Sir Thomas Beecham conducts English Music

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Sir Thomas Beecham conducts English Music

John Cameron (baritone), Maureen Forrester (contralto), David McCallum (violin), Freda Hart (soprano), Leslie Jones (tenor), Dennis Dowling (Manz), Frederick Sharp (Marti), Margaret Ritchie (Sali - as a child), René Soames (Sali), Dorothy Bond (Vreli - as a child), Lorely Dyer (Vreli), Gordon Clinton...

Beecham's English Collection is unmissable...[Song of the High Hills is] one of the first recordings made by Beecham's new postwar orchestra, and they already play as though they adore him — BBC Music Magazine, July 2011, 5 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 7th Feb 2011
Catalogue No: 9099152
Label: Warner Classics
Series: Sir Thomas Beecham Edition
Length: 7 hours 4 minutes

Delius: Over the hills and far away

Work length13:04

Album only

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1957-12-31
Recording Venue: 2 April 1957, No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

Delius: Sleigh Ride

Work length5:34

$1.30

$1.70

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1956-11-07
Recording Venue: 5,7 November 1956/No.1 studio, Abbey Road

Delius: Brigg Fair

Work length15:46

$29.90

$39.10

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1957-04-02
Recording Venue: 31 Oct 1956/2 Apr 1957/No.1 studio, Abbey Road

Introduction (Slow. Pastoral)

Track length1:52

$1.30

$1.70

I. Theme (with easy movement)

Track length0:28

$1.30

$1.70

Variation 1

Track length0:20

$1.30

$1.70

Variation 2

Track length0:18

$1.30

$1.70

Variation 3

Track length0:20

$1.30

$1.70

Variation 4

Track length0:21

$1.30

$1.70

Variation 5

Track length0:17

$1.30

$1.70

Variation 6

Track length0:36

$1.30

$1.70

II. Interlude (Slow and very quietly)

Track length3:06

$1.30

$1.70

III. Variation 7 (Rather quicker but not hurried)

Track length0:21

$1.30

$1.70

Variation 8

Track length0:28

$1.30

$1.70

Variation 9 (With easy movement)

Track length0:23

$1.30

$1.70

Variation 10

Track length0:52

$1.30

$1.70

Variation 11 (Slow. With solemnity)

Track length0:44

$1.30

$1.70

Variation 12 (Maestoso)

Track length0:31

$1.30

$1.70

Transition

Track length1:04

$1.30

$1.70

IV. Variation 13 (Gaily)

Track length0:18

$1.30

$1.70

Variation 14

Track length0:16

$1.30

$1.70

Variation 15

Track length0:22

$1.30

$1.70

Variation 16

Track length0:19

$1.30

$1.70

Transition (Rather quicker)

Track length0:14

$1.30

$1.70

Variation 17 (Rather slower. Very broadly)

Track length1:01

$1.30

$1.70

Coda (Very quietly)

Track length1:15

$1.30

$1.70

Delius: Florida Suite: Dance

Work length10:29

Album only

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1956-12-04
Recording Venue: 10,19,21-22 November & 4 December 1956, No. 1 studio, Abbey Road

Excerpt, Delius: Florida Suite

Work length24:45

$3.90

$5.10

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1956-12-31
Recording Venue: 10, 19, 21 & 22 Nov and 4 Dec 1956, No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

II. By the River (Andantino)

Track length7:16

$1.30

$1.70

III. Sunset (Moderato) - Danza (Allegretto)

Track length9:49

$1.30

$1.70

IV. At Night (Andante moderato)

Track length7:40

$1.30

$1.70

Delius: Marche Caprice

Work length4:00

$1.30

$1.70

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1956-10-31
Recording Venue: 31 October 1956: No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road

Delius: Dance Rhapsody No. 2

Work length7:47

$1.30

$1.70

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1956-11-07
Recording Venue: 5,7 Nov 1956/No.1 studio, Abbey Road

Delius: Summer Evening

Work length6:28

$1.30

$1.70

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1956-10-31
Recording Venue: 31st October 1956: No.1 Studio, Abbey Road

Delius: On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring

Work length7:04

$1.30

$1.70

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1956-10-31
Recording Venue: 31st October 1956: No.1 Studio, Abbey Road

Delius: Summer night on the river

Work length6:42

$1.30

$1.70

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1957-03-28
Recording Venue: 28 March 1957: No.1 Studio, Abbey Road London

Delius: A Song Before Sunrise

Work length6:12

$1.30

$1.70

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1956-11-07
Recording Venue: 5,7 November 1956/No.1 studio, Abbey Road

Delius: Fennimore and Gerda: Intermezzo

Work length5:17

$1.30

$1.70

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1956-11-07
Recording Venue: 5,7 November 1956/No.1 studio, Abbey Road

Delius: Irmelin Prelude

Work length5:07

$1.30

$1.70

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1956-10-31
Recording Venue: 31st October 1956: No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road

Delius: Songs of Sunset

Work length29:31

$10.40

$13.60

John Cameron (bass-baritone), Maureen Forrester (mezzo-soprano)
Beecham Choral Society, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1957-12-31
Recording Venue: 1 April 1957, No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

A song of the setting sun! (Quietly)

Track length2:59

$1.30

$1.70

Cease smiling, dear! (With easy movement).

