Newspaper Article

Obituary: Jock Sutcliffe

Wilkinson, Nigel

2001

Overview

His upbringing saw no artificial musical boundaries - popular or serious, it was all there to be enjoyed and played. But by the early 1930s, times were hard. Musicians were badly hit by the slump, and the development of the talkies led to the end of work in the cinema; the [Sidney Sutcliffe] parents had to contend with long periods of unemployment. At 14, and in search of a regular income, Jock joined the army band of the King's Royal Rifle Corps, sending his wages home to his parents. It proved the turning-point in his life. The bandmaster needed to train up another oboist and Sutcliffe was volunteered. Within five years of starting, he was appointed principal oboe in the Sadler's Wells Orchestra. In his later career, Sutcliffe enjoyed seven fruitful years at the BBC Symphony Orchestra (1964-71), and then guested with many orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra. He made a popular recording of Baroque oboe concertos, recently re-issued. His refined, imaginative playing was little dimmed by the years, and even in his late sixties he could conjure up a fine performance of the Strauss Oboe Concerto. He taught for many years at the Royal College of Music, where his approach was always encouraging but never didactic. \"Lovely, but if I may just make a suggestion . . . \" was almost his catchphrase. He coached most of the national youth orchestras at one time or the other, and even this summer was due to help out with the NYO of Wales.

• Publisher: Independent Digital News & Media
• Subject: Goossens, Leon / Sutcliffe, Sidney