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About the conductor Thomas Beecham

Destined to become one of the most colourful and controversial of all 20th-century British conductors, Sir Thomas Beecham (1879-1961) was born in the north-west of England, the son of a successful manufacturing chemist. After a spell at Wadham College, Oxford, he studied privately with Charles Wood in London and Moritz Moszkowski in Paris with the express intention of becoming a composer. By his early twenties he was conducting professionally and in 1906 was appointed conductor of the New Symphony Orchestra. Three years later, backed by his father, he founded the first of several orchestras, the Beecham Symphony. From 1910 to 1915 the family’s money also enabled him to mount impressive seasons of opera and ballet, including the British premieres of Russian operas and many by Richard Strauss, and the first visits to London by Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. In 1915 he created the Beecham Opera Company, which performed in London and around the country. After the Great War Beecham suffered financial setbacks, which curtailed his own ability to back artistic ventures, but his drive and vision were unaffected. He achieved further success by founding another first-class orchestra, the London Philharmonic (in 1932), and becoming artistic director of Covent Garden (1932-39). His repertory was wide and varied, but he is remembered particularly for his championship of the music of his friend Frederick Delius, for his loving interpretations of 19th-century French music (particularly Berlioz and Bizet), and for his devotion to the music of Mozart, Haydn, Puccini, Sibelius and Richard Strauss.

CDs and DVDs featuring the conductor Thomas Beecham

CATALOGUE NR: 9099642  (barcode: 5099990996429)
RECORD LABEL: EMI
FORMAT: 4 CD Set
PRICE: including VAT £ 13.50
RELEASE DATE: 07-Feb-2011

TITLE: The Great Communicator
TRACKS: Introduction - Mendelssohn: Der Schonen Melusine Overture. Early life and creation of Beecham Symphony Orchestra - Narration. L'Oiseau de feu - Dance of the Firebird. Early Opera Seasons - Narration. Aida: Ritorna Vincitor - Narration. Creation of London Philharmonic Orchestra - Narration. Le Carnaval Roman Overture - Narration. Der Freischutz : Overture. London Philharmonic Orchestra - Narration. Delius: In a Summer Garden - Narration. International Opera Seasons at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden - Narration. Wagner - Gotterdammerung: Act I: Hier sitz' ich zur Wacht - Narration. International Opera Seasons at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden - Part II - Narration. Conducting Mozart in Berlin - Narration. Die Zauberflote: Act 1: Schnelle Fusse rascher Muth - Narration. Creation of Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Don Quixote: The Defeat of Quixote - Narration. Le Bourgeois gentilhomme op.60 : Intermezzo - Prelude to Act II. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Narration. Sea Drift - Once Paumanok - Narration. Sea Drift - O reckless despairing carols - Narration. Symphony No.2 Symphonic Suite op.9 'Antar' : Allegro. Beecham's Marking of the Parts - Narration. Beecham's Rehearsal Method I - Narration. Symphony No.41 The Jupiter - Movement 2 - Narration. Beecham's Rehearsal Method II - Narration. Die Entfuhrung Aus Dem Serail: Act 2: Ach Belmonte - Rehearsal. Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail - Singspiel in three acts K384 Act II - The palace garden : Ach Belmonte! ach mein Leben!. Beecham's insistence on perfection - Narration - Divertimento No.2 K131: Mvt 1. Beecham's rehearsal method III - Narration - Symphony No.104 - Mvt 1 Rehearsal & Performance. Beecham's improvisatory conducting - Narration. Marche troyenne 'Trojan March' - Les Troyens Act I. Beecham's Lollipops - Narration. La Vierge : Le dernier sommeil de la Vierge - Last Sleep of the Virgin. Beecham's effect on the on the audience in the United States - Narration. English National Anthem. Beecham's Conducting Technique - Narration. Le Corsaire Overture. Beecham and Berlioz's Grande Messe des Morts - Narration. Grande Messe des Morts - Tuba Mirum - Narration. Beecham's Conducting Technique with Choruses - Narration. Solomon : Recitative: Double chorus: Praise the Lord. Beecham's arrangements of the music of Handel. Love in Bath : Hornpipe - Il Pastor Fido. Beecham's Results as a Guest Conductor - Narration. Franck: Symphony - Narration. A Village Romeo & Juliet - Scene 1 & 2 - Narration. A Village Romeo and Juliet - Scene 4 Part II and Scene 6. Beecham & French Music I - Narration. L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 - Prelude. L'Arlesienne - Incidental Music Suite No.1 : Adagietto. Beecham & French Music II - Narration. Gretry edited and arranged Beecham - Zemire et Azor - Passepied - Narration. Zemire et Azor - Ballet music : Pantomime 1er Air de ballet. Beecham & French Music III - Narration. Zemire et Azor: Act 2: Rose cherie - Narration. Beecham's very wide range of Repertoire - Narration. Symphony No.100 in G major 'Military' : Menuet - Moderato - Trio. Beecham and German Music. Symphony No.7 - Mvt 1 - Narration. Die meistersinger von Nurnberg - Overture. Beecham and Scandinavian Music I - Narration. Peer Gynt Incidental Music - Wedding March - Narration. Peer Gynt - Incidental Music : Anitra's Dance. Beecham and Scandinavian Music II - Narration. Tapiola - Narration. Beecham Live in Concert - Symphony No.2: Mvt 1 & 4 - Narration. Beecham Live in Concert - Symphony No.8: Mvt 4 - Narration. Symphony No.93 - Mvt 1 - Narration. Symphony No.93 in D major : Largo cantabile. Beecham and Audiences - Narration. Beecham and Controversy - Narration. Late Opera Recordings - Narration. La Boheme: Act 1: Questo Mar Rosso. La boheme : Quando me'n vo'soletta. Casting of Singers for Operas - Narration. Carmen: Act 1: Pres des remparts de Seville - Narration. Carmen - Acte III - No.24 Final : Tu Me Dis De La Suivre. Beecham's final edition of Handel's Messiah - Narration. The Messiah - Every Valley - Narration. Beecham's 80th Birthday - Presentation to Beecham. Symphony No.99: Mvt 1 - Narration. Gwendoline Overture.
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Audio Documentary by Jon Tonalsky

