He was a violinist and conductor born Jeno Blau in Budapest, Hungary, whose musical education began when he entered the National Hungarian Royal Academy of Music to study the violin when he was five.
Making his debut in concert when he was seven, he graduated at 14 and went on to the Budapest University before moving to the United States in 1921 and taking his name from the SS Normandie which he traveled on. He worked as a violinist in the Major Bowes Capitol Theater Orchestra in New York City, which accompanied silent movies, and became concertmaster within five days of joining.
He was appointed conductor of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra from 1931 where he served until 1936. During the Great Depression RCA Victor contracted him and the orchestra for many recordings with a unique clause that required them to earn their salaries by performing a certain number of hours each week. During this time he premiered Carpenter’s Adventures in a Perambulator, Kodaly’s Hary Janos Suite and Roy Harris’ American Overture . His success with his famous readings of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 and Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 helped seal his reputation.
He was with the Philadelphia Orchestra for 44 years and from 1938 he was the sole music director and conductor. He was made the orchestra’s Conductor Laureate in 1980 when he retired.
He conducted 100 to 180 concerts each year and always conducted from memory. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Richard Nixon in 1970 and was appointed an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in 1976. He was also honoured in the Kennedy Center Honors in 1982.
He died in March 1985 in Philadelphia when he was 85 years old.
Philadelphia Orchestra & Chorus recordings
Sleigh Ride (Leroy Anderson)
RCA 6430 (CD: Joy to the World)
Conductor – Eugene Ormandy
Angels We Have Head on High (Traditional French/James Chadwick/Edward Barnes)
RCA 6430 (CD: Joy to the World)
Conductor – Eugene Ormandy
Sources:
- http://www.eugeneormandy.com/
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Ormandy#Biography
- https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Ormandy-Eugene.htm
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/809856-Eugene-Ormandy
- https://www.allmusic.com/artist/eugene-ormandy-mn0000623172/biography
- http://dla.library.upenn.edu/dla/ead/ead.html?id=EAD_upenn_rbml_MsColl91