Sir John Barbirolli, CH (1899 1970) was a British conductor and cellist.

He helped
save the Hall 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 Hous
ton Symphony (1961 67), and a guest conductor of many other orchestras. Born in Lo
ndon of Italian and French parentage, Barbirolli grew up in a family of professi
onal musicians. After starting out as a cellist, he was given the chance to cond
uct, from 1926 with the British National Opera Company, and then with Covent Gar
den's touring company. Although he had less opportunity to work in the opera hou
se after 1943, he conducted productions of works by Verdi, Wagner, Gluck, and Pu
ccini at Covent Garden in the 1950s with such success that he was invited to bec
ome its permanent musical director, an invitation he declined. Both in the conce
rt hall and on record, Barbirolli was particularly associated with the music of
English composers such as Elgar, Delius and Vaughan Williams. His interpretation
s of composers such as Mahler, Sibelius, and Schubert are also still admired.