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Sir Thomas Beecham - Sir Thomas Beecham: The Great Communicator (2011)

Sir Thomas Beecham - Sir Thomas Beecham: The Great Communicator (2011)
  • Title: Sir Thomas Beecham: The Great Communicator
  • Year Of Release: 2011
  • Label: Warner Classics
  • Genre: Classical
  • Quality: FLAC (tracks)
  • Total Time: 5:25:26
  • Total Size: 1.06 GB
  • WebSite:
Tracklist:

DISC 1

01. Mendelssohn: Märchen von der schönen Melusine, Op. 32, MWV P12 "The Fair Melusine"
02. Early life, and creation of Beecham Symphony Orchestra - Narration
03. Stravinsky: L'Oiseau de feu, Tableau I: Danse de l'Oiseau de feu
04. Early Opera Seasons - Narration
05. Aida: Ritorna Vincitor - Narration
06. Creation of London Philharmonic Orchestra - Narration
07. Le Carnaval Roman Overture - Narration
08. Der Freischütz - Overture (2003 Remastered Version)
09. London Philharmonic Orchestra - Narration
10. Delius: In a Summer Garden - Narration
11. International Opera Seasons at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden - Narration
12. Wagner - Götterdämmerung: Act I: Hier sitz' ich zur Wacht - Narration
13. International Opera Seasons at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden - Part II - Narration
14. Conducting Mozart in Berlin - Narration
15. Die Zauberflöte: Act 1: Schnelle Füße, rascher Muth - Narration

DISC 2

01. Creation of Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
02. Strauss, R: Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation X. Duel with the Knight of the Bright Moon
03. Strauss, R: Der Bürger als Edelmann Suite, Op. 60-IIIa: VIII. Vorpsiel
04. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Narration
05. Sea Drift - Once Paumanok - Narration
06. Sea Drift - O reckless despairing carols - Narration
07. Rimsky-Korsakov: Symphony No. 2, Op. 9 "Antar": II. Allegro - Molto allegro
08. Beecham's Marking of the Parts - Narration
09. Beecham's Rehearsal Method (I) - Narration
10. Mozart: Symphony No. 41 in C Major, K. 551 "Jupiter": II. Andante cantabile (with Jon Tolansky & Paul Strang's Commentaries)
11. Beecham's Rehearsal Method (II) - Narration
12. Die Entführung Aus Dem Serail: Act 2: Ach, Belmonte - Rehearsal
13. Die Entführung aus dem Serail - Singspiel in three acts K384, Act II (The palace garden): Ach, Belmonte! ach mein Leben! (Konstanz
14. Mozart: Divertimento No. 2 in D Major, K. 131: I. Allegro (with Jon Tolansky's Commentaries)
15. Beecham's rehearsal method (III) - Narration - Symphony No.104 - Mvt 1 Rehearsal & Performance
16. Beecham's improvisatory conducting - Narration
17. Berlioz: Les Troyens, H. 133, Act 1: No. 11, Marche troyenne (Orchestral Version)
18. Beecham's Lollipops - Narration
19. La Vierge (1948 Digital Remaster): Le dernier sommeil de la Vierge (Last Sleep of the Virgin)
20. Beecham's effect on the on the audience in the United States - Narration
21. English National Anthem
22. Beecham's Conducting Technique - Narration
23. Le Corsaire Overture
24. Beecham and Berlioz's Grande Messe des Morts - Narration
25. Berlioz: Grande Messe des morts, Op. 5, H. 75 "Requiem ": II. Tuba mirum (Narration)
26. Beecham's Conducting Technique with Choruses - Narration
27. Solomon (2005 Digital Remaster): Recitative: Double chorus: Praise the Lord
28. Beecham's arrangements of the music of Handel
29. Love in Bath (1990 Digital Remaster): Hornpipe (Il Pastor Fido)
30. Beecham's Results as a Guest Conductor - Narration
31. Franck: Symphony - Narration

DISC 3

01. A Village Romeo & Juliet - Scene 1 & 2 - Narration
02. A Village Romeo and Juliet - Scene 4 Part II and Scene 6
03. Beecham & French Music (I) - Narration
04. L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 - Prelude
05. L'Arlésienne - Incidental Music, Suite No.1 (2000 Digital Remaster): Adagietto
06. Beecham & French Music (II) - Narration
07. Grétry, edited and arranged Beecham - Zémire et Azor - Passepied - Narration
08. Zémire et Azor - Ballet music (1959 Digital Remaster): Pantomime (1er Air de ballet)
09. Beecham & French Music (III) - Narration
10. Zémire et Azor: Act 2: Rose chérie - Narration
11. Beecham's very wide range of Repertoire - Narration
12. Haydn: Symphony No. 100 in G Major, Hob. I:100, "Military": III. Menuet (Moderato)
13. Beecham and German Music
14. Symphony No.7 - Mvt 1 - Narration
15. Die meistersinger von Nürnberg - Overture
16. Beecham and Scandinavian Music (I) - Narration
17. Peer Gynt Incidental Music - Wedding March - Narration
18. Grieg: Peer Gynt, Op. 23, Act IV: No. 16, Anitra's Dance
19. Beecham and Scandinavian Music (II) - Narration
20. Tapiola - Narration

DISC 4

01. Beecham Live in Concert - Symphony No.2: Mvt 1 & 4 - Narration
02. Dvořák: Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 13, B. 41: IV. Finale. Allegro con brio
03. Symphony No.93 - Mvt 1 - Narration
04. Haydn: Symphony No. 93 in D Major, Hob. I:93: II. Largo cantabile
05. Beecham and Audiences - Narration
06. Beecham and Controversy - Narration
07. Late Opera Recordings - Narration
08. La Boheme: Act 1: Questo Mar Rosso
09. Puccini: La Bohème, Act 2: "Quando men vo soletta per la via" (Musetta, Marcello, Alcindoro, Mimi, Rodolfo, Schaunard, Colline)
10. Casting of Singers for Operas - Narration
11. Carmen: Act 1: Près des remparts de Seville - Narration
12. Carmen - Acte III - N°24 Final : Tu Me Dis De La Suivre (José)
13. Beecham's final edition of Handel's Messiah - Narration
14. The Messiah - Every Valley - Narration
15. Beecham's 80th Birthday - Presentation to Beecham
16. Symphony No.99: Mvt 1 - Narration
17. Chabrier: Gwendoline: Ouverture

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.


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