Kurt Masur Conducts Beethoven

The great German conductor Kurt Masur fell off the podium during a performance in Paris recently and suffered a serious injury. The latest word is that he suffered a fracture in his left shoulder blade and will be out of action until at least September. Masur is said to be suffering from Parkinson's disease and for the past several years he has appeared frail in his conducting appearances. He is now 85 but still maintains a very full schedule of guest conducting. A few months ago he was due to appear with the Boston Symphony in Beethoven's Missa Solemnis but cancelled at the last minute saying that he was not up to the demands of the piece. Masur was music director of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra between 1970 and 1996. This appointment overlapped with another one in North America. He headed the New York Philharmonic from 1991 until 2002. In our video made in 2009 he conducts the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in Beethoven's Egmont Overture. For more about Kurt Masur visit his website at www.kurtmasur.com. Paul E. Robinson