Solti and Te Kanawa Rehearse Strauss

What an historic video this is! Solti was a major representative of that school of European conductors with direct connections to the "great" composers. For him Bartok, Kodaly and Strauss were not only living composers but men he knew personally.

Solti was a fine pianist in his youth and continued to play the piano well into his later years. In preparing for concertos and songs with orchestra Solti invariably accompanied the soloist at the piano prior to the orchestra rehearsals. Here he is with Kiri Te Kanawa in some Strauss songs. Thanks in no small part to Solti's mentoring, Te Kanawa herself became a leading Strauss interpreter.

Paul E. Robinson