Arthur Fiedler

Arthur Fiedler was a bona fide superstar of classical music, the kind of character whose death is mourned around the world -- as indeed his was. Born in 1894 to Austrian parents, Fiedler's father was a violin player with the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and his mother was a gifted pianist. It was only a matter of time before the young Fiedler joined the BSO himself in 1915. Although he joined as a violinist, Fiedler was a musical polyglot -- he also played viola, percussion, organ and piano for the symphony. A few years later, he formed the acclaimed Boston Sinfonietta and began giving his first free concerts. In 1930, Fiedler was asked to lead the Boston Pops Orchestra, and the rest is history. His musical adventurousness and his commitment to free outdoor concerts brought orchestral music to more people than any other musician had. The Boston Pops became the most recorded symphony in the world under his direction, and The Guinness Book of World Records states that Fiedler conducted the largest classical music concert ever - a performance on July 4, 1976, for over 400,000 people. Fiedler was an internationally loved character, a true man of the people with a boundless enthusiasm for his work. He died in 1979.