Character introduction/John Barbirolli

John Barbirolli

Sir John Giovanni Battista Barbirolli (December 2, 1899 - July 29, 1970), a famous British conductor, was born in a musical family in London; because his father was the conductor of the London Empire Orchestra, he was influenced by the family environment, and he has been devoted to music since he was a child. Music has a special sensitivity.

John Barbirolli first learned the cello and made his debut at the age of 11 playing Gorthamann's Cello Concerto in A minor, which caused a sensation. In 1912, 13-year-old John Barbirolli entered the Royal College of Music to major in cello and piano. After graduating in 1917, he became the youngest musician in the Queen's Hall Orchestra.

In 1924, he organized a 12-member Barbaroli String Ensemble and served as its conductor. In 1929, he became chief conductor of the touring troupe of the Royal Opera House in London. In 1943, he performed in Halle, England. The orchestra called him back to reorganize the orchestra and began the most glorious stage of his conducting career.

As his reputation continues to grow, major symphony orchestras around the world are vying to hire him as conductor (including the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra and Vienna Philharmonic).

John Barbirolli

John Barbirolli was in the Halle Orchestra until his death. In 1958, he was changed from permanent conductor to chief conductor. In 1968, it was changed to "lifetime conductor". Laureate conductor”.

The most outstanding contribution of John Barbirolli's career was the creation of the Halle Orchestra.

In view of John Barbirolli's outstanding contribution to British music culture, he was knighted in 1949, made an honorary page in 1969, and was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Manchester in 1958-1950 British Royal The Philharmonic Society awarded him the Gold Memorial Medal, one of the most coveted music awards.

John Barbirolli and the famous cellist Jacqueline Dupree co-recorded Ella at the famous Kingsway Hall in London on August 19, 1965. The Cello Concerto is known as the most successful classical music recording ever produced by EMI Records.

On July 29, 1970, John Barbirolli died of a heart attack at the age of 71. /p>

Character Life/John Barbirolli

John Barbirolli and Dupree performed together

(1899─1937) John Barbirolli Barbirolli was born in a musical family in London. His father and uncle were both violinists in the symphony orchestras of opera houses such as the Leicester Square Empire, and they also performed in Milan under the leadership of conductor Toscanini. Performed at La Scala. The young John Barbirolli was thus destined to become a violinist, a specialist in English music and a lover of Italian opera. While a cellist, he made a number of recordings, notably the first performance of Elgar's Cello Concerto and, shortly afterwards, a second performance of the same work as soloist. In the 1920s, he turned to conducting and established A chamber orchestra recording new works for the National Gramophone Society, including Elgar's Introduction and Allegro, which may have led HMV to avoid the piece before Elgar's death.

John Barbirolli is well-known for his ability to prepare at short notice and ensure performance standards. After 1930, he recorded many works with the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and played with outstanding soloists. For example, Fritz Kreisler (Kreisler), Heifetz (Heifetz) and Rubinstein (Artur Rubinstein) collaborated to conduct the orchestra to accompany the concerto - many of his performance recordings are still classics today.

(1937─1942) In 1937, John Barbirolli's career had a successful breakthrough. He was invited to succeed Toscanini as the conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and became the conductor of this great orchestra. A position of high honor. His conductorship over five seasons is considered a major musical achievement based on surviving recordings.

Classic music records recorded by John Barbirolli

(1942-1970) In 1942, John Barbirolli was invited to renew his contract, but in this case he had to He was naturalized in the United States, but he did not want to become a naturalized citizen. At this time he received an invitation to serve as the chief conductor of Manchester's Hallé Orchestra, which changed his career.

The Halle Orchestra once arranged to hire musicians from the BBC to save them from the recession. However, as the scope of their concert performances became more diverse, this arrangement became unsuitable and had to be terminated. At the same time, a top conductor had to be hired. Only four former musicians chose to join the Halle Orchestra, so John Barbirolli took over and had to reorganize the orchestra within a few weeks. He devoted himself enthusiastically to the task. His "new Harley" can be heard in the symphonic recordings of Arnold Backus and Vaughan Williams recorded in wartime Manchester. John Barbirolli conducted the orchestra for 25 years, performing in many cities and premiering many new works at the Cheltenham Festival. He also conducts concerts and recordings for the BBC and other London Symphony Orchestras. In his later years he renewed his association with EMI, which produced an era of high-quality performance recordings, many of which remain in circulation.

