Franz Konwitschny

Franz Konwitschny (1901-1962) was a German conductor, who was most active in the 1950s and early 1960s. He is most well known for his interpretations of the works of Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss, but was also a champion of the music of Felix Mendelssohn and Anton Bruckner.

Konwitschny's most famous recordings include his critically acclaimed interpretations of Mahler's Symphony No. 5, Strauss's Also sprach Zarathustra and Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks, and his series of Beethoven symphony recordings with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. He also released an album of Mendelssohn's works with the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra and a recording of Bruckner's Symphony No. 4 with the Staatskapelle Dresden.

An interesting fact about Franz Konwitschny is that he was the first conductor to record all of the Beethoven symphonies with the same orchestra. His recordings with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra have become some of the most beloved interpretations of the works of the great composer.