Latest on Forbes: New MD at Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra

New Principal Conductor For The Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra

Fischer is fairly big name for an orchestra with so little name recognition, although the Düsseldorf orchestra has a proud tradition. It’s just that one has to go back a while… namely to 1833, when Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy led them for three seasons. Before him, Louis Spohr and Ferdinand Ries had subbed; after him came Ferdinand Hiller (1847–1850) and then of course Robert Schumann (1850–1854) who led them incompetently but with enthusiasm. Big-ish names graced the orchestra again in the mid-20th century when Jean Martinon (1960–1965) and Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos (1966–1971) led the band in back-to-back, one-term stints.

Picking a new music director for orchestras at this level of fame-purgatory is tricky; old but famous hands who phone it in don’t do the trick but unknown young music directors can backfire if they don’t turn out to be the next miracle man...

Full review on Forbes.com.