John Barbirolli is famous for his interpretations of Elgar, Vaughan-Williams and ***, but he also interpreted works by Schubert, Beethoven, Verdi and Puccini. work. He was also a staunch supporter of new works by British composers, and his advocacy of this was comparable to that of Adrian Boult and Henry Wood.

Artistic Experience/John Barbirolli

Classic music records recorded by John Barbirolli

John Barbirolli was born in 1899 In London, UK. His father is a violinist of Italian descent, and his mother is also a musician of French descent. Since Barbirolli was born in such a family of "Italian-French" descent, his original name was Giovanni Battista Barbirolli, which was a very "Italian" name. Barbirolli grew up living in such a family with a very good musical environment and atmosphere, and naturally benefited greatly from it. He began to study music since he was a child, and he was already playing cello on stage at the age of 11. In 1911, the 12-year-old Birolli entered the Trinity College of Music in London, and later became a student at the famous Royal Academy of Music in London. He worked hard to learn a variety of music knowledge and skills in school, but among them was His achievements in cello performance are the most outstanding. In 1919, Barbirolli graduated from the Conservatory of Music and served as a cello soloist in the then Queen's Concert Hall Orchestra. In fact, he had extensive contact with this orchestra as early as 1915, when he was 16 years old. In 1918, Barbirolli was drafted into the army, but as the war quickly ended, he restarted his music career. He first served as a professional cello soloist on the music stages of various European countries, and then successively performed in the "International He began his busy chamber music career as a cellist in the Kutcher Quartet and the Kutcher Quartet.

Classic music records recorded by John Barbirolli

In 1924, he set out to form a string ensemble, which he conducted as his own conductor, and named it "Barbirolli". Biroli Chamber Orchestra”. From this point on, it actually marked the beginning of his brilliant career as a conductor. In 1926, he was hired as the conductor of the English National Opera. In 1929, he conducted the famous Royal Covent Garden Opera House for the first time. From this year to 1933, he served as the chief conductor of the touring company of this theater. . From 1933 to 1936, he served as conductor of the Scottish Symphony Orchestra in Glasgow for several years. By this time, he had gained considerable fame in Europe, especially in Britain.

In 1937, Barbirolli came to the United States. In this year, he conducted the famous New York Philharmonic Orchestra for the first time, which brought a very good impression to people. Later, the conductor Tosca Nini resigned as the permanent conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra for some reason. After many twists and turns, the oldest famous orchestra in the United States finally took a liking to Barbirolli and hired him as the orchestra's music director and permanent conductor. . Raleigh worked in this orchestra for six years before resigning in 1943 and returned to the UK. Immediately afterwards, he served as chief conductor of the Halle Orchestra in Manchester, making great contributions to the orchestra's rise to the world's first-class level.

Classic music records recorded by John Barbirolli

After entering the 1960s, he served as chief conductor of the Houston Symphony Orchestra in the United States for several years. , has also served as a guest conductor and conducted many famous symphony orchestras around the world, the most important of which include: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra and Chicago Symphony Orchestra, etc.

Barbirolli is one of the most prestigious British conductors in the world. His artistic life has had a huge impact on the British music industry. Due to his outstanding achievements in art, he was knighted in 1949, and was made an honorary citizen by the city of Manchester in 1958. In 1969, he was made an honorary page by the British Royal Family, becoming the person with the most honorary titles in the history of British music. one of the musicians.

In 1970, Barbirolli died in London at the age of 71.

Character evaluation/John Barbirolli

Classic music records recorded by John Barbirolli

John Barbirolli’s conducting style It is always filled with rich romantic poetry, especially Nordic music, which can best display its unique charm - whether it is the works of British composers Elgar and Delius, Sibelius, *** or Générale. Rigg's music and his conducting both reveal charming lyrical beauty.

