Václav Neumann

Wiener Flötenuhr 1982

Václav Neumann (September 29, 1920 – September 2, 1995) was a Czech conductor, violinist and viola player.

Neumann was born in Prague where he studied at the Prague Conservatory, with Josef Micka (violin), and with Pavel Dědeček and Metod Doležil (conducting). He co-founded, and played 1st violin in, the Smetana Quartet, before holding conducting posts in Karlovy Vary and Brno. In 1956 he became conductor at the Komische Oper in Berlin, leaving in 1964 he left to become conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. He stayed there until 1968 when he became principal conductor of the Czech Philharmonic, a post he held until 1990.

Neumann taught conducting at the Prague Academy for Music, where his students included Oliver von Dohnányi and Vítězslav Podrazil.

Neumann was particularly noted as a champion of Czech music, and made the first studio recording of Leoš Janáček's opera The Excursions of Mr. Brouček in 1962.

External links

• František Sláma (musician) Archive: More on the history of the Czech Philharmonic between the 1940s and the 1980s. Sections Conductors and The Czech Philharmonic and the people around it
• Vaclav Neumann. A necrologue in The New York Times by Allan Kozinn. Published: September 06, 1995
• Review Digest for Performances by Vaclav Neumann on ClassicsToday