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BANTOCK, SIR GRANVILLE nell, of EMI's staff, "What can you do face glitter and attack the pith of the with it -it's like a lot of yaks jumping genius that was Berlioz's. Not unsur- Fifine at the Fair. Royal Philharmonic, about." Like so many Beecham state- prisingly, there is not one other recording RCA Victor LHMV 1026 (1951),* ments, this is not to be taken seriously. that can possibly be mentioned in the HMV BLP 1016.* Beecham was well aware of himself as same breath as this. One comes away the supreme musical showman of all from this record with renewed admira- tion for both composer and BAX, SIR ARNOLD TREVOR time. He was his own most fabulous conductor. creation, and he relished shocking his Te Deum, Op. 22. Alexander Young (t); The Island of Fand. Royal Philharmonic, auditors. He threw off quips as a Catherine wheel gives off sparks. Indeed, London Philharmonic Choir, Dulwich HMV DB 6654/55 (1947).* Boys Choir; Royal Philharmonic; Co- The Bantock and Bax works are con- I can attest that most of the jibes and jokes attributed to Sir Thomas were in lumbia ML 4897 (1951). sidered here together merely because they This is the only recording of a work aptly illustrate Beecham's enduring inter- truth his inventions. I once heard him which, if it were start a rehearsal by telling the orchestra, not for Sir Thomas, est in English music. No conductor ever we would never hear. It is Berlioz at exerted so tirelessly his efforts in this "Gentlemen, I don't know this damned score hope to do." his monumental best. It is Beecham at respect. Often, the efforts were wasted, at all -I God you his Beechamest. but these two pieces seem to me to be Other conductors were outraged because an exception. Evocative of the English Beecham refused to suffer over his Les Troyens à Carthage: Royal Hunt and countryside, they make for lazy summer music -only to enjoy it. Storm. Beecham Choral Society; Royal pleasure. He enjoys these three Beethoven Sym- Philharmonic; Angel 35506 or S 35506 phonies. The Pastoral is, I fear, a failure. (1958). For all of the languishing tone -how During Beecham's last visit to the United BEECHAM, SIR ADRIAN W. beautifully the winds play! -it lacks States, he had high hopes of both per- something of the rough, bucolic spirit forming Outward Bound; The Willow Song (from and recording (for Everest) a the work needs. The A major is, simply, complete Trojans. It is a thousand pities Othello): O Mistress Mine. Nancy great. Naturally, the Allegretto is the was Evans Sir Thomas Beecham, pi- that he not spared for this. Edward (c); thing here -and the Finale. Who else Wallerstein, onetime President of Colum- ano; HMV C 3165 (1940).* gets the details in the slash of cold steel bia and Everest, had This disc may a real later director of be surprise to some. through fabric in those last mad pages? been in touch with Beecham and had Sir Adrian is Beecham's son by his first Who? Fortunately, the sound is excellent, worked out most of the details, but marriage and has succeeded to the family especially the stereo, which is a different title. The songs are minor masterpieces, Beecham's illness made the task im- recording from the monophonic. The possible. Well, let us be content with and Beecham père was really a pretty Eroica will not be everybody's cup of this, one of the most atmospheric parts good pianist. tea. It is mine. The third movement is of a great score. Fortunately, the brief taken slowly -quite slowly -but motion choral sections, omitted in his previous BEETHOVEN, LUDWIG VAN is never lost. In consequence, you can HMV disc, are included here. The result hear horn details never before audible. is one of Beecham's greatest records. The Mass ill C, Op. 86. Jennifer Vyvyan (s), Also, the Funeral March is pondered, not entrance of the Chorus is absolutely Monica Sinclair (c), Richard Lewis slobbered over as is so often the case. thrilling. Exciting sound. (t), Marian Nowakowski (bs); Bee- There is in existence a Beecham -led BBC concert performance of this work, cham Choral Society; Royal Philhar- BERLIOZ, HECTOR monic; Capitol G 7168 or SG 7168 broadcast on several radio stations in the New York area sometime in the (1957). Le Carnaval romain, Overture, Op. 9. What an absolutely first -class conductor late '40s. I can personally attest that can do with a second -class work is here Royal Philharmonic, Columbia ML the quality of sound is fairly satisfactory, amply illustrated. The strong sections 5064 (1952),* Philips GBL 5633. and the quality of the performance is and there are several -are made stronger,- London Philharmonic, Columbia of such magnitude that I urgently recom- and the "weak" ones covered. 