Barbirolli is a world-famous conductor, especially a famous British conductor. One of his most important achievements is the cultivation and creation of the Halle Orchestra. The Halle Orchestra was founded in 1819 and is the oldest symphony orchestra in the UK. According to John Barbirolli, this orchestra has had several more glorious periods in its history, and has stars like Richter and Harty. The experience of leading a famous conductor, however, the person who really brought the level of this old orchestra to world-class heights was Barbirolli. After Barbirolli took over the position of permanent conductor of the orchestra in 1943, after several years of hard work and rigorous training, he finally revived the aging and declining orchestra. In one fell swoop, it became a first-class symphony orchestra famous in Europe and even the world. During his tenure as the permanent conductor of the orchestra, he led the orchestra to visit various countries for performances and record recordings, creating a great momentum for its worldwide influence. Since he brought this orchestra a rare "golden period" in its history, the orchestra awarded him the title of "Conductor Laureate".

Classic music records recorded by John Barbirolli

Barbirolli is a conductor with a strong national temperament and has outstanding achievements and contributions in his conducting career. , are basically reflected in the development of the British symphony career. In this regard, in addition to the great achievements made in supporting the Halle Orchestra, it is also reflected in many aspects such as the promotion and introduction of the works of British composers: in In this respect, he has many similarities with Beacham, Bulter and Sargent. However, Barbirolli himself was also a master conductor who could freely master works of many styles. In terms of conducting operas, in addition to conducting British operas, he was also very good at conducting German operas. In the 1950s, he performed at Covent Garden The conductor of the Opera House performed Wagner's opera "Tristan und Isolde" with an introduction by John Barbirolli, and left a deep impression on people, but for Italian operas, his interpretation seemed to be even better. First of all, in his opinion, the operas of Puccini and Verdi are very suitable to his taste. This is probably closely related to the Italian blood relationship he inherited from his father.

Barbirolli's conducting style is steady, fresh, delicate and smooth. When performing works, although he can embody the lyrical and romantic mood to the maximum extent, he can always maintain it well. Relative rationality, in other words, is the ability to have an excellent sense of proportion in handling works. From this aspect, he is a master conductor with profound artistic accomplishment.

Barbirolli is most adept at performing the works of British composers, including the works of Elgar, Voan Williams and Delius. He is conducting these composers When working on his works, his skillful and skillful performance left a very deep impression on people. For example, he performed Elgar's "Cello Concerto" with the famous British cellist Dupre, which was an extremely wonderful and classic interpretation. The records they recorded together have always been among the records of this work. The most authoritative version, no one has surpassed them for many years. And such superb interpretation is only a prominent and small example among Barbirolli's vast repertoire.

In addition to Barbirolli's famous interpretations of the works of British composers, the works of Nordic composers were another kingdom in which he traveled to his heart's content. Perhaps it was Barbirolli's own calm and His delicate temperament is very consistent with the clear, beautiful and natural artistic conception of Nordic music. He has a wonderful understanding and preference for Nordic music. All of this is reflected in the Sibelius he conducted and performed. It is clearly reflected in the works of Sis and Grieg. Some critics have commented that the Nordic works he conducted have a "charming lyrical beauty". From a modern perspective, this is indeed a very special thing. A fitting evaluation.

Classic music records recorded by John Barbirolli

Readers may think that Barbirolli is just the kind of British music that is good at expressing elegant temperament and Nordic music with elegant style. A great conductor, this is actually not the case. Barbirolli has a very unique interpretation ability for German and Austrian music works with a calm, profound style and strong ideological style, as well as passionate, clear and dramatic Italian music works. As mentioned before, Barbirolli once had very exciting success when conducting operas by Wagner, Verdi and Puccini. In fact, he also had great achievements in interpreting German and Austrian symphonic works, especially for He has excellent control over the works of late Romantic composers. Here, the most prominent example is his interpretation of *** works. He was once one of a series of international experts in conducting *** works. As for Italian music, he has an instinctive blood advantage. Readers have already understood this from the previous explanation. What needs to be pointed out here is that he is not only good at conducting Italian works, but also adapted many Italian works. The composer's works, such as the adaptation of Corelli's violin music and Pergolesi's opera music into orchestral music, etc., all have extremely positive significance.

Barbirolli had a thorough understanding of ***'s Symphony No. 2. Lyndon Jenkins mentioned in his review that Barbirolli had conducted it 32 times in 12 years before conducting the performance in Stuttgart. passed this work.