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CATALOGUE NR: 09026639722  (barcode: 0090266397228)
RECORD LABEL: RCA
FORMAT: CD
PRICE: including VAT £ 7.14
RELEASE DATE: 04-Nov-2002

COMPOSER: Adolphe Adam  (other composers in brackets after works)
TITLE: Christmas Adagios - Various
TRACKS: O Holy Night (Adam arr. J Wall). Away in a Manger (Kirkpatrick). The Christmas Song (Mel Torme). O Come Emmanuel (Trad. Arr. Bill Douglas). Amazing Grace (Trad. Arr Jeremy Wall). Serenade of Carols - Coventry Carol & The Holly and the Ivy (Trad. Arr. Morton Gould). Silent Night (Gruber). It Came Upon a Midnight clear (E H Sears / R S Willis arr. Morton Gould). Fantasia on 'Greensleeves' (Vaughan Williams). Sussex Carol (Trad.) We Three Kings (John Hopkins arr. C Dedrick) Lo How a Rose e'er Blooming (Praetorius arr. C Dedrick). He Shall Feed His Flock (Handel arr. J Wall). Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring (Bach arr. Harris). Sinfonia from the Christmas Oratorio (Bach arr. James Galway). Messiah: Pastoral Symphony (Handel). Christmas Concerto op.6 No.8: Pastorale ad libitum - Largo (Corelli). Ave Maria (Bach / Gounod). Hansel und Gretel: Childrens Prayer (Humperdinck). White Christmas (Irving Berlin arr. Jack Mason).
ORCHESTRA: Philadelphia Orchestra and Royal Philharmonic
CONDUCTOR: Eugene Ormandy and Thomas Beecham
ARTISTS: Canadian Brass   James Galway   Guildhall String Ensemble  

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CATALOGUE NR: SOMMB30  (barcode: 0748871253025)
RECORD LABEL: Somm
FORMAT: 2 CD Set
PRICE: including VAT £ 19.39
RELEASE DATE: 14-Oct-2011