68921D (1937).* mend it for inclusion in Angel's "Great Beecham used this Overture to work out Recordings of the Century" series. Also Symphony No. 2, in D, Op. 36. Royal a new orchestra. It was a test piece for in existence is a magnificent taped per- Philharmonic, Angel 35509 or S 35509 the LPO and the RPO at their inception. formance of the Requiem, broadcast (1957). London Philharmonic, Colum- Both of the recordings are outstanding from the Royal Albert Hall. bia M 302 (1936).* London Sym- examples of virtuoso orchestral playing phony, Columbia M 45 (1927).* and conducting. The Columbia LP also Always a specialty of Sir Thomas'. I contains fine performances of four other BIZET, GEORGES doubt that anyone has ever done the Berlioz overtures. Larghetto with so much finesse, so much Carmen. Victoria de los Angeles (s), delicacy. Of the three versions, the LPO La Damnation de Faust (orchestral ex- Janine Micheau (s), Nicolai Gedda cerpts). London Philharmonic, Colum- reading is perhaps the most rewarding - (t), Ernest Blanc (b), et al.; Chorus but my feeling may well spring from the bia MX 94 (1937).* and Orchestre National de la Radio - The famous Danse des sylphes is in- nostalgia of a collector, and in any diffusion Française; Angel 3613 or S case the sound of the RPO version is cluded in the "Beecham Anthology." 3613 (1958/59). of course much better. The latter disc Beecham's audible "Thank you very This recording had what might be also provides a bonus, in a substantial much, Gentlemen" is at once a tribute termed the longest gestation period in section of Beethoven's Ruins of Athens to his conducting and their inspired play- history. Shortly after the beginning of music, bouncingly done. ing. Another version, with the RPO, the sessions, Beecham lost his not very appears on the Angel "Lollipops," Vol. controllable temper and had words with Symphony No. 3, in E flat, Op. 55 1 (35506 or S 35506). "Lollipops," Vol. Señora de los Angeles. The wit, wisdom, ("Eroica "). Royal Philharmonic, Co- 2 (35865 or S 35865) includes the or waspishness of this diatribe has been lumbia ML 4698 (1951),* English Menuet des follets. lost to history, but the outcome became Columbia CX 1086.* famous: the leading lady walked out, Symphony No. 6, in F, Op. 68 ( "Pas- Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14a. Orches- caught a plane to Barcelona, and sat toral"). Royal Philharmonic, Columbia tre National de la Radiodiffusion in her home fuming. David Bicknell, ML 4828 (1951),* Fontana EFL Française, HMV ALP 1633 (1957); a & r chief for EMI, caught the next 2505. HMV ASD 399 (1958). plane and was able to persuade the Symphony No. 7, in A, Op. 92. Royal These are entirely different performances Señora to return after a considerable Philharmonic, Capitol G 7223 or SG recorded some time apart. Of the two, hiatus. So much time had been lost, 7223 (1958),* HMV ALP 1748 or the 1958 version, in stereo, must be given however, that Beecham had to leave to ASD 311. a slight preference. Performances of this keep engagements in Buenos Aires. A Beecham had a habit of referring to the work by most conductors are so over- year later, after a friendly playback ses- Beethoven Symphonies in a jocular and wrought that it is with something very sion attended by the Beecham and De sometimes derisive vein. When recording much like relief that you can listen to los Angeles families, recording again the third movement of the Seventh, for Beecham's. He is content to play the commenced. instance, he announced to David Bick- music -content also to penetrate the sur- Normally, Beecham was a fast worker JUNE 1965 47 www.americanradiohistory.com.