In the first movement, the sound will make you feel tired of the world. It is not surprising that Barbirolli is even seriously ill. The sad singing fills every page of the score. The music is full of singing, the string instruments are full of expressiveness, and the woodwind instruments are even more unique. You can also feel how the tension in the first movement builds up in Barbirolli's interpretation. In terms of musical lyrical expression, his style is very similar to Crombele. The most profound thing about the performance is the dramatic effect in the live performance, and you may have to accept this characteristic. In the recapitulation, Otto Klemperer's rapid style continues to be displayed, so that when the music reaches its climax, the tempo is not slowed down to enhance the effect.

Barbirolli is indeed a master in handling the relationship between the speed of music. When the music reaches the end with an urgent emotion, it reaches *** at a slightly faster speed. I also admired the way Barbirolli seemed to let the movement linger on the problem. Few conductors have such a unique approach.

Overall, this is an interpretation full of classical style that combines Crombele's sense of speed with Bruno Walter's lyricism.

Character Recording/John Barbirolli

John Barbirolli (20th Century Conductor Series)

EMI 20th Century Great Conductors Series Recording (John Barbirolli)

Number: EMI Great Conductors of the Twentieth Century 5 75100 2 (2CD)

***: Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection" < /p>

Helen Donath (soprano), Birgit Finnil (mezzo-soprano)

Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra

Live at the Konzerthaus Liederhalle, Stuttgart, April 5, 1970 Recording

Wagner: Overture to Die Meistersinger of Nuremberg

London Symphony Orchestra

Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, September 27, 1969

Elgar: Enigma Variations

Hallé Orchestra

Recorded at the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, 21 and 23 June 1956

Will: Mother Goose Suite

Halle Orchestra

Recorded at the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, 21 and 22 May 1957

Puccini: Butterfly Madame: Love Duet in Act 1

Renata Scotto (soprano), Carlo Bergonzi (tenor)

Teatro Romano Orchestra< /p>

Recorded at the Teatro di Rome in August 1966

John Barbirolli’s classic recording

“It sounds like the great The old man is trying to shake the door of eternity." On April 5, 1970, an audience member listened to Barbirolli's "Symphony No. 2" conducted in Stuttgart and expressed his appreciation for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. The director expressed this emotion. At that time, "the great old man" had only a few weeks to live, and in his last days he was still busy with such special performances, so this audience member's evaluation may be a more true reflection of The situation at that time.

Barbirolli conducted the Symphony No. 2 in Manchester in November 1969. This was his conduct of the piece again five months later. I regret very much that I had the opportunity to go to Manchester to hear his performance, but I couldn't. As a 15-year-old beginner of classical music, I chose to enjoy the works of Rossini, Debussy and Elgar conducted by Barbirolli in the week before. Fortunately the Stuttgart show was recorded, and for a few years there was an unofficial version of Arkadia. Sound-wise, this version has quite a few shortcomings, and it's also hard to find. But Radio Stuttgart is said to have preserved the master tapes, and many of us who greatly admired that performance hope to one day officially release this version. Now in the "Great Conductors of the 20th Century" series released by EMI, this wish has become a reality.

Only a master conductor can express the sarcasm and ridicule in the work when conducting the third movement of ***, and Barbirolli belongs to that type of conductor. He really understood the strangeness and dislocation of the work. After all, ***'s works represent the world seen through a concave mirror. The wind instruments I mentioned above fully express the connotation of music here. The unstable lyrical thread in the melody shows that Barbirolli thought this was indeed not comfortable music. I also loved the expression of the strings and the way they reflected the strong motivations in the piece. The middle section of the piece has a mood of effort and excitement, the trumpet solo is so powerful that I don't know anyone else, even Crombele, and there's a nostalgic ache in the ever-changing pieces. The music really expresses the original intention of the work.

Why can't other conductors achieve the same effect with trumpet players? Could it be that the performer thought the sound was too flat? You can also notice the beautiful, interesting and lively playing of the woodwinds, as well as the occasional cries of disgust, which fully demonstrate the strength of the work.

