Sir John (Giovanni Battista) Barbirolli (December 2, 1899 - July 29, 1970), was a British conductor and cellist who led the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, among many others. December 2 is the 336th day (337th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1899 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... July 29 is the 210th day (211th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 155 days remaining. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... See Conductor for other possible uses of the word. ... A cello The violoncello, or as it is more commonly to refered to as the cello or cello (pronounced Cheh-loh), is a stringed instrument and a member of the violin family. ... The London Symphony Orchestra (frequently abbreviated to LSO) is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom. ... The London Philharmonic Orchestra (frequently abbreviated to LPO), based in London, is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom. ...

Early Years 1899-1937

Barbirolli was a Londoner, from a musical family. His father and uncle were violinists in London theatre orchestras, notably the Leicester Square Empire, though they had also played at La Scala, Milan, under Toscanini. Thus the young John was destined to be a string player, a specialist in British music, and to have a love of Italian opera. Part of the London skyline viewed from the South Bank London is the most populous city in the European Union, with an estimated population on 1 January 2005 of 7. ... Violin The violin is a bowed stringed musical instrument that has four strings tuned a perfect fifth apart, the lowest being the G just below middle C. It is the smallest and highest-tuned member of the violin family of string instruments, which also includes the viola and cello. ... La Scala The Teatro alla Scala (or La Scala for short), in Milan, Italy, is one of the worlds most famous opera houses. ... Milan (Italian: Milano; Milanese dialect: Milán) is the main city in northern Italy, and is located in the plains of Lombardy, the most populated and developed region in Italy. ... Arturo Toscanini Arturo Toscanini (March 25, 1867 – January 16, 1957) was considered by many of his contemporaries — critics, fellow musicians, and the public alike — as the greatest conductor of his era. ...

Barbirolli studied at the Royal Academy of Music; a 'Sir John Barbirolli Collection' of photographs and memorabilia is now kept there. As a young cellist he made some acoustic records, played in the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO), notably at the first performance of Elgar's Cello Concerto, and was soon after the soloist in the second performance of the work. In the 1920s he turned to conducting and formed a chamber orchestra which recorded new works for the National Gramophone Society, notably Elgar's Introduction and Allegro, which may have been responsible for His Master's Voice avoiding the work until after Elgar's death. The Royal Academy of Music is a music school in London, England and one of the leading music institutions in the world. ... The London Symphony Orchestra (frequently abbreviated to LSO) is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom. ... Sir Edward Elgar Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet, OM, GCVO (2 June 1857 â€“ 23 February 1934) was an English composer, born in the small village of Lower Broadheath outside Worcester, Worcestershire, to William Elgar, a piano tuner and music dealer, and his wife Ann. ... About Founded in 1923 by the novelist Compton Mackenzie to promote music which was ignored by major music companies. ... Edward Elgar Sir Edward William Elgar, Bt OM GCVO (June 2, 1857 – February 23, 1934) was a British composer, born in the small Worcestershire village of Broadheath to William Elgar, a piano tuner and music dealer, and his wife Ann. ... Sir Edward Elgars Introduction and Allegro for Strings, opus 47, was composed in 1905 for performance in an all-Elgar performance by the newly formed London Symphony Orchestra. ... His Masters Voice, often abbreviated to HMV, is a famous trademark in the music business, and for many years was the name of a large record company. ...

Barbirolli became known for his ability to secure effective performances at short notice, and in the 1930's made many recordings with the LSO and London Philharmonic, accompanying concertos with leading soloists such as Kreisler, Heifetz and Rubinstein, most of which remain classics today. The London Symphony Orchestra (frequently abbreviated to LSO) is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom. ... The London Philharmonic Orchestra (frequently abbreviated to LPO), based in London, is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom. ... In classical music, the word concerto (pl. ... Fritz Kreisler (February 2, 1875 – January 29, 1962) was an Austrian violinist and composer, one of the most famous of his day. ... Jascha Heifetz 1740 Guarneri del Gesu, the ex. ... Arthur Rubinstein photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1937 Artur Rubinstein (January 28, 1887 – December 20, Polish pianist best known for his performances of Chopin and his championing of Spanish music. ...

