HISTORIC CONDUCTORS ON COMPACT DISC

While there is no stopping the march of technology (and few would have it any other way), in the wake of progress lie the declining reputations so of a great many once-famous conductors, whose recorded works are often readily available on compact disc but not recommended because their output lacks the cachet of "DDD." This is often a false issue, because--as ever--the skill used in making a recording far outweighs the format it is recorded in. Many 30 and 40-year-old recordings sound impressive when remastered properly and, given proper transfers, the 78rpm legacy of second quarter of this century can yield immense musical satisfaction.

I have put together several lists of compact disc reissues of favorite conductors' recordings. My compilations are not necessarily designed to be all-inclusive, but rather to list the majority of currently available CDs, in the hope that those who consult them will use the information to seek out and enjoy some of the most striking music-making ever committed to any form of recording. Lists promoting the work of four conductors are offered at present: Sir Thomas Beecham (below), Sir Eugène Goossens, Willem Mengelberg and Paul Paray, although other worthy maestros should be added as time passes.

It is a sad fact of life that record dealers are often unwilling to keep older issues in stock for more than a certain period of time. Although I try to do periodic updates on these lists, what is shown may no longer be in the bins of your favorite retailer, but should be available by special order. There is one modern tool I have found very useful: Borders, Best Buy, and a number of independent U.S. record shops provide access to the MUZE computer catalog, on which a complete and up-to-date list of current recordings may be called up in a number of categories. If MUZE has a flaw it is that they are slow to purge deleted discs from their inventory. (To use MUZE, simply select "Classical" then type BEECHAM or STOKOWSKI [or whomever] at the "conductor" bar [and a composer's name--or other parameter--if you wish to limit your search] to see what is available. I have found their data-base to be quite reliable.)

RECORDINGS BY SIR THOMAS BEECHAM
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON COMPACT DISC

This Beecham CD discography was compiled from a North American perspective (although everything shown in the main listing should be obtainable in British record shops), but recognizes that some discs are only available in the United Kingdom (or Europe), and lists these separately. A third, deletions, list deals with compact discs no longer available on either side of the Atlantic.

Beecham's compact discs are divided into studio or concert recordings, and then whether the disc is a compilation or is devoted to a single composer. Discs in which the Beecham makes only a minor appearance (usually just one or two short selections out of a dozen) have been omitted from the lists for reasons of space. EMI, in particular, has a commendable tendency to include a Beecham recording or two in "pops" type compilations such as a collection of Rossini overtures, recycling material from deleted issues. Reference to MUZE or the Gramophone Catalogue should quickly reveal such.

Generally, within categories I list stereo recordings first, because they are most likely to be in stock and be most acceptable to the broad record-buying public; some people insist on hearing only stereo sound. Monaural recordings, derived from tape and 78rpm discs are then identified. While these may (and not always!) have distracting noise and lower fidelity, they also offer vital music-making that really ought not be missed, and are placed lower by only reason of earlier recording dates--not as a reflection of the quality of the performances they contain. Orchestras involved in the recordings are given in parentheses, with years of recording.

ORCHESTRAS
BBC = BBC Symphony Orchestra
BPO = Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
BSO = Beecham Symphony Orchestra (acoustic recordings)
CGO = Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
HPO = Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
LPO = London Philharmonic Orchestra
MET = Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
NYP = New York Philharmonic-Symphony
PO = Philadelphia Orchestra RTF = Orchestre National de l'ORTF
RCA = RCA Victor Orchestra
RPO = Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
SRO = Suisse Romande Orchestra

Collections

Beecham was probably this century's greatest expert on making short works seem like masterpieces. His recordings of standard repertoire items often remained the preferred choice for a decade or more, and still are used as comparisons for more modern recordings. It is hard to go wrong with a Beecham recording.

