(pseudonym of B. Schlesinger). Born Sept. 15, 1876, in Berlin; died Feb. 17, 1962, in Beverly Hills, California. German conductor and writer on music.

Walter studied at the Stern Conservatory in Berlin. From 1894 to 1896, he was concertmaster, chorus master, and conductor at the Hamburg Opera, and from 1901 to 1912, at the Vienna Court Opera. Later he directed operas in Munich (1913-22) and Berlin (from 1925). He was director of the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig from 1929 to 1933. In 1933, Walter emigrated from fascist Germany and made appearances in Western Europe and North America. From 1939 he lived in the USA. He conducted productions at the Metropolitan Opera. Walter had toured Russia (1914) and the USSR (1923 and 1927). He was famous as an interpreter of Mozart, Mahler, and Verdi, and was the author of books on Mozart, Mahler, and others. Walter also wrote two symphonies and other works.