(Sir John Barbirolli - taking over the reins from Toscanini in 1937)
From 1937-1943 Sir John Barbirolli took over as Conductor of the New York Philharmonic when Arturo Toscanini left to assume his role as music director of the newly-formed NBC Symphony. During that time he was actively courted by American record companies and did a number of memorable sessions with RCA Victor and Columbia Records before relinquishing his post and returning to his native England and the height of the war where he began his long association with the Halle Orchestra.
Barbirolli had a long and distinguished career and was guest conductor throughout the world before and after World War 2, performing with all the great orchestras. He was active both on the concert stage and in the studio all the way until his death in 1970.
Barbirolli did an arrangement of works by Henry Purcell (the Suite for Strings with four horns, two flutes and English Horn), and was one of the first recording sessions issued by RCA during his New York tenure.
The Suite was originally issued in 1938 as Victor set M-533 and was recorded on October 24, 1937.
