Major recording orchestra mourns its founder
RIPThe English Chamber Orchestra has announced the death of Quintin Ballardie, its founder and principal viola. Quin was 93.
He turned the orchestra into a major artistic and commercial force in the 1960s with series of recordings with Benjamin Britten, Daniel Barenboim, Raymond Leppard and Murray Perahia.
It was ever an orchestra of strong personalities, among them concertmaster Jose Luis Garcia and the cellist Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, but Quin owned the company and his word was final.
Here’s the ECO statement:
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of the founder
of the English Chamber Orchestra, Quintin Ballardie OBE FRAM.
Born on the Wirral, Quintin (known to everyone as Quin), was brought up by his mother. They soon moved to Croydon when he was still young and there he attended the Whitgift Middle School. As a student he studied viola at the Royal Academy of Music.
It was not long before Quin became known in the music world for his remarkable talent for selecting string players who blended perfectly with each other, creating orchestras of outstanding quality. This led to the eventual founding of the English Chamber Orchestra from the Goldsbrough Orchestra.
Quin worked relentlessly for over 60 years to establish and maintain the English Chamber Orchestra as one of the world’s great ensembles. He not only ran the orchestra, but was also principal viola until his retirement .
During his remarkable career, Quin has taken the ECO to the forefront of music making, with the orchestra producing seminal recordings and performing concerts with world-class artists including Benjamin Britten (who was also the orchestras first Patron), Daniel Barenboim, Raymond Leppard, Pinchas Zukerman, Mstislav Rostropovich, Murray Perahia and countless others.
Quin was immensely proud when HRH The Prince of Wales agreed to follow Britten as patron of the English Chamber Orchestra and Music Society, as well as on a personal level being awarded the OBE for his services to Music. Quin was also the proud recipient of the prestigious Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Music (FRAM)
Known for supporting, encouraging and nurturing talent, Quin was responsible not only for the success of the ECO but also the wider success of those colleagues around him who thrived off his passion for music.
Quin was married to Margaret Ballardie, a highly regarded artist and art restorer until her death in 2017. The couple had three children: Carole and their twin sons David and Andrew who pre-deceased them. Whatever spare time Quin managed to find, he spent sailing on the south coast.
photo: Nigel Luckhurst/Lebrecht Music&Arts
Very sad! Quin was truly exceptional combining his gifts as an excellent viola player, working very hard not only in the ECO but also the London Philharmonic Orchestra and being such a discerning founder of the former. Not only did he find those wonderful musicians you mention but earlier don’t forget Manny Hurwitz as leader, Cecil Aronowitz viola, Terence Weil ‘cello, Adrian Beers double bass, Richard Adeney flute, Neil Black oboe, William Waterhouse bassoon, and I could go on and on… these were the cream of chamber musicians, admired all over the world and we luckily have many recordings. Members of the great Melos Ensemble were at its core. Don’t forget that he also found the ideal manager in Ursula Strebi, such an intelligent knowledgeable and hard working person. They were a tiny team and I was tempted to join them at one point.
Quin was a tough business man, as he needed to be, but had a big warm heart and we have a great deal to thank him for. It was a golden age and he was a big part of it.
I would like to say how nice it was to read such a lovely tribute to Quin Ballardie as this from Annabelle Weidenfeld. Bravo Annabelle!