COMPOSER: Andre-Ernest-Modeste Gretry
TITLE: Zemire et Azor - complete
ORCHESTRA: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham
ARTISTS: Michel Hamel   Michel Senechal   Bernard Lefort   Huguette Boulangeot

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: recorded Bath 1955 Sung in French

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CATALOGUE NR: SYMPCD10961097
RECORD LABEL: Symposium
FORMAT: 2 CD Set
PRICE: including VAT £ 24.48
RELEASE DATE: 03-Oct-2001

COMPOSER: Antonin Dvorak
TRACKS: Symphony No.3 in F - now No.5 op.76 (Dvorak). excerpt from Symphony No.7 (Beethoven) from a concert in the Queen's Hall 1936. A programme of popular classical works presented by Beecham's Pills Ltd on Radio Luxembourg and introduced by the conductor 1939.
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A selection of recordings of the years 1910 to 1918, mainly of material which Sir Thomas never recorded again, and including the six Odeon records.

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CATALOGUE NR: SOMMB9  (barcode: 0748871255920)
RECORD LABEL: Somm Beecham Series
FORMAT: CD
PRICE: including VAT £ 9.49

COMPOSER: Bedrich Smetana  (other composers in brackets after works)
TITLE: Beecham Collection
TRACKS: Bartered Bride Overture. Polka & Dance of the Comedians (Smetana). Macbeth Gran Scena del Sonnambulismo La Luce Langue (Verdi). Donna Diana Overture (Reznicek). Manon Lescaut (Puccini). La Clemenza di Tito K486 Overture (Mozart). Eugene Onegin Waltz Polonaise (Tchaikovsky). Tannhauser Act 3 Introduction. Das Rheingold Entrance of the Gods into Valhalla (Wagner).
ORCHESTRA: Royal Philharmonic and London Philharmonia
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham
ARTISTS: Margherita Grandi   Paul Schoffler    

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CATALOGUE NR: SOMMB14  (barcode: 0748871251427)
RECORD LABEL: Somm Beecham Series
FORMAT: 2 CD Set
PRICE: including VAT £ 18.35
RELEASE DATE: 02-Sep-2002

COMPOSER: Bedrich Smetana
TITLE: The Bartered Bride - complete
ORCHESTRA: Royal Opera House Orchestra
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham
ARTISTS: Hilde Konetzni   Richard Tauber   Heinrich Tessmer   Marko Rothmuller

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: sung in German / live recording Covent Garden 1-May-1939

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CATALOGUE NR: GHCD225859
RECORD LABEL: Guild Historical
FORMAT: 2 CD Set
PRICE: including VAT £ 11.99
RELEASE DATE: 24-Oct-2003

COMPOSER: Charles Gounod
TITLE: Faust - complete
ORCHESTRA: Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham
ARTISTS: Raoul Jobin   Ezio Pinza   Licia Albanese   Martial Singher

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: recorded 15-Apr-1944

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CATALOGUE NR: PR90355  (barcode: 0717281903554)
RECORD LABEL: Preiser
FORMAT: 2 CD Set
PRICE: including VAT £ 19.49
RELEASE DATE: 12-Oct-1998

COMPOSER: Charles Gounod
TITLE: Faust
TRACKS: complete
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham
ARTISTS: Georges Nore   Roger Rico   Roger Bourdin  

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Classic Beecham recording from 1947/48 with an all French cast.

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CATALOGUE NR: 811011718  (barcode: 0636943111727)
RECORD LABEL: Naxos Historical
FORMAT: 2 CD Set
PRICE: including VAT £ 10.19
RELEASE DATE: 30-Apr-2001

COMPOSER: Charles Gounod
TITLE: Faust - complete
ORCHESTRA: Royal Philharmonic
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham
ARTISTS: Georges Nore   Roger Rico   Geori Boue   Roger Bourdin

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Recorded 1947/1948

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CATALOGUE NR: CDBP9753
RECORD LABEL: Dutton
FORMAT: CD
PRICE: including VAT £ 5.62
RELEASE DATE: 06-May-2005

