Klarinet Archive - Posting 000166.txt from 1998/12

From: HatNYC62@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Fritz Reiner
Date: Fri, 4 Dec 1998 16:52:25 -0500

>>>Reiner did some guest turns at the Met, also, in the last 1940s and '50s
until he and the late Rudolf Bing had a falling out because, apparently,
Reiner wanted carte blanche to fire musicians, and Local 802 Be Damned. In
fairness to Reiner, the Met orchestra of that period tended to be sloppy and
careless. Reiner, I believe, was not invited back. Someone once said to Bing
"Maestro Reiner is his own worst enemy." Bing replied"Not as long as I'm
alive."<<<

Once again you are confused. Reiner was music director at the Met before he
took over the Chicago Symphony. The quote from Rudolf Bing was about George
Szell, not Fritz Reiner. Szell had walked out of a production of Tannhauser
because of shortcomings he attributed partly to Bing.

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