[ARSCLIST] Willem van Hoogstraten

[Steven Smolian <smolians@xxxxxxxxx>]

Willem van Hoogstraten was Mengelberg's assistant at the New York Philharmonic and later performed various duties there through the 1938 season.  He also led the  the Portand (Ore) SO 1925-1938. Apparently he was in Portland during the regular season and at Lewisohn stadium during the summer.  He seems to have returned to Europe after 1938 when the Portland Symphony suspended operations.  During the war he was in Austria in charge of the Mozarteum Orchestra in Salzburg (1939-1945). 

He was married to the eventually virulently nazi pianist, Elly Ney from 1911 through 1927.  They reunited after the death of her second husband (when was that?), performing and recording together.  

After WW II he led the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra  (1949-unknown) with whom he recorded for Period.   These and his New York Philharmonic-Western Electric experiemntal records seem to be his only recordings without Elly Ney.   

His name does not show up tn "Settling Scores", a recent book on denazification of music in Germany and Austria, though hers does.  

I'm trying to find out about his nazi past.  Did he go along (the Salzburg job would indicate that, at least) or was he more committed?

Many of the post-war Ney/Hoogstrateb records were on Colosseum (E. Germany.)  Did he move into the Soviet sector or could he commute over the line?

Any further info and corrections would be appreciated.   

Steven Smolian