Bruno Walter (born
Bruno Schlesinger, September 15, 1876February 17, 1962) was a
German-born
conductor, pianist and composer. Born in
Berlin, he left Germany in 1933 to escape the
Third Reich, settling finally in the United States in 1939. He worked closely with
Gustav Mahler, whose music he helped to establish in the repertory, held major positions with the
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra,
New York Philharmonic,
Concertgebouw Orchestra,
Salzburg Festival,
Vienna State Opera,
Bavarian State Opera,
Staatsoper Unter den Linden and
Deutsche Oper Berlin, among others, made recordings of historical and artistic significance, and is widely considered to be one of the great conductors of the 20th century.