Conductor of New York Philharmonic 1937-1942

In 1937 Barbirolli achieved a coup when he was invited to succeed Toscanini as conductor of the New York Philharmonic, a tremendously prestigious post. Although his five seasons there were a musical triumph, as surviving recordings show, he was under constant attack from the trenchant New York press, notably the anglophobe critic Olin Downes. 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Arturo Toscanini (March 25, 1867 - January 16, 1957) was considered by many of his contemporaries — critics, fellow musicians, and the public alike — as the greatest conductor of his era. ... The New York Philharmonic is an American orchestra based in New York City. ... Anglophobia is a fear or hatred of England, its inhabitants or anything of its origin. ... Olin Downes (Edwin) (January 27, 1886–August 22, 1955) was a significant U.S. music critic. ...

Work in Later Years 1942-1970

In 1942 Barbirolli was invited to renew his contract but to do so would have to become a US citizen, which he was unwilling to do. At this point an invitation to take up the chief conductorship of the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester transformed his career. This article is about the year. ... The Hallé Orchestra is one of Britains longest established orchestras, and is based in Manchester. ... Manchester is a city in the North West of England. ...

The increase in scope for concerts had prompted the Hallé to end the increasingly unsatisfactory arrangement of sharing half their players with the BBC, which had saved them in the slump years, and to engage a top-rank conductor. Only four of the shared players chose to join the Hallé, so when Barbirolli arrived he had to rebuild the orchestra in weeks, a task he fell to with enthusiasm. His "new Hallé" can be heard today in recordings of symphonies by Bax and Vaughan Williams, made in wartime Manchester. The British Broadcasting Company Ltd was a British commercial company formed on October 18, 1922 by British and American electrical companies doing business in the United Kingdom. ... Arnold Edward Trevor Bax (November 8, 1883 – October 3, 1953), was an English composer. ... Ralph Vaughan Williams (October 12, 1872 – August 26, 1958) was an influential British composer. ...

Barbirolli conducted the orchestra for twenty-five years, in many cities including the Cheltenham Festival, where he premiered many new works. He also conducted the BBC and other London orchestras in concert and on records, and towards the end of his life renewed his association with EMI which produced a legacy of fine recorded performances, many of which have been available continuously. The Cheltenham Festival is the most prestigious meeting in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom. ... The EMI Group is a major record label, based in Hammersmith in London, in the United Kingdom. ...

Barbirolli is remembered as an interpreter of Elgar, Vaughan Williams and Mahler, as well as Schubert, Beethoven, Sibelius, Verdi and Puccini, and as a staunch supporter of new works by British composers, in which his advocacy rivalled that of Boult and Henry Wood. Edward Elgar Sir Edward William Elgar, Bt OM GCVO (June 2, 1857 – February 23, 1934) was a British composer, born in the small Worcestershire village of Broadheath to William Elgar, a piano tuner and music dealer, and his wife Ann. ... Ralph Vaughan Williams (October 12, 1872 – August 26, 1958) was an influential British composer. ... Gustav Mahler in 1909 Gustav Mahler (7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was a Bohemian-Austrian composer and conductor. ... For the crater on the moon, see Schubert (crater) Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (January 31, 1797 – November 19, 1828), was an Austrian composer. ... Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptized 17 December 1770 – 26 March 1827) was a German composer of classical music, who lived predominantly in Vienna, Austria. ... Sibelius Jean Sibelius (December 8, 1865 – September 20, 1957) was a Finnish composer of classical music; he also studied the violin as a young man. ... Giuseppe Verdi, by Giovanni Boldini, 1886 (National Gallery of Modern Art, Rome) Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (October 10, 1813 – January 27, 1901) is to date the most influential composer of the Italian School of Opera. ... Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini (December 22, 1858 – November 29, 1924) is regarded as one of the great operatic composers of the late 19th and early 20th century. ... Sir Adrian Cedric Boult (April 8, 1889 _ February 22, 1983) was an English conductor. ... Sir Henry Joseph Wood (3 March 1869 - 19 August 1944) was a British orchestral conductor, the founder of the famous Promenade Concerts. ...

He was married to the British oboist Evelyn Rothwell. Modern Oboe The oboe is a musical instrument of the woodwind double reed family. ...

Biography

Reid, Charles "John Barbirolli: a biography" Taplinger Pub. Co (1971) ISBN 0800844084

References

• BBC Profile of Sir John Barbirolli
• Encyclopedia.com Brief Biography

See also

• Sir John Barbirolli Memorial Foundation