Conductor, born in Wroclaw, Poland (formerly Breslau, Germany). He studied at Frankfurt and Berlin, first appeared as a conductor in 1906, made a name as a champion of modern music, and was appointed director of the Kroll Opera in Berlin (1927--31). Nazism drove him to the USA, where he became director of the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra (1933--9). In his later years, he concentrated mainly on the German classical and Romantic composers, and was particularly known for his interpretation of Beethoven. He also composed six symphonies, a Mass, and Lieder.