(born Bruno Walter Schlesinger), Germanborn American conductor; b. Berlin, Sept. 15, 1876; d. Beverly Hills, Calif, Feb. 17, 1962. Walter entered the Stern Conservatory in Berlin at age eight. A year later, he performed in public as a pianist but at 13 decided to pursue his interest in conducting.

In 1893 Walter became a coach at the Cologne Opera, where he made his conducting debut. In the following year he was engaged as assistant conductor at the Hamburg Stadttheater, under GUSTAV MAHLER. This contact was decisive in his career, and he became in subsequent years an ardent champion of Mahler's music, conducting the premieres of Mahler's posthumous Symphony No. 9 and Das Lied von der Erde.

During the 1896-97 season, Walter was engaged as second conductor at the Stadttheater in Breslau. He then became principal conductor in Pressburg, and in 1898 at Riga, where he conducted for two seasons. In 1900 he received the important engagement of conductor at the Berlin Royal Opera under a five-year contract. However, he left this post in 1901 when he received an offer from Mahler to become his assistant at the Vienna Court Opera.

Walter established himself in Vienna as an efficient opera conductor. He also conducted in England, making his first appearance there in 1909, with the Royal Philharmonic Society in London. He remained at the Vienna Court Opera after the death of Mahler. In 1913 he became Royal Bavarian Generalmusikdirektor in Munich. Under his guidance, the Munich Opera gave brilliant performances, particularly of WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZARTS works.

Seeking greater artistic freedom, Walter left Munich in 1922 and gave numerous performances as a guest conductor with European orchestras. He conducted the "Bruno Walter Concerts" with the Berlin Philharmonic from 1921 to 1933, and from 1925 he also conducted summer concerts of the Salzburg Festival. His performances of Mozart's music there set a new standard. He also appeared as pianist in Mozart's chamber works.

In 1923 Walter made his American debut with the N.Y. Symphony Society, appearing with it again in 1924 and 1925. From 1925 to 1929 he was conductor of the Städtische Oper in Berlin-Charlottenburg, and in 1929 he succeeded WILHELM FURTWÄNGLER as conductor of the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig, but continued to give special concerts in Berlin. In 1932 he was guest conductor of the N.Y. Philharmonic, acting also as soloist in a Mozart piano concerto. He was reengaged during the next three seasons as associate conductor with ARTURO TOSCANINI. Walter was also a guest conductor in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore.

With the advent of the Nazi regime in Germany in 1933, his engagement with the Gewandhaus Orchestra was canceled. Walter was also prevented from continuing his orchestra concerts in Berlin. He filled several engagements with the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and also conducted in Salzburg. In 1936 he was engaged as music director of the Vienna State Opera, but this was terminated with the Nazi annexation of Austria in 1938.

Walter, with his family, then went to France, where he was granted French citizenship. After the outbreak of World War II in 1939, he sailed for the U.S., establishing his residence in California and eventually becoming a naturalized American citizen. He was guest conductor with the NBC Symphony Orchestra in 1939 and also conducted many performances of the Metropolitan Opera in N.Y., making his debut leading a performance of FIDELIO in 1941.

From 1947 to 1949 Walter was conductor and musical adviser of the N.Y. Philharmonic, returning regularly as guest conductor until 1960. He made recordings with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra, which was created for him, and also conducted in Europe from 1949 to I960.

Walter achieved the reputation of a perfect classicist among contemporary conductors, his interpretations of the masterpieces of the VIENNA SCHOOL being particularly notable. He is acknowledged to have been a foremost conductor of Mahler's symphonies. He also composed his own music, including two symphonies, a string quartet, piano quintet, piano trio, and several albums of songs.