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Thomas Beecham conducts Sibelius / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
SOMM Recordings

Thomas Beecham conducts Sibelius / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

$20.99

Details

Composer
SIBELIUS, JEAN
Artist
Beecham
Format
CD
Label
SOMM Recordings
Released
Oct 15, 2021
Catalog #
ARIADNE 5013
UPC
748871501324

About

SOMM Recordings is thrilled to announce the first release on disc of the only known live recording of Sir Thomas Beecham conducting Sibelius’s Symphony No.1 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to mark the orchestra’s 75th anniversary. The RPO was founded in 1946 by Beecham to inject new energy and new ideas into British orchestral life. Taken from the 1952 Edinburgh International Festival, the First Symphony heard here, says Beecham biographer John Lucas in his booklet foreword, is “a spine-tingling performance”. Three months earlier Beecham had completed his exacting studio recording of the First and comparisons between the two are fascinating. Also being released for the first time are previously unissued live recordings from 1947 of two of the composer’s Scènes historiques, and an interview by documentary maker Jon Tolansky with two RPO stalwarts (Sub-principal Viola John Underwood and the late Sub-Principal Second Violin Raymond Ovens) who share their memories of playing for Beecham. Both performances feature the RPO’s fêted “royal family” of wind players – Gerald Jackson (flute), Terence MacDonagh (oboe), Jack Brymer (clarinet) and Gwydion Brooke (bassoon) – with luminaries Dennis Brain leading the horns, Richard (‘Bob’) Walton as first trumpet, and Principal Percussionist Lewis Pocock. The album has been curated by Tolansky, the original founder of the Music Performance Research Centre. The archive was created in 1987 to preserve the heritage of public performances which included among its collection the Sibelius First Symphony. In 2001 the archive was renamed Music Preserved and transferred to the Borthwick Institute at the University of York. The Symphony, together with Tolansky’s other discovery, Scènes historiques have been brilliantly restored by acclaimed engineer Lani Spahr.

Tracklist 7 tracks

  1. 1 I. Andante, ma non troppo - Allegro energico 10:38
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Andante, ma non troppo - Allegro energico
    Duration
    10:38
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Thomas Beecham
  2. 2 II. Andante (ma non troppo lento) 09:16
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Andante (ma non troppo lento)
    Duration
    09:16
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Thomas Beecham
  3. 3 III. Scherzo: Allegro 05:33
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Scherzo: Allegro
    Duration
    05:33
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Thomas Beecham
  4. 4 IV. Finale (quasi una Fantasia): Andante - Allegro molto 12:09
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Finale (quasi una Fantasia): Andante - Allegro molto
    Duration
    12:09
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Thomas Beecham
  5. 5 II. The Love Song 04:44
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. The Love Song
    Duration
    04:44
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Thomas Beecham
  6. 6 III. At the Drawbridge 05:20
    Track
    6
    Title
    III. At the Drawbridge
    Duration
    05:20
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Thomas Beecham
  7. 7 Playing for Beecham - RPO Beecham-era musicians in conversation with Jon Tolansky 29:56
    Track
    7
    Title
    Playing for Beecham - RPO Beecham-era musicians in conversation with Jon Tolansky
    Duration
    29:56
    Composer
    na Not Applicable
    Performer
    Jon Tolansky, John Underwood, Raymond Ovens