Hans-Hubert Schönzeler

Who was Hans-Hubert Schönzeler?

Hans-Hubert Schönzeler was a German-born Australian-naturalised English-resident composer, conductor and musicologist who became an authority on Anton Bruckner and Antonín Dvořák.

He was born in Leipzig, an only child, and studied the violin from the age of five. Although his family was not Jewish, he was sent to Brussels so as to avoid contact with the Hitler Youth. In 1939 his family emigrated to Australia where, on the outbreak of the Second World War, his father was interned as an enemy alien. Hans-Hubert went to Sydney Boys High School, but in 1941 he and his mother were also interned for the duration of the war. During these years he continued to study music. He also studied conducting with a former director of the Vienna Boys' Choir. He was released in 1946 and was naturalised as an Australian in 1947. He attended the New South Wales State Conservatorium, where he studied with Eugene Goossens.

With assistance from Rafael Kubelík, Schönzeler settled in London in 1950, and went to work for Eulenburg Editions. He was later a director of the company. He conducted the 20th-Century Ensemble in London from 1951 to 1962.