FRENCH LOLLIPOPS (RTF, rec. 1958; RPO, rec. 1957)
BIZET: Carmen Suite No. 1
FAURÉ: Pavane
FAURÉ-RABAUD: "Dolly" Suite
DEBUSSY: Prélude à l'après-mid d'un faune
SAINT-SAËNS: Le rouet d'Omphale
DELIBES: Le Roi s'amuse: ballet music
EMI CDM 7 63379 2
[An evergreen collection of Beecham specialties, companion to BEECHAM LOLLIPOPS, which is deleted from the U.S. Angel catalog but remains available to dealers from the EMI Special Imports list, which comes out quarterly. (See UK listing.)]

FRENCH FAVOURITES (RPO, rec. 1939-57)
CHABRIER: Gwendoline: Overture
GOUNOD: Faust: ballet music
MASSENET: Cendrillon: Waltz
BIZET: Roma: Carnaval à Rome
GRETRY-BEECHAM: Zémire et Azor: ballet music
BIZET: Patrie, Overture
MASSENET: La Vierge: The Last Sleep of the Virgin
CHABRIER: España
EMI CDM 7 63401 2
[Beecham engaged on a lifelong crusade to bring French composers before the British public. This is one of the most delightful collections from this repertoire that anyone is likely to hear.]

(RPO, rec. 1956-57)
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Scherezade
BORODIN: Polovtsian Dances
EMI CDC 7 47717 2
[These were the first Beecham items to be released on compact disc, some years after the medium became avialable to the public. The wait was worth it--Scheherazade, in Beecham's interpetation, remains one of the finest recordings ever made. One speaker company, 30 years after the recording was taped, used the master tape to demonstrate a new product. Unfortunately, the Borodin, at least in the first issue, was a bit hissy. All subsequent Beecham stereo issues sounded great.]

[monaural recordings]
(RPO, rec. 1947-49; LPO, rec. 1935 w. Jascha Heifetz)
MOZART: Violin Concerto No. 4
MENDELSSOHN: Violin Concerto
SIBELIUS: Violin Concerto
in RCA Gold Seal 61749 [3 discs]
[Mendelssohn and Sibelius only]
in EMI CHD 65191

(LPO, rec. 1933-35 w. Joseph Szigeti)
MOZART: Violin Concerto No. 4
PROKOFIEV: Violin concerto No. 1
MENDELSSOHN: Violin Concerto
PEARL GEMM CD 9377
EMI CDH 64562
[Prokofiev only]
LYS LY 085
[Mendelssohn only]
LYS LY 068
[A perfect mating of intellect and artistic agreement; these recordings have remained in the catalog almost continuously in some form since they were first issued in the 1930's.]

[The following three discs contain Beecham's final recordings with the London Philharmonic Orchestra (rec. 1944-45) in good transfers by Mark Obert-Thorn.]

HANDEL-BEECHAM: The Great Elopement, Suite
HAYDN: Symphony No. 97
MOZART: La Clemenza di Tito: Overture
MOZART: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
BIDDULPH WHL 041

MOZART: Die Entführung aus dem Serail: Overture
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 4
SCHUBERT: Symphony No. 6
BIDDULPH WHL 042

MENDELSSOHN: Symphony No. 5
BERLIOZ: Royal Hunt and Storm
BORODIN: Prince Igor: Overture
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: May Night: Overture
TCHAIKOVSKY: Eugene Onegin: Waltz and Polonaise
BIDDULPH WHL 043

[The following Dutton discs use CEDAR processing to remove most surface noise. Some people feel this affects the tonal balance.]

BEECHAM CONDUCTS FAVOURITE OVERTURES (LPO, 1933-40)
MENDELSSOHN: The Hebrides
MENDELSSOHN: Ruy Blas Overture
SUPPÉ: Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna
NICOLAI: The Merry Wives of Windsor: Overture
ROSSINI: La scala di seta: Overture
ROSSINI: William Tell: Overture
ROSSINI: La gazza ladra: Overture
ROSSINI: Semiramide: Overture
DUTTON CDEA 5009
[This was an early disc in the Dutton series (CDLX 7001), now reissued under a new number, but with the same transfers.]

