Handbook of ConductingHerman Scherchen (1891 1966), the distinguished German conductor, was largely self taught in music. He played the viola in the Berlin Philharmonic (1907 10) and in 1918 founded the Neue Musikgesellschaft in Berlin. He was an ardent champion of twentieth century music, especially that of Schoenberg, with whom he toured. From 1928 to 1933 he was in charge of music for the Konigsberg Radio and in 1933 settled in Switzerland and led for six years the