- He was as famous for his good manners as for his conducting. When he guest conducted the La Scala Orchestra and congratulated Toscanini on how well they played, Toscanini said, "My dear, I am the conductor of this orchestra. It is a bad orchestra. You are a good conductor".
- Hungarian conductor who was revered by his contemporaries (even the notoriously difficult-to-please Arturo Toscanini) for his ability to obtain excellent results from orchestras. Unfortunately, he did not live long enough to make sound films or electrical recordings (recordings done with microphones), so most listeners have no idea of what his performances sounded like.
- Was the first conductor to make a commercial recording of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, in 1913.
- Father of the legal scholar Arthur Philip Nikisch and pianist, composer and band leader Mitja Nikisch.
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