BEECHAM CONDUCTS FAVOURITE OVERTURES Vol. 2 (LPO, rec. 1933-40)
MOZART: Le nozze de Figaro: Overture
MOZART: Don Giovanni: Overture
MOZART: Die Zaberflöte: Overture
WEBER: Oberon: Overture
WEBER: Der Freischütz: Overture
BRAHMS: Tragic Overture
WAGNER: A Faust Overture
BERLIOZ: Le carnaval romain
ROSSINI: La Scala de seta: Overture
DUTTON CDLX 7009

THE BEECHAM TOUCH (LPO, rec. 1934-39)
DVORAK: Slavonic Rhapsody No. 3 in A-flat
DEBUSSY: Prélude à l'après-mid d'un faune
RESPIGHI: Rossiniana
BIZET: La jolie fille de Perth, suite
BERLIOZ: La damantion de Faust, excerpts
DUTTON CDLX 7002

VINTAGE BEECHAM (LPO, rec. 1933-39)
HANDEL: Solomon: The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
DVORAK: Legend, Op. 59 No. 3
OFFENBACH: Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Entr'acte, Intermezzo and Barcarolle
BIZET: Carmen: Suite
DELIUS-FEMBY: Koanga: La Calinda
MENDELSSOHN: A Midsummer Night's Dream: Scherzo, Nocturne and Wedding March
J. STRAUSS Jr.: Voices of Spring, Waltz
BORODIN: Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dances; Polovtsian March
DUTTON CDLX 7003

BEECHAM CONDUCTS HAYDN, BRAHMS AND FRANCK (LPO)
HAYDN: Symphonies Nos. 93, 99 and 104 (rec. 1936 and 1939)
BRAHMS: Symphony No. 2 (rec. 1936)
FRANCK: Symphony in d (rec. 1940)
DUTTON 2CDAX 2003 [2 discs]

BEECHAM CLASSICS (LPO, rec. 1944-45)
MOZART: Die Entführung aus dem Sarail: Overture
MOZART: Piano Concerto in a (w. Louis Kentner)
MOZART: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
MOZART: La Clemenza di Tito: Overture
HAYDN: Sym. No. 97
DUTTON CDLX 7019

(LPO, rec. 1934-40)
MOZART: Symphonies Nos. 35, 36 and 38
DUTTON CDEA 5001

(LPO, rec. 1934-40)
MOZART: Symphonies Nos. 29, 31 and 34
DUTTON CDEA 5008

[The following Pearl discs draw from the same 78rpm recordings as above, but in transfers which do not use CEDAR processing. Some of the transfers--but certainly not all--include significantly higher levels of surface noise than the Dutton versions, but some feel they better represent sound quality as heard on the original 78's.]

SIR THOMAS BEECHAM AND THE LPO--Vol. I (rec. 1936 and 1939)
HAYDN: Symphonies Nos. 93, 94 and 104
PEARL GEMM CD 9064

SIR THOMAS BEECHAM AND THE LPO--Vol. II (rec. 1936-40)
BERLIOZ: La damantion de Faust, excerpts
DEBUSSY: Prélude à l'après-mid d'un faune
FRANCK: Sym. in d
OFFENBACH: Les contes d'Hoffmann, excerpts
PEARL GEMM CDS 9065

SIR THOMAS BEECHAM AND THE LPO--Vol. III (rec. 1934-40)
SCHUBERT Symphony No. 5
MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 12 (w. Louis Kentner)
MOZART: excerpts from Mass in c
PEARL GEMM CD 9081

SIR THOMAS BEECHAM AND THE LPO--Vol. IV (rec. 1933-39)
ROSSINI: overtures
MENDELSSOHN: Ruy Blas, Overture
MENDELSSOHN: A Midsummer Night's Dream, excerpts
PEARL GEMM CD 9089

