evelyn married barbirolli in 1939, after he had divorced his first wife. by this time barbirolli was conductor of the new york philharmonic. he had taken this job after toscanini had left. barbirolli and his new wife lived in new york until 1943 when they returned to england so that barbirolli could be the conductor of the hallé orchestra in manchester. sometimes she played in the orchestra, but not very often because she thought people might say that it was because her husband was the conductor. when the hallé orchestra went to austria in 1948 she played mozart’s oboe concerto with them. people at that time only knew this work in an arrangement for the flute.