Legendary English conductor who revamped the Hallé Orchestra

A skilled cellist and a talented conductor who worked with many world-famous orchestras, Sir John Barbirolli died on 29 July, 1970, at the age of 70.

During his long and successful career, he made his mark conducting the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and Manchester ’s Hallé Orchestra and guest-conducting a number of other world-class orchestras.

His talents in conducting operas from the likes of Verdi and Puccini along with his interpretation of composers including Elgar, Schubert, Beethoven and Mahler led the English composer Vaughan Williams to nickname him “Glorious John”.

He also remained a fervent supporter of new works by British composers, introducing many to a wider audience during his time in the US .

Born on December 2, 1899, in London , Giovanni Battista Barbirolli was the son of an accomplished Italian violinist and honed his musical talents for the cello first at the Trinity College of Music in London and then the Royal Academy of Music.

As a teenager, he became the youngest member of Henry Wood’s Queen’s Hall Orchestra and gave his first cello recital in London in 1917 before going on to play in the London Symphony Orchestra and Beecham’s Covent Garden Orchestra along with numerous performances in dance halls and cinemas.

But the lure of conducting proved too great and in 1924 he formed his own chamber orchestra, recording music for the National Gramophone Society until joining a provincial tour of the British National Opera Company (BNOC) in 1926.

Sir John went on to build his repertoire of operas with the BNOC and the Covent Garden Opera Company in addition to working with the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic, and joined the Scottish Orchestra in Glasgow in 1933.

But his biggest challenge came in 1937 when he succeeded Arturo Toscanini as conductor of the New York Philharmonic, which despite his musical success saw him heavily criticised in the New York press and working in direct competition with the NBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Toscanini.

When the opportunity to conduct the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester arose in 1943, Sir John, along with his second wife, the British oboist Evelyn Rothwell, returned to Britain where he faced the daunting task of rebuilding the orchestra within a matter of weeks.

His enthusiasm and commitment at the Hallé saw it build up a legendary reputation during his 15 years in the job but after its centenary season, he moved to the role of conductor-in-chief to free up his time to conduct some of the world’s leading orchestras.

During the 1960s, he was appointed chief conductor of the Houston Symphony Orchestra, frequently worked with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and continued to record and conduct with the Hallé, with whom he performed his last concert at the King's Lynn Festival in July 1970 before suffering a fatal heart attack a few days later.

Sir John became one of the most renowned conductors of his day, reaching a worldwide audience during his many tours and leaving a rich musical legacy through his many recordings from throughout his career.

His relentless passion for music dominated his life and even the day before his death he said: "I must go on until I drop. There is no other way for me."

In recognition of his services to music, Sir John was knighted in 1949 and made a Companion of Honour in 1969 while Manchester boasts a Barbirolli Square which is home to the concert venue Bridgewater Hall.

The Sir John Barbirolli Memorial Foundation was set up after his death to give financial help to promising young classical music students.