Death of the conductor Karl Anton Rickenbacher
Basel-born conductor Karl Anton Rickenbacher, a pupil of Karajan's who worked as a répétiteur at Zurich Opera House in the 1960s and as chief conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in the 1980s, has died of heart failure at the age of 73.
After studying in Berlin, Rickenbacher began his career as a répétiteur at the Zurich Opera House and later as first conductor and deputy general music director at the Städtische Bühnen Freiburg i. Br. where he developed an extensive opera repertoire. Rickenbacher began his international career with his appointment as chief conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
His discography includes several recordings of works by Beethoven, Wagner, Liszt, Bruckner, Mahler and Messiaen, including with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Bavarian Radio Orchestra and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. His recordings have won several awards, including the Echo Klassik Prize of the German Phono Academy in 1999, 2000 and 2001.
