Giulini started life as a viola player before turning to conducting: soon he was in the pit for Maria Callas' greatest triumphs (the Lisbon Traviata, for example). Early recordings with the Philharmonia reveal his acute sense for colour and atmosphere. A fine opera conductor, he left classic recordings of Mozart and Verdi (particularly Don Carlos). His years at the helm of the Los Angeles Philharmonic were golden ones, with outstanding accounts of Beethoven's Eroica and Tchaikovsky's Pathétique the highlights. His late recordings tended to be very slow but full of detail and glorious shades.