Julian Lloyd Webber forced to hang up his bow

[EdgeleyRob]

Yes sad news Coco.
Favourites of mine would be the recordings of rarer British music,for which I thank him.

Rawsthorne and Ireland Cello Sonatas,and the Stanford 2nd Sonata.

[ahinton]

Coco - thank you for relaying this news.

Like MrGG, I'm no great fan of JLW's playing although he has done no small amount of work to try to point up repertoire that might otherwise have gone unnoticed; all that said, I'm also with MrGG and others in my sympathy towards JLW, for this kind of thing is usually quite painful and debilitating enough in itself even if the sufferer is not a cellist, but to have to go through the agony of it in the sure and certain knowledge that one "comes out of it" unable any longer to continue to play one's instrument must be truly unbearable.

I can only wish him well.

[ardcarp]

As I understand it, prolapsed discs in the middle to lower spine can be 'cured' by removing the prolapsed one and its opposite partner and fusing (or pinning) 2 vertebrae together. This is now an almost routine operation with a high success rate and a very short stay in hospital. In the neck area, where everything is tinier, more complicated and with vital nerves branching all over the place, surgical intervention is much more hazardous. It may be that JLW has just decided it's not worth the risk and has reached a stage where he can rest on his laurels, look back on a satisfying career with a sense of fulfilment....and presumably have some cash to live on.

[pastoralguy]

Coco - thank you for relaying this news.

Like MrGG, I'm no great fan of JLW's playing although he has done no small amount of work to try to point up repertoire that might otherwise have gone unnoticed; all that said, I'm also with MrGG and others in my sympathy towards JLW, for this kind of thing is usually quite painful and debilitating enough in itself even if the sufferer is not a cellist, but to have to go through the agony of it in the sure and certain knowledge that one "comes out of it" unable any longer to continue to play one's instrument must be truly unbearable.

I can only wish him well.

My sentiments exactly. He's been a regular soloist with the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra and has been unstinting in his help and encouragement. Very sad news.

[pastoralguy]

We've missed you, coco!

[richardfinegold]

Don't slipped discs often recover eventually?

It sounds like he already has nerve damage and resultant muscular atrophy in at least one of his arms. That is generally irreversible.
It may also be more than a disc. There could be stenosis, or narrowing, of the spinal canal, or herniated disc mixed in with bone spurs, or enlarged spinal ligaments that are causing compression as well.

[Barbirollians]

Sad news . I have always enjoyed his Elgar Cello Concerto with Menuhin.

[EdgeleyRob]

Sad news . I have always enjoyed his Elgar Cello Concerto with Menuhin.

Me too

[Tony Halstead]

I too am very sad and regretful that JLW now has to retire from playing.
One of the most enjoyable projects that I took part in, in the 1980s, before we were 'hit' by 'HIPP, was to play harpsichord on Julian's Philips recording with the E.C.O of the Haydn C major and 'attrib' 'no 4' ( possibly by Kraft) cello concertos.
JLW had a very clear idea of the function of the harpsichord 'continuo' in both of those concertos.
It was a real and a very great pleasure to work with him on those pieces