William Steinberg (1899–1978), a native of Cologne who spent almost all his career in the United States, was known principally as Music Director of the Pittsburg Symphony (1952–76), which he made into one of the world’s leading orchestras, and also as the distinguished Music Director of the Boston Symphony (1969–72) at the end of his career.

He was celebrated as an orchestra builder, co-founding the Palestine Orchestra which became the Israel Philharmonic, as well as helping one of his mentors, Arturo Toscanini, to form the NBC Symphony Orchestra. His other mentor was Otto Klemperer and, like Klemperer, Steinberg conducted and recorded Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner and Mahler superbly together with a fondness for 20th-century works.

Steinberg’s recording of Beethoven’s Missa solemnis has never been issued before on CD and is in excellent stereo.

Along with the superb Cologne Radio Choir, Steinberg has one of the more assured, sensitive and expressive vocal quartets for this demanding work – Heather Harper (she also sang on EMI’s recording with Giulini), Julia Hamari, Sven Olof Eliasson and Peter Meven. Both Hamari and Meven were regular performers at all the European festivals, notably under Karajan.

Steinberg’s interpretation is one of fiery intensity, majesty and utter fidelity to the score, which was one of his main characteristics as a conductor.

Recorded: Saal 1, Funkhaus, Cologne, 15 June 1973
Stereo ADD