COMPOSER: Claude Debussy  (other composers in brackets after works)
TITLE: The Beecham Touch
TRACKS: Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune (Debussy). Rossiniana (Rossini arr Respighi). La jolie fi lle de Perth suite (Bizet). La Damnation de Faust (Berlioz). Slavonic Dance No.3 in A flat (Dvorak).
ORCHESTRA: London Philharmonic
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham

- Penguin Guide 3 star

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CATALOGUE NR: SOMMB24  (barcode: 0748871352421)
RECORD LABEL: Somm Beecham Series
FORMAT: CD
PRICE: including VAT £ 9.49
RELEASE DATE: 15-Dec-2008

COMPOSER: E J Moeran  (other composers in brackets after works)
TITLE: Beecham Collection volume 24
TRACKS: Sinfonietta (Moeran). Jour d'ete a la montagne op.61 (d'Indy). The Triumph of Neptune (Lord Berners).
ORCHESTRA: Royal Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: recorded 1947 / 1951 / 1946 - Jun-2009 5 star BBC Music Mag.

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CATALOGUE NR: 6787632  (barcode: 5099967876327)
RECORD LABEL: EMI Masters
FORMAT: CD  DURATION: 76 minutes
PRICE: including VAT £ 7.50
RELEASE DATE: 13-Feb-2012

COMPOSER: Edvard Grieg
TITLE: Beecham conducts Grieg
TRACKS: Peer Gynt - Incidental Music : Wedding March (orch. Halvorsen) / Ingrid's Lament / In the Hall of the Mountain King / Morning / Ase's Death / Arabian Dance / Solveig's Song / Anitra's Dance / Return of Peer Gynt - Storm Scene / Solveig's Lullaby. Symphonic Dance op.64 No.2. Concert Overture 'In Autumn' op.11. An Old Norwegian Folk Song with Variations op.51.
ORCHESTRA: Royal Philharmonic
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham
ARTISTS: Ilse Hollweg      

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: recorded 1955-1957

Currently scheduled to be available 13-Feb-2012. Order now and we will ship as soon as possible after that date.

CATALOGUE NR: 9659342  (barcode: 5099996593424)
RECORD LABEL: EMI Masters
FORMAT: CD
PRICE: including VAT £ 6.25
RELEASE DATE: 15-Feb-2010

COMPOSER: Edvard Grieg
TITLE: Sir Thomas Beecham - Peer Gynt
TRACKS: Peer Gynt - Incidental Music : Wedding March / Ingrid's Lament / In the Hall of the Mountain King / Morning / Death of Ase / Arabian Dance / Solveig's Song / Anitra's Dance / Return of Peer Gynt - Storm Scene / Solveig's Lullaby. Symphonic Dance op.64/2. In Autumn - Concert Overture op.11. Old Norwegian Folksong with Variations op.51.
ORCHESTRA: Royal Philharmonic
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham
ARTISTS: Ilse Hollweg      

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CATALOGUE NR: BBCL41132  (barcode: 0684911411324)
RECORD LABEL: BBC Legends
FORMAT: CD
PRICE: including VAT £ 10.75
RELEASE DATE: 11-Nov-2002

COMPOSER: Emmanuel Chabrier  (other composers in brackets after works)
TITLE: Beecham
TRACKS: Gwendoline Overture (Chabrier). Divertimento K131 - 3 Movements (Mozart). Brigg Fair (Delius). L'enfant prodigue - Cortege et air de danse (Debussy). Le rouet d'Omphale (Saint-Saens). Les Troyens - Royal Hunt and Storm (Berlioz). The Last Sleep of the Virgin - with Beecham introduction (Massenet). Espana - Rhapsody - with Beecham introduction (Chabrier).
ORCHESTRA: Royal Philharmonic
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham
ARTISTS: BBC Chorus      

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Recorded BBC Maida Vale Studios London: 20-Dec-1955 / 22-Oct-1956 / 9-Dec-1958 / 4-Nov-1959 - Apr-2003 4 star BBC Music Mag. - Penguin Guide 2/3 star

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CATALOGUE NR: BBCL40122  (barcode: 0684911401226)
RECORD LABEL: BBC Legends
FORMAT: CD
PRICE: including VAT £ 10.75
RELEASE DATE: 15-Mar-1999

