Karl Pohlig

Karl Pohlig ( born February 10, 1858 in Teplitz, Bohemia, † June 17, 1928 in Braunschweig) was a native of northern Bohemia of German pianist and composer.

He operated in Weimar studies on the cello and the piano and was a pupil of Franz Liszt, whom he followed to Budapest and Rome. As Pianist Pohlig taught briefly at the royal conservatory in Sondershausen. From 1897 he conducted various theater orchestras in London ( Covent Garden 1897 and 1898 ), Hamburg, Coburg (at the Court Theatre ), Vienna ( Vice-Kapellmeister next to Gustav Mahler at the Court Opera ) and Graz ( as conductor ). From 1900 to 1907 he was Kapellmeister in Stuttgart. In 1901, he conducted Bruckner's Symphony No. 6 in its uncut original version after Gustav Mahler had in 1899 heavily cut brought the work to the performance. 1902 originated in Stuttgart Pohligs symphonic poem Per Aspera ad Astra.

Pohlig conducted from 1907 to 1912 as conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra. He invited Sergei Rachmaninoff in 1909 to take a debut in the United States. After Pohlig was 1912 out of favor with the public because of the revelation of extramarital relationship with his Swedish secretary, he resigned from the leadership of the orchestra in Philadelphia back. Because his contract would have taken another year regularly in America, he successfully fought for justice through the payment of a corresponding thereto severance payment. Since 1913 Pohlig operated at the Hamburg Stadttheater and finished his career from 1914 to 1922 as General Music Director of the Staatstheater Braunschweig.

His artistic focus was placed on the interpretation of the works of Richard Wagner Pohlig. As a composer Pohlig left two symphonies, two symphonic poems as well as some works from the genres of chamber and piano music.