Track length4:37

$1.30

$1.70

Pale amber sunlight falls (Slow).

Track length4:33

$1.30

$1.70

Exceeding sorrow consumeth my sad heart! (Con tristezza. Not too slow).

Track length3:23

$1.30

$1.70

By the sad waters of separation (With quiet movement).

Track length3:55

$1.30

$1.70

See how the trees and the osiers lithe (Freshly).

Track length3:23

$1.30

$1.70

I was not sorrowful (Very quietly but not too slow)

Track length4:06

$1.30

$1.70

They are not long, the weeping and the laughter (Quietly).

Track length2:35

$1.30

$1.70

Delius: A Dance Rhapsody No. 1 (1992 Digital Remaster)

Work length12:07

$6.50

$8.50

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1992-12-31
Recording Venue: 19 October 1952: No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road

Lento -

Track length1:39

$1.30

$1.70

Comodo -

Track length1:54

$1.30

$1.70

Vivo -

Track length2:09

$1.30

$1.70

Più lento tranquillo -

Track length3:13

$1.30

$1.70

Molto adagio

Track length3:12

$1.30

$1.70

Delius: Violin Concerto (1992 Digital Remaster)

Work length23:32

$3.90

$5.10

Jean Pougnet (violin)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1992-12-31
Recording Venue: 31 October and 1 November 1946: No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road

With moderate tempo -

Track length5:21

$1.30

$1.70

Slower -

Track length8:51

$1.30

$1.70

Tempo I - Allegretto - Più moderato

Track length9:20

$1.30

$1.70

Delius: A Song of the High Hills

Work length24:37

$5.20

$6.80

Leslie Jones (vocals), Freda Hart (soprano)
Luton Choral Society, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1992-12-31
Recording Venue: 22 November 1946: No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road

With quiet easy movement - Tranquillo -

Track length8:32

$1.30

$1.70

Very slow (The wide, far distance - The great solitude) - Slow and solemnly -

Track length3:51

$1.30

$1.70

In tempo -

Track length2:44

$1.30

$1.70

Very quietly - Tempo I

Track length9:30

$1.30

$1.70

Delius: On the mountains

Work length12:19

Album only

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1992-12-31
Recording Venue: 26 November 1946: No.1 Studio, Abbey Road

Delius: A Village Romeo and Juliet (1992 Digital Remaster)

Work length1:41:27

Album only

René Soames (tenor), Philip Hattey (bass-baritone), Gordon Clinton (bass-baritone), Frederick Sharp (bass-baritone), Lloyd Strauss-Smith (vocals), Donald Munro (bass-baritone), Denis Dowling (bass-baritone), Marion Davies (soprano), Marjorie Avis (soprano), Margaret Ritchie (soprano), Dorothy Bond (soprano), Lorely Dyer (soprano), Gwladys Garside (mezzo-soprano)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Chorus
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1992-12-31
Recording Venue: 1,3,4,6,7 & 21 May and 3 & 20 July 1948: No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

SCENE 1 - September. A piece of land on a hill

Track length16:24

Album only

SCENE 2 - Six years later. Outside Marti's house

Track length9:40

$1.30

$1.70

SCENE 3 - The Wildland

Track length12:35

Album only

SCENE 4 - Interior of Mart's house (part 1)

Track length13:25

Album only

The dream of Sali and Vrenchen (Wedding Scene)

Track length11:19

Album only

SCENE 5 - The Fair

Track length8:10

$1.30

$1.70

The Walk to the Paradise Garden

Track length8:38

$1.30

$1.70

SCENE 6 - The Paradise Garden

Track length21:16

Album only

Delius: Sea Drift

Work length22:45

$10.40

$13.60

Gordon Clinton (bass-baritone)
Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1992-12-31

Once Paumanok -

Track length3:15

$1.30

$1.70

Shine! shine! shine! -

Track length1:19

$1.30

$1.70

Till of a sudden -

Track length2:20

$1.30

$1.70

Blow! blow! blow!

