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Background: Sir Thomas Beecham first conducted Handel's Solomon in the concert hall in March 1928 with the old Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London's Queen's Hall. Thereafter he conducted Solomon in full on six more occasions between April 1928 and November 1955, just prior to commencing this recording.

In several respects this is Sir Thomas's 'own version' of Handel's score. He restored several of the airs which were seldom heard and wrote additional accompaniments for nearly every number. He wrote of Handel: 'Since his time mankind has heard no music written for voice which can even feebly rival his for grandeur of build and tone, nobility and tenderness of melody, scholastic skill and ingenuity and inexhaustible variety of effect.'

When, in 1955 and 1956, Sir Thomas came to record Solomon, the eminent music critic and scholar Alec Robertson, reviewing this recording at length in the November 1956 issue of The Gramophone, made a number of complimentary remarks. He called Beecham an 'incomparable Handelian' and opened his review: 'If proof were needed that there is abundant life and beauty in most of Handel's oratorios, it is to be found here in this truly wonderful performance of Solomon...In this new edition of the work Sir Thomas has deliberately altered the whole character of the piece, and given much more prominence to the solo numbers, with their human interest and intimacy...the re-arrangement has been done with great skill. He has re-orchestrated the entire score with results that may occasionally give pain to some musicologists, but which seem to me in perfect taste and character.'

Robertson was equally enthusiastic about the contribution of the Beecham Choral Society and its training by Denis Vaughan, going on to consider the recording as being 'wholly worthy of this inspired performance' and he had nothing but praise for the 'incomparable soloists'.

CATALOGUE NR: SOMMBEECHAM17
RECORD LABEL: Somm Beecham Series
FORMAT: 2 CD Set
PRICE: £ 17.99 including VAT, or £ 15.31 excluding VAT
RELEASE DATE: 14-Jun-2004

COMPOSER: George Frideric Handel
TITLE: Solomon
TRACKS: Part I - Overture - Sinfonia: The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba. Part II - Opening Chorus. Queen of Sheba: From Arabia's spicy shores. Queen of Sheba: Ev'ry sight these eyes behold. Part II -Solomon Recit Sweep sweep the string. Double Chorus: Praise the Lord with harp and tongue.
ORCHESTRA: Royal Philharmonic
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham
ARTISTS: John Cameron   Alexander Young   Elsie Morison   Lois Marshall

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: edited and arranged by Sir Thomas Beecham - Penguin Guide 2/3 star

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