SIR THOMAS BEECHAM AND THE LPO: LOLLIPOPS--Vol. V (rec. 1935-40)
WEBER: Oberon: Overture
DVORAK: Slavonic Rhapsody No. 3 in A-flat
GRIEG: Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46
SUPPÉ: Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna
MOZART: Le nozze de Figaron: Overture
WAGNER: Die Meistersinger: Prelude to Act I
WAGNER: Der flegende Höllander: Overture
WAGNER: Lohengrin: Prelude to Act III
SUPPpÉ: Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna
PEARL GEMM CD 9094

(NYP, rec. 1942)
SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 7
SIBELIUS: "Melisande"
MENDELSSOHN: Symphony No. 4
TCHAIKOVSKY: Capriccio Italien
BEECHAM COLLECTION BEECHAM 6*

SIR THOMAS BEECHAM FAVORITES, 1934-1940
ROSSINI: La gazza ladra: Overture
ROSSINI: William Tell: Overture
DEBUSSY: Prélude à l'après-mid d'un faune
OFFENBACH: Les contes d'Hoffmann: Barcarolle
MENDELSSOHN: A Midsummer Night's Dream: Wedding March
MOZART: Don Giovanni: Overture
WAGNER: Die Meistersinger: Act I Prelude
GRIEG: Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, "Morning"
WEBER: Oberon: Overture
SUPPpÉ: Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna
IRON NEEDLE IN 1346

Composers

BEETHOVEN
(RPO, rec 1956-57)
Mass in C; music for The Ruins of Athens (RPO, rec 1956-57)
EMI CDM 7 64385 2

BERLIOZ
[monaural recordings]
(RPO, rec. 1951 AND 1954)
Harold in Italy
King Lear Overture
Roman Carnival Overture
SONY CBS Masterworks Portrait MPK 47679

BIZET
(RPO, rec. 1956, 1959)
L'Arlesienne: Suites Nos. 1 and 2;
Symphony in C
EMI CDC 7 47794 2

(RTF, rec. 1958)
Carmen
EMI CDHB 61034 [3 discs]
[The celebrated recording with Victoria de los Angeles in the title role.]

BRAHMS
[monaural recordings]
(RPO, rec. 1951)
Violin Concerto (w. Isaac Stern)
in SONY SM3K 45952 [3 discs]

Violin Concerto (w. Joseph Szigeti) (LPO, rec. 1936)
in PEARL GEMM CD 93454
in LYS LY 068

DELIUS
BEECHAM CONDUCTS DELIUS (RPO, rec. 1956-57)
Over the Hills and Far Away
Sleigh Ride
Brigg Fair
Florida Suite
Marche Caprice
Dance Rhapsody No. 2
Summer Evening
On Hearing the first Cuckoo in Spring
Summer Night on the River
A Song before Sunrise
Fenimore and Gerda: Intermezzo
Iremlin: Prelude
Songs of Sunset
EMI ZDCB 7 475092 209 [2 discs]
[If he was anything, Beecham was the supreme champion of the music of Frederick Delius. This valedictory stereo set includes most of Delius' best-known compositions in Sir Thomas' final recordings, and is essential to understanding the magic of this composer]

***
[monaural recordings]
BEECHAM CONDUCTS DELIUS (LPO and old RPO, rec. 1927-38)
Appalachia, excerpts
Koanga: closing scene
Hassan, excerpts
On Hearing the first cuckoo in spring
Summer Night on the River
Songs from the Norwegian Nos. 1, 2 and 3 (w. Dora Labette)
DUTTON CDLX 7011
[New transfers, using the CEDAR process]

Paris
Irmelin: Prelude
Eventyr
Fennimore and Gerda: Intermezzo
Over the Hills and Far Away
BEECHAM COLLECTION BEECHAM 2*
[This and the disc below seem to be a reissue of the Anthony Griffith transfers prepared for the EMI Delius Society LP boxes--good 78rpm sound, moderately filtered.]

(LPO and old RPO, rec. 1927-38)
Sea Drift
Summer Night on the River
In a Summer Garden
Brigg Fair
On Hearing the first Cuckoo in Spring
The Walk to the Paradise Garden
Koanga: La Calinda
BEECHAM COLLECTION BEECHAM 3*
[These discs are now imported into the U.S. by JEM Music Corporation; click on the asterisk for futher details about discs from the Beecham Archive.]

