Mourning for leading British conductor - Slippedisc (2024)

Michael Turner (conductor) says:

James Loughran was a successful conductor at he Last Night of the Proms and produced some excellent recordings with the Halle, including a fine Brahms cycle. One of the many British conductors of his generation, rather undervalued in his home country.

Daniel Raiskin says:

Maestro Loughran was a wonderful, profound musician and had a lot of respect for those who actually played, while he was conducting… As a former orchestra player I played my very first Mahler 5 under his direction some 30 years ago.There was nothing „revolutionary” about his approach, but it was full of humanity, wisdom and love. We all felt that we played the symphony exactly how each and everyone of us wanted – a very rare quality for a conductor to enable these feelings in a group of 100 musicians. I will never forget this lesson! James Loughran represented a generation of conductors that is almost extinct now… He did not care about the „surface” and the glamour. It was music first and everything else second for him. RIP dear Maestro

John Kelly says:

I heard him many times with the Halle. He raised playing standards and was terrific in classical repertoire (Beethoven, Brahms etc). I also remember an absolutely gorgeous Bruckner 8 in Leeds. RIP Maestro.

Paul Godman says:

Some wonderful recordings with the Halle. His Brahms symphony set is sublime and full of energy.

Anthony Sayer says:

Another legend leaves us. Thank you for your wonderful Brahms cycle as well as your other exceptional work. RIP, Maestro.

Joel Lazar says:

He had the misfortune to succeed Barbirolli with the Hallé at a time when the orchestra’s nuts-and-bolts needed tending to. I heard impressive Bruckner and a full-length Rachmaninoff Second with them early in his tenure. Serious musician. RIP.

Mark Mortimer says:

I didn’t realise Maestro James Loughran was still alive. He did great work with the Halle & was a fine interpreter of Beethoven & Brahms.

Nick2 says:

Loughran was indeed one of the UK’s unsung heroes. I heard several concerts in Scotland and saw his Traviata at Scottish Opera, a rather simple production that saw too much competition for ‘downstage star’ time between Franco Bonisolli and the considerably overweight Clarice Carson. Orchestrally it was very fine.

I think we need also to be fair in that very occasionally he could find himself in circ*mstances that were not ideal for him and the orchestra he was directing. I recall in particular one concert in Hong Kong prior to a Japan tour with the Vienna Symphony in the 1980s. I am not sure how often or otherwise he had conducted that orchestra but it was clear the Beethoven Fifth had not had adequate rehearsal.The orchestra was unable to follow his opening beat. The result was that the symhony started pah-pah-pah-pah paaaah. I assumed the management had regarded that Hong Kong date as just a rehearsal for the more important concerts in Japan.

Bernard Sutton says:

As an amateur I was privileged to play under his baton in the late 60s and he was superb. Very clear and undemonstrative

lucas says:

RIP to another vastly under-rated conductor (in the UK, at least). I recall some fine Sibelius under his baton at a time when the composer did not enjoy the popularity he does today.

Glyn says:

As a young schoolboy I heard my first live classical music from the Halle under his baton in the cheap seats at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester in the 70s. It was my first steps in a lifetime of the privilege of enjoying live classical music For that reason I hold fond memories of him

John Lill says:

Jimmie, my dear friend and colleague, was a truly great conductor.
As with all exalted artists he despised short term gimmickry and affectation, eschewing fashion and publicity in favour of remaining totally loyal to the composer’s original inspiration and thus to those lucky enough to be among his many devoted audiences. I have been soloist with him in over 130 concerts since 1965 in many countries and he remained a powerful, visionary force for all who participated in his appearances.
His warm, lively and enthusiastic personality made instant contact with his performers and public alike and it’s no surprise that his concerts were always full.
When Sir John Barbirolli passed away, the Hallé chose Jimmie to replace him and again his concerts were all packed.
I was greatly privileged to have had such a close and unique friendship with him as well as the challenge and pleasure of working with him as soloist in so many concertos.
In this materialistic age of mostly inverted standards, I suppose it’s to his credit that he was so grossly underestimated. That won’t change his standing or his great achievements. His unique combination of rare qualities of the highest distinction can never be replaced.

Andrew Cliffe says:

Very sad to hear this. He had a wonderful smile and a very charismatic presence. Will always treasure the memories of great concerts when he brought the band over the Pennines to play in t’Huddersfield Town Hall. A very worthy successor to Glorious John!

Rob says:

His recording of Elgar 2 is amazing. One of my favourites.

Sally Terris says:

I attended my first Symphony concert ever aged 6. Loughran and the Halle on Sheffield City Hall. My mother took me down to the Green Room afterwards. He was utterly charming, kind and humorous.

I was hooked; and never forgot him.

David Eastwood says:

I heard my first ever Mahler 5 with Loughran and the Halle, in the Victoria Hall at Hanley. An electrifying performance. I also remember his Mahler 3 at the Free Trade Hall, which was repeated at the Proms. Perhaps the BBC could release it. These were the days when still relatively few British conductors programmed Mahler, and Loughran was a fine Mahlerian. I still return often to his CFP Brahms Symphony cycle, which I think is perhaps the finest recorded cycle by a British conductor, and in the EMI catalogue stands not far behind Jochum. Again it should be re-released. I remember buying the original vinyl discs in Woolworths in Sandbach. Remember those days for a young collector in a small town?!

christopher breunig says:

He was one of the few conductors to have recorded Beethoven 5 with the extended scherzo.

Richard Stanbrook says:

From: Richard Stanbrook.
Date: 24th June 2024.

Alas, another truly great conductor has passed on. Maestro Loughran will live on in his recording legacy, especially the fine set of Brahms’ symphonies with the Halle Orchestra. If my memory is correct, these were made in the 1970s and released on EMI’s budget label, Classics for Pleasure. Now would be an ideal time to re-release them as part of a commemorative boxed set. How about it, Warner Classics?

Lux Aeterna.

Don Ciccio says:

It is little known that he started his career as assistant and later associate conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony during the Silvestri era. He even kept that Silvestris bonbon, Enescu’s 1st Rhapsody, in his permanent repertoire. Of course, Loughran’s style was opposite from that of that of Silvestri.

There was a recent question on this site about naming one Scottish conductor. Here’s one we shamefully forgot.

RIP Maestro.

James Benson says:

This is truly sad news. If I may be briefly indulged, James Loughran and the Hallé introduced me to my first live Mahler 9 at the Royal Festival Hall in May 1982 around the height of the Tennstedt/Abbado/ Sinopoli years, and you never forget that first hearing, however many I might have heard since. As I recall it was extraordinary.
Moving north there were many fine Loughran concerts to be heard at the Free Trade Hall, and records to be bought at Forsyths. On one occasion I stumbled across him conducting in Thurso, but perhaps most moving was Jimmy’s return to Manchester in April 1997, shortly after the opening of the Bridgewater Hall. The Protecting Veil with Wallfisch and a powerful Walton First Symphony – “all raw tension and energy” said The Manchester Evening News, and they were not wrong.