Date of Birth: October 21, 1912
Zodiac Sign: Libra
Date of Death: September 5, 1997
Biography
Sir Georg Solti was a Hungarian-British conductor and pianist, regarded as one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century. Born György Stern in Budapest, Hungary, he began his musical education at a young age, studying with notable figures like Béla Bartók, Zoltán Kodály, and Ernő Dohnányi at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music. Solti’s career took off when he became music director of the Bavarian State Opera in 1946, and he later held prominent positions with the Frankfurt Opera, Covent Garden, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestre de Paris. Known for his interpretations of Wagner, Beethoven, and Mahler, Solti’s discography includes over 250 recordings, many of which have won prestigious awards. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1972 for his contributions to music.
5 Interesting Facts about Georg Solti
1. Georg Solti won a record 31 Grammy Awards, the most by any artist in the history of the awards.
2. He conducted the first complete studio recording of Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” a project that took almost a decade to complete.
3. During World War II, Solti fled from Nazi-occupied Hungary and moved to Switzerland, where he worked as a pianist.
4. Solti’s nickname was “The Screaming Skull,” a testament to his intense and dynamic conducting style.
5. He was the music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for 22 years, significantly raising the orchestra’s international profile.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Georg Solti
1. “I don’t want to be a conductor who just performs the work. I want to be a conductor who also interprets the work.”
2. “The artist must make the listener forget that he is listening to a piece of music.”
3. “The more you know about music, the greater will be your love for it.”
4. “In music, as in life, one must never stop learning.”
5. “Music is the manifestation of the human spirit, something almost sacred.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
At the peak of his career, Georg Solti’s net worth was estimated to be around $10 million.
Children
Georg Solti had two daughters, Gabrielle and Claudia Solti, with his wife Valerie Pitts, whom he married in 1967.
Relevant Links
1. [Georg Solti – Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Solti
2. [Biography at the Georg Solti Archive](https://www.soltiarchive.com/biography
3. [Grammy Awards Profile](https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/georg-solti
4. [Chicago Symphony Orchestra Tribute](https://cso.org/about/performers/conductors/sir-georg-solti/
5. [IMDB Profile](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0813666/
