Bour, Ernest

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Bour, Ernest

Bour, Ernest, French conductor; b. Thionville, April 20, 1913. He attended the Univ. and took courses in piano, organ, and theory at the Cons, in Strasbourg. His mentors were Fritz Munch and Hermann Scherchen. He was chief conductor of the Strasbourg Radio from 1935 to 1939. From 1941 to 1947 he was music director of the Mulhouse Orch. He served as chief conductor of the Strasbourg Municipal Orch. from 1950 to 1954, of the Südwestfunk Sym. Orch. in Baden-Baden from 1964 to 1979, and of the Netherlands Radio Chamber Orch. in Hilversum from 1976 to 1987. He also appeared as a guest conductor throughout Europe, where he became known as a champion of contemporary music.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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