Sir John Barbirolli

British Conductor and Cellist

Sir John Barbirolli (1899–1970) was a renowned British conductor and cellist. Born in London to a family of Italian immigrants, he was a prodigious talent from a young age. Barbirolli began his career as a cellist, playing with the Queen's Hall Orchestra before transitioning to conducting. He gained prominence when he succeeded Toscanini as the conductor of the New York Philharmonic in 1937, a position he held until 1943. However, it was his association with the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester, starting in 1943 and lasting for nearly three decades, that defined his career. Under his leadership, the Hallé became one of the most distinguished orchestras in Britain.