GOUNOD
[monaural recording]
(BBC, rec. 1929-30)
Faust (mostly complete, sung in English)
DUTTON CDAX 2001 [2 discs]

GRIEG
(RPO, rec. 1955 and 1959)
Peer Gynt, incidental music
Symphonic Dance
In Autumn
Old Norwegian Folksong
EMI CDM 7 64751 2
[The Peer Gynt excerpts are Beecham's own selections, not the standard suites.]

HANDEL
The Messiah (RPO, rec. 1959)
RCA Gold Seal 2RG 61266 [3 discs, for price of 2]
[highlights on]
RCA 61718
RCA Living Stereo 09026-68159-2
[Beecham's spectacular third and final recording of this favorite oratorio, in a re-orchestration by Sir Eugene Goossens. Not for fans of "authentic" re-creations, rather for those who admire grandeur and sheer enjoyment in the making of music.]

[monaural recordings]
BEECHAM CONDUCTS HANDEL (LPO, rec. 1929-40)
Solomon: Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
The Gods Go A'Begging, suite
The Origin of Design
Israel in Egypt: Moses and the Children of Israel; But as for His People; The Lord is a Man of War
Concerto Grosso No. 3 in e: Larghetto and Poloniase
The Messiah: Pastoral Symphony
The Faithful Shepherd, suite
VAI AUDIO 1045

HANDEL ARRANGED BEECHAM (LPO, rec. 1933-45)
similar to the above, but concentrating on the great Handel/Beecham suites, including, the Origin of Design, The God Go A'Begging, The Faithful Shepherd, Amyrilis and The Great Elopement
DUTTON CDAX 8018
[This is one of Michael Dutton's better-sounding set of transfers.]

The Messiah (BBC, rec. 1927)
PEARL GEMM CDS 9456 [2 discs]
GRAMMOPHONO 2000 GRM 78671 [2 discs]
[The first of Sir Thomas' three recordings; not overly-reverent, but in contemporary Victorian style.]

HAYDN
(RPO, rec. 1957-58)
HAYDN "LONDON" SYMPHONIES Nos. 93-98
EMI ZDM 7 643889 2 [2 discs]
[Beecham's recordings of Symphonies 99-104 are still available as EMI Special Imports--see UK listing]

MENDELSSOHN
[monaural recordings]
Violin Concerto No. 4 (w. Jascha Heifetz) (RPO, rec. 1947)
in EMI 5 65191 2 in RCA 616778 [65 discs]
[This is Vol. 18 of BMG's "Heifetz Edition" but you have to purchase 65 discs to obtain RCA VICTOR GOLD SEAL 61749.]

Violin Concerto (w. Joseph Szigeti) (LPO, rec. 1933)
in MUSICA MEMORIA MMA 30272
[also see Collections]

MOZART
MOZART CONCERTOS
(RPO, rec. 1949-59)
Bassoon Concerto (w. Gwydion Brook)
Clarinet Concerto (w. Jack Brymer)
Violin Concerto No. 3 (w. Gioconda de Vito)
EMI CDM 7 63408 2
[Clarinet Concerto only]
in EMI LASER CDZ 67007
in SERAPHIM CES 5 68533 2 [2 discs]

[monaural recordings]
Die Entführung aus dem Serail (RPO, rec. 1956)
EMI CDHB 63715 [2 discs]
[While not always a critics' favorite, this recording amply displays Beecham's love of Mozart's operas.]

Die Zauberflöte (BPO, rec. 1937)
PEARL GEMM CD 9371 [2 discs]
MELODRAM 27056 [2 discs]
ARKADIA 78027 [2 discs]
NIMBUS NI 7827-8 [2 discs] DUTTON CDEA 5011 [2 discs]
[The classic pre-war recording. Record magazines generally recommnd the Pearl or EMI versions (see UK list for the latter)]

Requiem Mass (w. BBC Chorus) (RPO, rec. 1954)
THEOREMA TH 121.151
[This and the following derive from English Columbia/CBS originals and have been subjected to mild CEDAR processing.]

