on re-entering civilian life, barbirolli resumed his career as a cellist. his association with edward elgar's cello concerto began with its première in 1919, when he played as a rank and file member of the london symphony orchestra. he was the soloist at another performance of the concerto just over a year later. "the musical times" commented, "signor giovanni barbirolli was not entirely equal to the demands of the solo music, but his playing unquestionably gave a considerable amount of pleasure." at the three choirs festival of 1920 he took part in his first "dream of gerontius", under elgar's baton, in the lso cellos. he joined two newly founded string quartets as cellist: the kutcher quartet, led by his former fellow student at trinity, samuel kutcher, and the music society quartet (later called the international quartet) led by andré mangeot. he also made several early broadcasts with mangeot's quartet.