Recording of classic music by John Barbirolli

In the fourth movement, Birgit Finnil gave a fitting performance in "Original Light", notably the brass The poise of the instrument at the beginning of her *** and the gorgeousness of the music at the end of the movement. I think the performance that night must have been unique, although it seemed very playful, but we can tolerate this interpretation. All in all, this is a very *** interpretation, and by that I mean the performance is full of wonderful qualities - from the ringing brass to the prominent melodic lines, rather than the pious and measured chants we often hear. . The fifth movement begins in an exciting way. When the music calms down, the beautiful timbre of the woodwind instruments comes to the fore. After "Crying in the Wild," Barbirolli takes the most direct approach to interpretation, neither excessive nor grotesque. The music develops freely, and the solo instruments present different textures in between, which is a pleasure to listen to. Barbirolli expresses the dramatic elements in the music in a gorgeous and varied way, and even the lively minor keys appear powerful. He did not give a very gritty interpretation like some other conductors, but time will prove his reasons. The motive at the beginning of the music becomes very unstable, like a bubbling cauldron, and then the solemn brass instruments lead the music into the climax with a loud vibrato, making the plot rich in drama. The majestic march is also similar to Crombele, with distinctive strength and courage. The music is also very gorgeous without being frenetic. There are a few false starts and stops in the brass playing, but what else do you expect? Regardless, it is also a reflection of hard work and effort. You can also hear every detail very clearly, because like other conductors of *** works, Barbirolli knows how to make every note expressive, especially at the end of the march, recording Very clear. In the intermezzo one can even clearly distinguish the solo trombone from the other principals in the orchestra. This is the most realistic performance I've ever heard. When the chorus entered, the scene was quite peaceful. It was not the calm of a plaster saint, but the calm of a living person who, faced with a hard-won sentence, realized the guilt of his life and repented. Finally, joy comes.

John Barbirolli's music recording with Dupree

If you have also listened to the studio version of Barbirolli conducting***, maybe you will Not interested in this version. But this is a mesmerizing, introspective, dramatic, and slightly dangerous version, both because of its live recording and because of Barbirolli's understanding of ***'s work, which brought the notation of the score to life. entity. Just as he conducted Bruckner's Symphony No. 8 in London six weeks later (recording number: BBC Legends BBCL 4067-2), he seemed to be showing the courage given by the music and fighting against the approaching death, It sounds very moving now. Rocking the gates of eternity, as one audience member at the Stuttgart show put it. For such a unique interpretation, you need to understand the music itself and the situation of a great conductor *** The conductor of the work is in the last moments of his life. There are some flaws in the band's playing though, and like I said, there are some small lapses in the ensemble that you might not want to hear and notice. Except for the fact that the trumpet section misses the *** ensemble at the end of the first movement and is a bar or two too slow, nothing else can make you throw it away. Overall, I think this recording is also very good. It is certainly not an ordinary recording. The details recorded in the recording far outweigh its flaws.

Other tracks on the record also express Barbirolli's artistic style very well. It's a pity that there is no work by Vaughan-Williams, maybe this is due to commercial considerations. Many people will have a collection of Vaughan Williams's works conducted by Barbirolli, and this collection of ***'s works may be an attempt to provide listeners with some lesser-known recordings. I thought something might have something to do with the recording of the Prelude to Die Meistersinger in Nuremberg.

This work was recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra during the remainder of EMI's 1969 recording of Strauss's "Hero's Life." The record was not released at that time, and it was not released until 1970 by EMI in memory of Barbirolli, so many people may not have this version. If you have listened to the extremely fast performance in the recording of "Heroic Life", which even somewhat destroyed the original intention of the work, you will have an understanding of the prelude to "Meistersinger of Nuremberg". The London Symphony Orchestra really did a great job. The horns are very sophisticated and the strings complement Barbirolli's conducting style very well. The cello's tone dives so deep, I doubt it reaches the water table. The image of the apprentice presented by the woodwind instruments is rosy and plump, even a somewhat too mature one. The recording is not the type that is full of excitement and does not make me want to listen to it often, but the emotion the conductor puts into the music always runs through the whole song, and the recording is beautiful and moving.

