• Borne in Dresden 14th June 1910.
  • Studied piano, violin and oboe 1924-1928 at the Orchestra School of the Dresden Staatskapelle.
  • In 1928 appointed Principal Oboist of the Gewandhous Orchestra Leipzig.
  • Practical experience as oboist and repetiteur in opera and symphonic repertoire under Busch, Walter, Furtwängler, Strauss and Klemperer.
  • Conducting career began in Leipzig in 1934 and continued after the war with leading positions in Chemnitz and Weimar.
  • 1949 appointed Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Dresden State Opera and Staatskapelle and in 1952 with the Bavarian State Opera Munich.
  • Resigned from Dresden 1953, from Munich 1954 to pursue regular engagements with Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestras, Metropolitan Opera New York, Royal Opera House Covent Gardens, as well as
  • Edinburgh, Salzburg, Munich and Bayreuth Festivals.
  • The focus gradually shifted from opera to concert.
  • In 1961 appointed Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as successor to Sir Thomas Beecham.
  • Similar positions in Zurich (Tonhalle Orchestra, 1965-1972) and Munich (Philharmonic  Orchestra 1967 onwards).
  • Took over as Principal Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 1975.
  • Died Zurich 11th May 1976.