He influenced the musical scene of Dresden, as the conductor of the Semperoper for three decades, and a professor of conducting at the Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber.
[2] From 1945, he studied composition (with Fidelio F. Finke), and orchestral conducting and trumpet at the Academy of Music and Theatre in his home town.
[3] He remained in this position until 1960, then moved to the Staatsoper Dresden; he began as Kapellmeister, was promoted to Staatskapellmeister in 1964, to Generalmusikdirektor in 1971 and finally to executive musical director (geschäftsführender musikalischer Oberleiter) in 1976.
In addition to the influence of Paul Hindemith, echoes of jazz music can also be detected, for example in the Trumpet Concerto, probably his best-known work.
His mature works combine serious and thoughtful to exuberant and cheerful passages in the sense of an optimistic attitude.
The production of Schönberg's Moses und Aron, directed by Harry Kupfer, found international recognition.
[3] He conducted Berg's Wozzeck, Paul Dessau's Die Verurteilung des Lukullus and Lanzelot, Orff's Antigonae, Bartók's Herzog Blaubarts Burg, and the world premiere of Udo Zimmermann's Levins Mühle [de] in 1972.