COMPOSER: Felix Mendelssohn  (other composers in brackets after works)
TITLE: Sir Thomas Beecham
TRACKS: Fair Melusine Oveture (Mendelssohn). National Anthem. Carte Blance Ballet (Addison). Symphony No.7 (Beethoven). Encores (with Speeches):- Cortege et Air de Dance (Debusy). Priestesses' Dance (Saint-Saens). Juliet's Dream (Gounod).
ORCHESTRA: Royal Philharmonic
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: recorded 8-Nov-59 Royal Festival Hall, London

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CATALOGUE NR: 2CDEA5026
RECORD LABEL: Dutton
FORMAT: 2 CD Set
PRICE: including VAT £ 10.73
RELEASE DATE: 17-Apr-2000

COMPOSER: Felix Mendelssohn  (other composers in brackets after works)
TRACKS: Overture The Fair Melusine op.32 (Mendelssohn). Symphonic Poem. Le Rouet d'Omphale (Saint-Saens). Summer Evening (Delius arr. Beecham). Symphonic Poem. The Golden Spinning Wheel op.109 (Dvorak). The Last Sleep of the Virgin (Massenet). Overture: The Two Blind Men of Toledo (Mehul). Symphony No.40 in F major (Haydn). Overture King Lear op.4 (Berlioz). Symphonic Poem. Orpheus (Liszt). Scherzo in G minor (Mendelssohn). Overture Nina o la pazza d'amore (Paisello). Symphony No.102 in B flat (Haydn). Ballet - The Great Elopement - excerpts (Handel).
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham

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CATALOGUE NR: OPK2024  (barcode: 4582158680243)
RECORD LABEL: Opus Kura
FORMAT: CD
PRICE: including VAT £ 10.25
RELEASE DATE: 05-Dec-2002

COMPOSER: Felix Mendelssohn  (other composers in brackets after works)
TITLE: Joseph Szigeti
TRACKS: Violin Concerto in E minor op.64 (Mendelssohn). Viiolin Concerto in D major op.77 (Brahms).
ORCHESTRA: London Philharmonic and Halle Orchestra
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham and Hamilton Harty
ARTISTS: Joseph Szigeti      

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: recorded 1933 & 1928

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CATALOGUE NR: SOMMB19  (barcode: 0748871351929)
RECORD LABEL: Somm Beecham Series
FORMAT: CD
PRICE: including VAT £ 9.49
RELEASE DATE: 17-Jul-2006

COMPOSER: Felix Mendelssohn  (other composers in brackets after works)
TITLE: RPO - The early days
TRACKS: Overture 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' op.21 (Mendelssohn). Prelude to Act III 'Die Meistersinger' (Wagner). Symphony No.40 in G minor K550 (Mozart). Concerto for piano & orchestra in A minor op.54 (Schumann).
ORCHESTRA: Royal Philharmonic
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham
ARTISTS: Moura Lympany      

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: recorded 10-Nov-1946

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CATALOGUE NR: SOMMB15  (barcode: 0748871351523)
RECORD LABEL: Somm Beecham Series
FORMAT: CD
PRICE: including VAT £ 9.49
RELEASE DATE: 07-Apr-2003

COMPOSER: Ferruccio Busoni
TRACKS: Piano Concerto for Orchestra & Men's Chorus op.39. Prologo e Introito. Pezzo giocoso. Pezzo serioso. All' italiana. Cantico.
ORCHESTRA: BBC Symphony Orchestra
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham
ARTISTS: Noel Mewton-Wood      

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: BBC Studio 1 Maida Vale Jan-1948

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CATALOGUE NR: SOMMB25  (barcode: 0748871352520)
RECORD LABEL: Somm Beecham Series
FORMAT: CD
PRICE: including VAT £ 9.49
RELEASE DATE: 04-Dec-2009

COMPOSER: Franz Liszt
TITLE: A Faust Symphony S108
ORCHESTRA: Royal Philharmonic
CONDUCTOR: Thomas Beecham
ARTISTS: Beecham Choral Society      

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: recorded live 1956

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