berlin where he worked with Walter Felsenstein. From 1967 - 1970 he was in Dresden again as director of the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra.

Finally in 1970 he was appointed conductor of the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig and would rise to international prominence with that orchestra during the 26 years he conducted it. He had been preceded in that illustrious position in the city of Bach by such greats as Felix Mendelssohn, Arthur Nikisch, Wilhelm Furtwängler and Hermann Abendroth. It fell to Masur to bring the distinguished orchestra back to its elevated position in the musical world. This he did, not with the authoritative, dictatorial demands often associated with great conductors, but with respect for his fellow musicians and the persuasive force of a common love for music.

Masur describes himself, in fact, as a shy man. “What I never overcame is a kind of shyness. I can go in front of an orchestra. I can go in front of an audience. But if you see me walking through an audience in the reception or through a lot of people, I’m still shy.” The shyness, though, he thinks, may well even be a positive trait. “I discovered very often that the shy young conductors have very often higher talent than the others.” He dismisses the forceful young musicians for whom power is the center of interest. “I remember that there came a 16 year old, very talented guy who said, ‘I want to be conductor because then I can tell them how they should play.’ I said, dear friend, give, up. Be a politician or be a general or go anywhere else where you can rule.”

The conductor’s shyness has not hampered Kurt Masur from continuing success after he has left the smaller confines of an orchestra in tiny East Germany. After the end of the Cold War Masur was invited to conduct the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. This he has done with great success and added greatly to the prestige of that orchestra. In 2000 he became the principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The “shy” 73 year old has now agreed to move to Paris in 2002 to conduct the National Orchestra of France.

Kurt Masur has had success wherever he has worked. He was the first ever to be named Conductor Laureate of the Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig. He holds the lifetime title of Honorary Guest Conductor of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. He holds the title of Commander of the Legion of Honor of France. He holds the Commander Cross of Merit of the Polish Republic. But in the face of all of the honor, it is music which drives him. “Ohne Musik wäre ich ein todkranker Mann. Sie ist unentbehrlich, seit meiner Jugend.” (Without music I would be a deathly ill man. It has been indispensable since my youth.) Kurt Masur: The shy genius, the fearless “Savior of Leipzig”, the man deeply in love with his art.