Symphonies Nos. 31, 36 and 41 (RPO, rec. 1950-54)
THEOREMA TH 121169

HISTORIC MOZART RECORDINGS - SYMPHONIES
(LPO, rec. 1934-40)
Symphonies Nos. 29, 31, 34-36, 38-41
EMI CDHC 63698 2 [3 discs]
[Beecham programmed many symphonies of Mozart at a time when the general repertory recognized only about six. These recordings were admired for decades as perfect exemplars of their kind.]

Symphonies Nos. 35, 36 and 38 (RPO, rec. 1939-40)
DUTTON CDEA 5001

PUCCINI
[monaural recordings]
La Boheme (RCA, rec. 1956)
EMI CDCB 7 47235 2 [2 discs]
[an evergreen recording, in clear mono sound, that some feel has never been bettered]

La Boheme: Act IV (LPO, rec. 1935)
PEARL GEMM CD 9473
DUTTON CDLX 7012
[Tenor Heddle Nash is the featured soloist on both of thses discs.]

SCHUBERT
Symphonies 3, 5, and 6 (RPO, rec. 1955-59)
EMI CDM 7 69750 2

[monaural recordings]
BEECHAM CONDUCTS SCHUBERT SYMPHONIES
(LPO, rec. 1937-44)
Symphonies Nos. 5, 6 and 8
DUTTON CDLX 7014

SCHUMANN
[monaural recording]
Manfred (RPO, rec. 1954)
BEECHAM COLLECTION BEECHAM 4*
[For many collectors the LP set was the Holy Grail of Beecham collecting. If any musical recording involving a spoken voice can be thought beautiful, this is it, so thoroughly does the conductor involve the narrator, who is heard in an English translation of the text.]

SIBELIUS
[monaural recordings]
Violin Concerto (w. Isaac Stern) (RPO, rec. 1951)
in SONY S3K 45956 (3 discs)

Violin Concerto (w. Jascha Heifetz) (LPO, rec. 1935)
in EMI CDH 7 64030 2
in PEARL GEMM CDS 9157 [2 discs]
in BIDDULPH LAB 018
in MUSICA MEMORIA MMA 30442
[Also see Collections, above]

(LPO, rec. 1932-38)
Symphonies Nos. 4 and 6
Lemminkäinens's Return
The Bard
EMI CDM 7 64027 2

BEECHAM CONDUCTS SIBELIUS
(NYP, rec. 1942; LPO, rec. 1932-39)
Symphony No. 7
excerpts from Pelléas and Mélisande
The Tempest, incidental music
Scenes Historiques
In Memoriam
Lemminkäinen's Return
DUTTON CDAX 8013
[Symphony also available on Beecham Collection 6--see Collections, above.]

R. STRAUSS
[monaural recording]
Don Quixote (w. Alfred Wallenstein, cello) (NYP, rec. 1932)
in PEARL GEMM CDS 9922 [2 discs]
in RCA Gold Seal 2RC 60929 [2 discs]

TCHAIKOVSKY
[monaural recording]
(RPO, rec. 1947)
Symphony No. 3
Romeo and Juliet
BEECHAM COLLECTION BEECHAM 1*

WAGNER
SIR THOMAS BEECHAM CONDUCTS WAGNER (LPO)
Vocal and orchestral excerpts from Die Meistersinger, Der Fliegende Höllander, Tannhäuser and Lohengrin featuring soprano Tiana Lemnitz
DUTTON CDLX 7007

BEECHAM CONDUCTS WAGNER (LPO, rec. 1936-37)
Vocal and orchestral excerpts from Die Meistersinger, Der Fliegende Höllander, Götterdammerung, Lohengrin and Tristan und Isolde, mainly accompaning baritone Rudolph Bockelmann
GOLDEN MEMORIES MEM CD 3003

