| Variations of Name | Eduard Alexander van Beinum |
| Biography | Eduard van Beinum was a Dutch conductor.
Van Beinum was the conductor of the Haarlem Orchestral Society from 1927 to 1931. He first conducted the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam, in 1929. He became second conductor of the orchestra in 1931, under the supervision of Willem Mengelberg. In 1938 he was named co-principal conductor, alongside Mengelberg. After World War II, Mengelberg was dismissed as principal conductor because of controversy over his (still-disputed) behavior and attitude towards the Nazi occupiers in the Netherlands. According to Kees Wisse, van Beinum "detested the Nazis and kept himself as aloof as he could." Van Beinum refused to conduct a 1943 benefit concert for the Nazis, and threatened to resign as co-principal conductor if forced to conduct that event. Van Beinum did receive a reprimand after the post-war de-Nazification activities, but this was not so severe as to keep him from his post with the Concertgebouw. Van Beinum remained as sole principal conductor of the orchestra after the war.
In 1947, van Beinum became principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO), but left after two successful seasons. |