Legendary hornist Barry Tuckwell has died. Tuckwell was principal horn of the London Symphony Orchestra and a widely recorded soloist.

Born in Melbourne in 1931, he didn’t discover the horn until the age of 13. Following lackluster studies on the piano, organ and violin, he embraced the instrument as if it were love at first sight. Within six months, he was playing professionally. In two years, he was appointed principal horn with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Soon after, he became principal of the Sydney Symphony.

When Dennis Brain was killed in an automobile accident in 1957, Tuckwell became, incontestably, Britain’s foremost hornist at the age of 24. He had been appointed first horn with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1955, playing alongside other rising young players Neville Marriner and Gervase de Peyer. He remained with the LSO for 13 years.

Following his departure, he became one of the rare hornists to make a career as a soloist. He would be nominated for a Grammy Award three times.

His farewell appearance was in Oliver Knussen’s Horn Concerto, a piece written for him, with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, in 1997. By that time, he had already established a parallel career as a conductor.

Tuckwell left behind over 50 recordings. His repertoire spanned the Baroque to the present, including acclaimed recordings of Mozart and Strauss and many contemporary composers.

He cited Tommy Dorsey as a principal influence. On one occasion, he recollected, he was approached by an awestruck Japanese fan, who stammered, “You, God of Horn.” Thereafter, Tuckwell wryly appended the letters GoH to his personal email.

Tuckwell died yesterday at the age of 88.

https://www.abc.net.au/classic/read-and-watch/news/vale-barry-tuckwell/11876484