James Loughran

Born: June 30, 1931

Died: June 19, 2024

James Loughran, who has died aged 92, was a much-admired Scottish conductor who gained a reputation worldwide for his fine musicianship, mostly in the concert hall.

Loughran was in charge of 47 Proms at the Albert Hall between 1965 and ’85 and five Last Nights. In 1977 he was the first Scot to conduct the Last Night and caused a storm when he performed Rule Brittania without a soloist and allowed two encores of Land of Hope and Glory. He ended with the Prommers singing Auld Lang Syne after his farewell speech.

Loughran remained proud of his Scottish heritage and spoke with a delightful Scottish lilt. Always committed to the job in hand he was a quiet reassuring presence on the podium and seldom raised his voice or played the temperamental maestro.

James Loughran was born in Glasgow, the son of James Loughran and his wife, Agnes (née Teape). At St Aloysius’ College, Glasgow, he conducted the school band and attended concerts given by the Hallé Orchestra on their annual visits to Glasgow.

He read law and economics at Glasgow University and did his national service in the RAF. In 1958 he decided to return to music and to Glasgow. He got a job with the SNO but also acted as chorus master of Glasgow Grand and that year coached the chorus for Samson and Delilah.

He asked the then SNO conductor, Karl Rankl, how he could further his career as a conductor. Rankl arranged for him to work as a repetiteur for opera houses in Europe.

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Back in Britain in 1961 he was selected as one of four finalists in the Philharmonia Orchestra conductors’ competition. The jury included such luminaries as Otto Klemperer, Adrian Boult and Carlo Maria Giulini and they awarded him first prize for his conducting of Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony.

His reputation was made and several offers came his way. He first went to Bournemouth as an assistant conductor then in 1971 returned to his beloved Glasgow as conductor at the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

It proved an inspiring appointment and Loughran enlivened concerts and the musical life of the city. He broadened the repertoire and while the classics were central to their concerts, Loughran introduced less (then) familiar composers such as Britten, Prokofiev and Stravinsky. But he was keen to support contemporary composers, especially Scots such as Thea Musgrave, Elizabeth Maconchy and Thomas Wilson.

In 1971 Loughran was chosen to succeed Sir John Barbirolli as principal conductor of the Hallé Orchestra. Aged only 40 he arrived in Manchester with fresh and stimulating ideas to build on the achievements of Barbirolli. It was no easy position to fill as Barbirolli was something of a legend and Loughran trod carefully. He changed the rather rigid format of programming and increased the number of women in the orchestra.

This enhanced reputation led the Hallé to undertake its first tour abroad to Australia and to the Edinburgh Festival in 1979 when Loughran conducted a superb account of Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast.

His time at the Hallé proved a golden period for orchestra and conductor. They gained a very loyal audience and built up a fine recording reputation with the Classics for Pleasure label ¬ their LP of Holst’s The Planets won a gold disc.

He also conducted the RSNO at many significant concerts – one particularly memorable occasion was Beethoven’s 9th Symphony for the 800th anniversary of Dundee's charter as a Royal Burgh. His final appearance with RSNO, in 1999, was a grand account of Sibelius’ First Symphony.

Edwin Paling, for 35 years leader of the RSNO, told The Herald, “Jimmie was always a very welcome guest conductor with the RSNO, and was a great champion of contemporary Scottish music. He was accomplished in conducting many genres of music, and some of our most distinguished soloists admired and appreciated his sensitive ability to accompany.”

(Image: Last Night at the Proms)

Loughran supported music in Scotland and conducted the newly formed Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s first concert in 1974 at City Hall. He encouraged young musicians and coached at the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra. John Grace, former principal trumpet at the SNO saw how Loughran, “was always keen to encourage the next generation of orchestral musicians.”

He came to Scottish Opera in 1968 for their production of The Gondoliers and two years later for a new production of La Traviata. The rehearsals were much hampered by the three-day week but Loughran returned for three revivals.

Loughran’s devotion to music was captured by the pianist John Lill who was the soloist at over 130 Loughran concerts. “Jimmie, my dear friend and colleague, was a truly great conductor,” said Lill. “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.”

Loughran, a man of much charm, wit and courtesy, had hearing problems in his later years which he spent in Glasgow. He played a competitive round of golf and was awarded the CBE in 2010.

Loughran remained in close contact with his old school in Glasgow and regularly attended the sung Mass on Sundays. Father Gerard recalled, "Jimmie was a very familiar figure about the place and very supportive and appreciative of the choir."

He was twice married. With his first wife, Nancy Coggon, he had two sons: Angus, a sports commentator who survives him, and Charles, who predeceased him. The marriage was dissolved and in 1985 and he then married Ludmila Navratil who predeceased him.

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