What is George Szell?
[[File:Szell.jpeg|210px|thumb|George Szell]] '''George Szell''' (pronounced: “sell”) (7 June 1897 - 30 July 1970) was a [[conducting|conductor]]. He was born [[Hungary|Hungarian]] and became a [[naturalized]] [[Americans|American]]. He is particularly remembered for his work with the [[Cleveland Orchestra]] which he made into one of the world’s finest orchestras. == Life == === Early years === George (originally “Georg”) Szell was born in [[Budapest]], Hungary and grew up in [[Vienna]], [[Austria]]. His music teachers included Mandyczewski, who had been a friend of [[Brahms]], and [[Max Reger]] who taught him [[Composition (music)|composition]]. He was an excellent [[piano|pianist]] and was only 11 when he first performed in public, playing one of his own compositions. He started touring [[Europe]]. He was only 16 when he conducted the orchestra of the [[Vienna State Orchestra|Vienna Court Opera]] (now the Vienna Philharmonic) and 17 when he appeared with the [[Berlin Philharmonic]], both as pianist and conducting his own music. Szell soon realized that what he wanted to do most was to conduct. He stopped composing, although he kept up his piano playing until the end of his life. [[Richard Strauss]] got him some work with the [[Berlin Staatsoper]] in [[1915]]. He conducted in several German [[opera house]]s, including [[Darmstadt]], [[Düsseldorf]], again in [[Berlin]] from [[1924]]-[[1929]] and then [[Prague]] (1929-1937). He first conducted in the [[United States]] in 1930 with the [[Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra]]. At this time he was better known as an opera conductor than as a conductor of orchestral concerts. === Years in the U.S.A. === When [[World War II]] started in 1939 Szell was in the U.S. on his way to Europe after having toured [[Australia]]. He stayed in the U.S. and settled with his family in [[New York City]]. At first he earned a living as a teacher, but he soon began to get invitations to conduct. He conducted the [[NBC Symphony Orchestra]] in 1941. From 1942 he often conducted the [[Metropo