John Barbirolli’s early recordings CD cover

The works of Ravel and Elgar are Barbirolli’s early recordings, when he was in the 1950s During the golden period of his collaboration with the Hallé Orchestra in the mid-to-late period, he was recording for Pye, which also included Mercury's recording engineer. Again, these recordings are not easy to find commercially, so it's nice to have them on the record. Ravel's "Mother Goose" was performed to a high standard by the Hallé Orchestra in 1957, which was distinct and rigorous. Barbirolli was also half-French and generally interested in French music. Here his interpretation is rich in detail, lyrical and delightfully insightful. It is difficult to tell from the recording that it is an old recording from many years ago. Ravel's works are placed before Elgar's, which makes a tempting foreshadowing.

In comparison, I prefer Barbirolli’s 1956 version of the Enigma Variations with the Hallé Orchestra for Pye, rather than the version recorded 10 years later with the Philharmonic Orchestra for EMI. . This version has not been available on the market for many years, and the only CD version was released for a short time, so most people do not have this recording. Although this is a studio version recorded in an empty Free Trade Hall, it really feels like a live performance. Each variation is a natural expression, developing from the previous variation without any stagnation, truly becoming a whole. Compared with the version 10 years later, the fifth variation is slightly freer. I think the other version shows more rhapsodic style and more lyrical elements through a slightly faster tempo. The rich tones also add a lot of color to the tracks. You can feel this influence in variations 4 and 7, where the strings are clearly discernible and the cello dives deep. It must be admitted that Barbirolli was full of imagination and passion in both versions. Variation 8, as the prelude to "August Jaeger (Nimrod)", is elegant and modest. It is exactly the interpretation you desire, and is even a good teaching material for the use of instruments. The continuous portamento from cello to violin fully presents The lyricism of the work. The slightly lively style of Variation 10 is in sharp contrast to the violent style of Variation 11. I think Barbirolli's most successful work in this work is not "August Jaeger", but Variations 12 and 13. The cello variations played by Basil Nevinson added to Barbirolli's conducting, like a warm and spacious coat wrapping you on a cold day. The music transitions very smoothly into the next variation "Romantic", which reminds people of old friends far away. I think this is the essence of interpretation.

A few years ago, I visited the Elgar Life Memorial in Broadheath, near Worcester. On a hot summer afternoon, like many people who had visited before, I sat on the window sill and looked at the blooming flowers in the garden. This seems to be the beginning of the 18th century rather than the beginning of the 19th century. The speakers in the house were playing "Romance", which seemed to tell me that if I needed it, Elgar could awaken the nostalgia deep in my heart. Of course *** of the same era as Elgar could do it, but not with the same tenderness. Recall the place names that appear in Elgar's works: Alassio in "In the South", Venice in "Symphony No. 2", Longdon Marsh in "The Apostle of Jesus" ).

The place names hidden deep in the heart in the past will evoke the secrets in the present soul, and the sleeping memories will be awakened in the tranquility. The Enigma Variations are therefore indeed about friendship, but like much of Elgar's esoteric music, they also reflect the power of memory. In the Romance, Barbirolli interpreted the clarinet theme "calm seas and prosperous shipping" through the throbbing of the ship's engine expressed by the timpani, which reflected his awareness of the value of memory and knowing how to Take advantage of it. This is a special variation that praises and presents memory. Don't ask me how Barbirolli did it, because the truth is I don't know either. These are just things you can feel that seem to be unique to great renditions. Also, the finale is played in a harmonious and unified way. You will really like this recording version of "Riddle Variations".

It’s a little strange that the Love Duet from Puccini’s Madame Butterfly is arranged after the *** symphony, although it may need some tracks to enrich the content of the entire record. . Barbirolli was an outstanding opera conductor, but he only recorded three operas. (He would have recorded Wagner's Meistersinger of Nuremberg in 1968, but this was canceled due to the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia and was later completed by Karajan after Barbirolli's death.) Barbirolli in his native Rome Conducted Madama Butterfly, a much-loved classic version. My favorite part is the first few minutes of the "Love Duet" and the tenor's moving singing afterwards. Carlo Bergonzi is a very clever singer, and Renata Scotto is one of the best Madame Butterfly, and the Teatro Romana Orchestra performed in Barbirolli's spirited The conductor set off the singers well, full of enthusiasm and power.