As previously reported the BBC announced in March that its poll of "leading conductors" proclaimed Carlos Kleiber (1930-2004) as the greatest conductor of all time. Now it seems as though everywhere one turns, another Kleiber reference pops up: there is a Kleiber memorial site, a Kleiber facebook page(!), and the release of a new documentary.
I have long considered Kleiber to be an amazing practitioner of the art of conducting (even before my own opinion was confirmed by H. Robert Reynolds in 2004). But the proof might be in the pudding, as evidenced by this testimonial: “I have just heard the greatest living conductor in the world—Carlos Kleiber. You owe it to yourselves to hear him, and it’s too bad if you have to work on a night when Carlos Kleiber is conducting.” Who said that? Number three on the list, none other than Leonard Bernstein!
But after watching this video clip, it is difficult for me to even consider calling myself a conductor. Simply and truly amazing; I cannot think of the appropriate superlative to describe it. Watch it for yourself and see.
"For all of us he reached for the stars, and if he was unsuccessful, he at least proved that they truly do exist." ~ Dr. Clement Hellsberg, President, Vienna Philharmonic (1997 - present)
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