Death of a Covent Garden leader, 91
RIPThe private funeral has taken place in Shrewsbury of the violinist John Ludlow, co-leader in the 1960s of the Royal Opera House Orchestra Covent Garden and later of the London Mozart Players.
He was also professor at the Royal College of Music for three decades.
But his greatest pride was having been founder leader of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain in 1948.
Very sad news indeed. John was one of the best, much admired by colleagues and always mindful of the need to look after the interests of fellow-players.
John was always so generous and encouraging to younger players and such a role model, a true professional.
One of the best and so sad to see people go like that.
You mean “so sad to see people like that go”?
Wonderful musician; we were so lucky for a while to have him and Hugh Bean as co-leaders of the Guildford Philharmonic under Tod Handley
Indeed, memories of many concerts , over a couple of decades, with John Ludlow as leader. Reminded from programmes of Boris Blacher’s Requiem – a UK first ( and only ?) performance – in December 1978, to Vaughan Williams’ 6 th symphony in October 1996. A particularly fond memory remains John Ludlow and Hugh Bean in Holst’s concerto for two violins , in May 1984.
As well as Elgar, Delius, Bax, Vaughan Williams, Walton , there was much Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Beethoven, all invariably given with commitment during that golden- age of music – making in Guildford.