Career
Born Frederick James Gwydion Holbrooke, he was the son of the composer Joseph Holbrooke. After the death of Sir Thomas Beecham in 1961, Walter Legge hired Brooke as the principal bassoonist of the Philharmonia Orchestra, where he remained until his retirement in 1979. His recordings include one of the Mozart bassoon concerto with Beecham and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Weber bassoon concerto with Malcolm Sargent and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.