Description
Book SynopsisThis book explores musician Heinz Unger's negotiation of his German Jewish identity throughout his life, beginning with his time in Germany, extending through his exile in 1933, and continuing on to his time in Canada following the Second World War.
Trade Review"This is a worthy tribute to a long-forgotten conductor and devoted Mahlerite, whose evangelistic zeal did much to promulgate the composer's music. This in-depth coverage of Unger's life fills a void and, hopefully, paves the way for some trawling of the archives and release of some of the artist's live performances." -- Stephen Greenbank * MusicWeb International *
"It is exciting to learn about Unger’s eventful, unjustly forgotten life and archive, buoyed by Tesler-Mabé’s passion for reconstructing the conductor’s story." -- Judah M. Cohen * Canadian Jewish Studies Vol. 31 *
"A useful contribution to Jewish studies, this monograph is a microhistory, a contextual biography of German conductor Heinz Unger." -- M.N.H. Cheng, Colgate University *
CHOICE *
“The engrossing prose and honest narrative about a life that included many disappointments will fetch a broad audience as well as contribute rich material to musicologists who, finally, re envision their field as more than a series of great men. It is to our peril when historians skip over a stratum of musical life that was often ignored in the press.” -- Karen Painter, University of Minnesota *
German Studies Review *
Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. A Thoroughly German Youth, Early Trips to the Soviet Union, and an Unfortunate Exile (1895–1933) 2. European Exodus: USSR, England, Spain, and the World (1933–1954) 3. Early Life in Canada and a Return to Germany (1937–1956) 4. A Jewish Renaissance: Life in Canada, the Israel Philharmonic, and the Mahler Centenary (1956–1961) 5. The Final Years and a Farewell to the World (1961–1965) Conclusion Bibliography Appendix: Known Concerts and Performances by Heinz Unger
