# Julia Cload

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**Julia Cload** (October 6, 1946 – July 31, 2012) was a British [pianist](/source/Pianist). She was noted for her recordings of [Baroque music](/source/Baroque_music), especially that of [Joseph Haydn](/source/Joseph_Haydn) and [J. S. Bach](/source/Johann_Sebastian_Bach).[1][2]

## Early life

Cload was born in [London](/source/London) in 1946. Her mother was a [violinist](/source/Violinist) and teacher, and her father, John Cload, was a [violist](/source/Violist) and founding member of the [London Philharmonic Orchestra](/source/London_Philharmonic_Orchestra).[1] She attended St Joseph's Convent in [Hendon](/source/Hendon), northwest London and later studied piano with [Hilda Bor](/source/Hilda_Bor). She attended the [Royal College of Music](/source/Royal_College_of_Music) in [South Kensington](/source/South_Kensington).[3] As a student, she won the London Philharmonic's [piano concerto](/source/Piano_concerto) competition.[2]

After winning a scholarship to study at the [Franz Liszt Academy of Music](/source/Franz_Liszt_Academy_of_Music) in [Budapest](/source/Budapest) for three years, she studied with Lajos Hernadi (1906–1986), a student of [Béla Bartók](/source/B%C3%A9la_Bart%C3%B3k) and [Artur Schnabel](/source/Artur_Schnabel). Cload also studied with [Maria Curcio](/source/Maria_Curcio) and [Hans Keller](/source/Hans_Keller).[4] While at the academy, she frequently heard performances of Haydn's [string quartets](/source/List_of_string_quartets_by_Joseph_Haydn) by the [Tátrai Quartet](/source/T%C3%A1trai_Quartet). This, along with her exposure to [Romani music](/source/Romani_music) while in Hungary, gave her insight into the work of Haydn.[5]

## Career

After winning the London Philharmonic concerto competition, Cload made her debut with the London Philharmonic under [Sir Adrian Boult](/source/Adrian_Boult), playing [Beethoven's](/source/Ludwig_van_Beethoven) [Piano Concerto No. 3](/source/Piano_Concerto_No._3_(Beethoven)). After an acclaimed [Wigmore Hall](/source/Wigmore_Hall) debut, she began to play with most major British orchestras, including the [Royal Philharmonic Orchestra](/source/Royal_Philharmonic_Orchestra), [London Mozart Players](/source/London_Mozart_Players), [Royal Liverpool Philharmonic](/source/Royal_Liverpool_Philharmonic), [BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra](/source/BBC_Scottish_Symphony_Orchestra), and [The Hallé](/source/The_Hall%C3%A9) in [Manchester](/source/Manchester).[6] She collaborated with conductors like [Sir James Loughran](/source/James_Loughran) and [Christopher Seaman](/source/Christopher_Seaman).[7]

Cload became a regular recitalist at major concert halls in London and recorded for the [BBC](/source/BBC).[2] Among her most notable performances were Beethoven's [Piano Concerto No. 4](/source/Piano_Concerto_No._4_(Beethoven)) with [Sir John Pritchard](/source/John_Pritchard_(conductor)), [Tchaikovsky's](/source/Pyotr_Ilyich_Tchaikovsky) [Piano Concerto No. 1](/source/Piano_Concerto_No._1_(Tchaikovsky)) under [Vilém Tauský](/source/Vil%C3%A9m_Tausk%C3%BD), and [Mozart](/source/Wolfgang_Amadeus_Mozart) [Piano Concerto No. 23](/source/Piano_Concerto_No._23_(Mozart)) at the invitation of [Sir Bernard Haitink](/source/Bernard_Haitink).[6] The latter was praised by critic Ernest Bradbury for her "poise and fluency, forethought and poetic imagination."[1]

Her performance of the Bach [Goldberg Variations](/source/Goldberg_Variations) (BWV 988) at the [Besançon International Music Festival](/source/Besan%C3%A7on_International_Music_Festival) in 2001 was recorded by [Meridian Records](/source/Meridian_Records) to great acclaim. *Classic CD* called it "illuminating playing", with *[Musical Opinion](/source/Musical_Opinion)* drawing comparisons to [Glenn Gould](/source/Glenn_Gould).[5][8] Cload performed at other major festivals, including the [Spitalfields](/source/Spitalfields_Music) and Festival Academy Budapest (FAB), and she played at the Liszt Society in [Starnberg](/source/Starnberg) and the Chopin Society in London.[9]

She signed with Meridian and recorded the complete Haydn [keyboard sonatas](/source/List_of_solo_piano_compositions_by_Joseph_Haydn) to critical acclaim, with *[Gramophone](/source/Gramophone_(magazine))* praising her "eager, spontaneous-sounding... range of colour...a thing of untrammeled wit and brio" and *Piano Magazine* describing it as her most "haunting...eloquent and...lastingly illuminating" recording. She also recorded the [Schumann](/source/Robert_Schumann) sonatas.[1]

Cload died in 2012 after a long illness.

## Personal life

Cload was married to the actor Nicholas Hawtrey. The couple lived in [Alligny-Cosne](/source/Alligny-Cosne), [Nièvre](/source/Ni%C3%A8vre), in central [France](/source/France).[2]

## Recordings

- *J. S. Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier Vol. 1* (Meridian Records, 1998) CDE 84384/5 *[\[1\]](https://www.meridian-records.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_CDE_84384_5_J_S__BACH_THE_WELL_TEMPERED_CLAVIER_VOL__I_259.html#a259)
- *J. S. Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier Vol. 2* (Meridian Records, 2005) CDE 8472/3-2 *[\[2\]](https://www.meridian-records.co.uk/acatalog/CDE_8472_3-2.html#aCDE84472_2f3_2d2)
- *Haydn Keyboard Sonatas* (Meridian Records, 2009) CDE 84578/9-2 *[\[3\]](https://www.meridian-records.co.uk/pdf/578-9_Cload.pdf)
- *J. S. Bach Goldberg Variations, Preludes and Fugues* (Meridian Records, 2009) CDE 84291

## References

1. ["Julia Cload"](https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/england/london-travel/julia-cload-qzcgpwlc9h0). *The Times*. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2025.

1. The Telegraph (September 6, 2012). ["Julia Cload"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/9526105/Julia-Cload.html). *www.telegraph.co.uk*. Retrieved 27 November 2025.

1. ["Julia Cload biography"](https://www.last.fm/music/Julia+Cload/+wiki). *Last.fm*. Retrieved 27 November 2025.

1. Oron, Aryeh (November 2006). ["Julia Cload"](https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Cload-Julia.htm). *Bach Cantatas Website*. Retrieved 27 November 2025.

1. Meridian Records (2009). ["Julia Cload: Haydn Keyboard Sonatas Vol. 4 – inlay, sleeve-notes"](https://www.meridian-records.co.uk/pdf/578-9_Cload.pdf). *Meridian Records*. Retrieved 27 November 2025.

1. Oron 2006.

1. Cummings, David M. (1992). *International Who's Who in Music and Musicians' Directory*. 13th ed. International Who’s Who in Music. ISBN 0948875119.

1. Cummings 1992.

1. [*Hans Keller Letters*](https://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/files/keller_letters_web_2019.pdf?). Keller Archive: University of Cambridge Library. p. 28. Retrieved 27 November 2025.

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