Concert Recordings

During the majority of the extraodinarly long recording career (1910-1959) of Sir Thomas Beecham live concerts were captured only with great difficulty and expense. Although Beecham took part in the first tape recording of an orchestra in Ludwigshafen, Germany in 1936, only German musicians benefited from the process until after the war (although one experimental British Beecham tape does survive--see Aida, below). While there may be a great many Beecham taped performances in B.B.C. archives (nobody knows for sure), they are not generally available to the record-buying public unless somebody has released an air-check. Most of the discs below fall into that category, and may suffer from varying degrees of sonic deficiencies. Some of the performances are, however, extraordinary.

Collections

OSR MEMORIES - MOZART SYMPHONIES (SR, rec. 1958)
MOZART: Symphonies Nos. 31, 35 and 39
CASCAVELLE CD 2002

Composers

[monaural recordings]
BEETHOVEN
Symphony No. 2 (LPO studio recording, rec. 1936);
Missa Solemnis (Mass in D) (LPO, Leeds Festival, rec. live 1937)
BEECHAM COLLECTION BEECHAM 5* [two discs]

SIBELIUS
(HPO, rec. 1954)
Tapiola
Symphony No. 7
ONDINE ODE 809-2
[Recorded during Sibelius Week in 1954, these performances were the hit of the festival; clear sound.]

SMETANA
The Bartered Bride (CGO, rec. 1939)
STANDING ROOM ONLY 830
[Unless they have issued a revised set from the first release, this production suffers from digital editing errors and primitive sound--but it is the only way to hear both Beecham and Richard Tauber in this opera.]

R. STRAUSS
Elektra (RPO, rec. 1947)
MYTO MCD 946117 [2 discs]

VERDI
Aida (CGO, rec. 1938)
EKLIPSE EKRCD 03 [2 discs]
ENTERPRISE RY 62 [2 discs]
ARKADIA 5003 [2 discs]
[Recorded using an experimental tape recording system, the sound is restricted and somewhat overloaded. Beniamino Gigli is in top form, to the lyrical accompaniment of Beecham's orchestra.]

WAGNER
FRIEDA LIEDER SINGS
Götterdammerung excerpts (CGO, rec. 1936)
in LEGATO CLASSICS LCD 146 [2 discs]

Tristan und Isolde (CGO, rec. 1937)
GAMMOPHONO 2000 GRM 78570 [3 discs]
EMI CDHC 64037 [3 discs]
[The EMI set is a strange animal and should be an embarrasement to the company. This is a somewhat legendary performance, captured in performance by EMI with an eye to commercial release. Unofficial copies of a tape made from the unissued 78s circulated for years, presumably the source of the first two sets. When EMI decided to make a commercial CD release, a set of 78s purported to be the Beecham performances (there were actually two) was duly edited together with EMI's usual care and devotion. Only then was it discovered that part of the new tape included Tristan performances given by Fritz Reiner in 1936. Instead of spending enough to redo the tape, the Powers That Be chose to issue the hybrid as it was. One magazine gave it a favorable review, but, whomever happens to be conducting at any given time--it just isn't all Beecham. Melodram's set is filtered but clear enough, completely Beecham, with Melchior and Flagstad at the peak of their careers. Those wanting only Reiner should look for VAI AUDIO VAIA 1004-3.]

*A NOTE ABOUT BEECHAM COLLECTION CDs

Lady Shirley Beecham, the conductor's third wife and widow, has established the Beecham Trust, which, among other activities, makes available on compact disc reissues of Beecham recordings the major companies have no interest in re-releasing. Until recently these discs were very difficult to obtain in the U.S. because of spotty distribution. JEM Music Corporation, whose searchable web page is easy to use, will sell direct or through local dealers, if the dealer can be persuaded to order (a real problem since many shops will not stock historic recordings nor order from small distributors). Unfortunately, the discs are quite expensive, but worth the cost for dedicated collectors. The Schumann Manfred music and Delius discs are recommended.

Your comments and additions are always welcome.

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