Track length2:03

$1.30

$1.70

Yes my brother I know -

Track length3:18

$1.30

$1.70

O rising stars! -

Track length1:40

$1.30

$1.70

O reckless despairing carols -

Track length5:57

$1.30

$1.70

O past! O happy life

Track length2:53

$1.30

$1.70

German: Gipsy Suite - Four Characteristic Dances

Work length15:56

$5.20

$6.80

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1956-10-19
Recording Venue: 19 October 1956. No.1, Abbey Road Studios, London

Valse Mélancolique (Lonely Life)

Track length4:35

$1.30

$1.70

Allegro di molto (The Dance)

Track length2:35

$1.30

$1.70

Menuetto (Love Duet)

Track length4:25

$1.30

$1.70

Tarantella (The Revel)

Track length4:21

$1.30

$1.70

Bantock: Fifine at the Fair - A Defence of Inconstancy

Work length32:59

Album only

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1949-10-01
Recording Venue: 20, 27 June, 8 July (clarinet cadenza) & 1 October 1949 / No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

Part 1 (clarinet: Jack Brymer)

Track length17:08

Album only

Part 2

Track length15:51

Album only

Bax: The Garden of Fand - tone poem

Work length16:46

Album only

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1947-12-15
Recording Venue: 14 & 15 December 1947 / No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

Tyrwhitt-Wilson: The Triumph of Neptune - Ballet Suite (excerpts) (1937 Digital Remaster)

Work length14:07

$9.10

$11.90

Robert Alva (bass-baritone)
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
Recorded: 1937-12-20
Recording Venue: 20 December 1947 / No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

Schottische

Track length2:09

$1.30

$1.70

Hornpipe

Track length1:32

$1.30

$1.70

Polka (The Sailor's Return)

Track length2:40

$1.30

$1.70

Harlequinade

Track length1:14

$1.30

$1.70

Dance of the Fairy Princess

Track length2:04

$1.30

$1.70

Sunday morning (Intermezzo)

Track length1:53

$1.30

$1.70

Apotheosis of Neptune

Track length2:35

$1.30

$1.70

About
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About

There can be few, if any, musicians who have singlehandedly done so much in the establishment of resources for musical performance than Sir Thomas Beecham.

During WWI he conducted and supported financially both the Hallé and London Symphony Orchestras and the Royal Philharmonic Society. In 1915 he formed the Beecham Opera Company which trained many young British singers in this field. Eight years later this became the British National Opera Company and was absorbed into Covent Garden in 1932 when Beecham returned to be its Musical Director.

To quote David Cairns “We are nationally and individually a more musically aware people because of him and what he gave us”. A forceful statement, true, but whose life could ever challenge it?

Dissatisfied by conditions and practices, notably the supply of deputies for rehearsals, prevalent in British orchestras, he formed the London Philharmonic Orchestra that same year. Beecham was now able to be at the fulcrum of all developments in music in Britain. WWII put an end to this halcyon period. With Covent Garden shut he travelled, primarily in America, and did not return to Britain until 1944. The London Philharmonic had now become a self-governing body so Beecham, then aged 67, launched the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. This was the orchestra with which he committed to disc so many classic recordings with which EMI Classics marks the 50th anniversary of his passing.

It is true that Beecham had particular favourites in composers – Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Berlioz, Bizet and Puccini spring immediately to mind; also his love for Handel – even though his performances were always BIG-scale! He was an early champion of Richard Strauss and became a most effective exponent of Sibelius. His name will always be inextricably linked with that of Delius whose music Beecham seemed to know better even than the composer and it is appropriate that they are buried not far apart in the graveyard at St. Peter’s Parish Church, Limpsfield, Surrey.

He was knighted in 1916, the year he succeeded to his father’s baronetcy, and made a Companion of Honour in 1957.This affable, brilliant, usually charming, ever-communicative, quick-witted – even, at times, to the point of cruelty, dedicated conductor was also the most gifted executive musician England has ever produced.

He was fortunate that his grandfather, a chemist, had created the highly successful pharmaceutical manufacturing business which bore his name. His father, who had started in the company whilst still a teenager, was also fond of music so he was prepared to fund his son’s enthusiastic appetite to attend operas and concerts both here and abroad.

Born on 29th April 1879 in St. Helens, he attended public school at Rossall where his talent at the piano became a legend (the only boy ever to have been allowed a grand piano in his study!). From there he briefly attended Oxford (Wadham) but the composition classes, with Charles Wood in London and Moszkowski in Paris, were funded privately. As a conductor he was purely self-taught.

He formed an orchestra in his home town and deputised for Richter at a Hallé concert when his father was mayor. His career path was clear: he would use his financial resources to support the art which he enjoyed with the aim of bringing it to as many as possible.

At the age of 30 he launched the Beecham Symphony Orchestra, all young and carefully chosen. They would tour, play for opera and ballet and give concerts of adventurous music. London duly welcomed him for a season of intensive opera performances and over the next three years introduced many new ones to British audiences, including by Strauss, Delius and the Russians. He also brought Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes starring Nijinsky and Karsavina to the British stage.

Artists

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Thomas Beecham

Reviews

July 2011

Beecham's English Collection is unmissable...[Song of the High Hills is] one of the first recordings made by Beecham's new postwar orchestra, and they already play as though they adore him

18th February 2011

The finesse of the detail, the fierce attack, individual flair, corporate precision, blazing warmth: the sum total is playing of tangible personality and, often, ineffable beauty...Beecham might even make you love Delius.

Sir Thomas Beecham conducts English Music

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