Sir John
Barbirolli,
CH (1899–
1970) was a
British
conductor
and cellist. He helped save the
Hallé Orchestra in Manchester
from dissolution in 1943 and was
its music director for the rest of his
life. He was also Arturo Toscanini 's
successor as music director of the
New York Philharmonic (1936–43),
chief conductor of the Houston
Symphony (1961–67), and a guest
conductor of many other
orchestras. Born in London of
Italian and French parentage,
Barbirolli grew up in a family of
professional musicians. After
starting out as a cellist, he was
given the chance to conduct, from
1926 with the British National
Opera Company , and then with
Covent Garden 's touring company.
Although he had less opportunity
to work in the opera house after
1943, he conducted productions of
works by Verdi , Wagner, Gluck ,
and Puccini at Covent Garden in
the 1950s with such success that
he was invited to become its
permanent musical director, an
invitation he declined. Both in the
concert hall and on record,
Barbirolli was particularly
associated with the music of
English composers such as Elgar ,
Delius and Vaughan Williams. His
interpretations of composers such
as Mahler, Sibelius , and Schubert
are also still admired.