There can be few, if any, musicians who have singlehandedly done so much in the establishment of resources for musical performance than Sir Thomas Beecham.

During WWI he conducted and supported financially both the Hallé and London Symphony Orchestras and the Royal Philharmonic Society. In 1915 he formed the Beecham Opera Company which trained many young British singers in this field. Eight years later this became the British National Opera Company and was absorbed into Covent Garden in 1932 when Beecham returned to be its Musical Director.

To quote David Cairns “We are nationally and individually a more musically aware people because of him and what he gave us”. A forceful statement, true, but whose life could ever challenge it?

Dissatisfied by conditions and practices, notably the supply of deputies for rehearsals, prevalent in British orchestras, he formed the London Philharmonic Orchestra that same year. Beecham was now able to be at the fulcrum of all developments in music in Britain. WWII put an end to this halcyon period. With Covent Garden shut, he travelled, primarily in America, and did not return to Britain until 1944. The London Philharmonic had now become a self-governing body so Beecham, then aged 67, launched the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. This was the orchestra with which he committed to disc so many classic recordings with which EMI Classics marks the 50th anniversary of his passing.

It is true that Beecham had particular favourites in composers – Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Berlioz, Bizet and Puccini spring immediately to mind; also his love for Handel – even though his performances were always BIG-scale! He was an early champion of Richard Strauss and became a most effective exponent of Sibelius. His name will always be inextricably linked with that of Delius, whose music Beecham seemed to know better even than the composer, and it is appropriate that they are buried not far apart in the graveyard at St Peter’s Parish Church, Limpsfield, Surrey.

He was knighted in 1916, the year he succeeded to his father’s baronetcy, and made a Companion of Honour in 1957. This affable, brilliant, usually charming, ever-communicative, quick-witted (even, at times, to the point of cruelty), dedicated conductor was also the most gifted executive musician England has ever produced.

Contents:
CD 1
1. Introduction - Mendelssohn: Der Schönen Melusine Overture
2. Early life, and creation of Beecham Symphony Orchestra - Narration
3. L'Oiseau de feu - Dance of the Firebird
4. Early Opera Seasons - Narration
5. Aida: Ritorna Vincitor - Narration
6. Creation of London Philharmonic Orchestra - Narration
7. Le Carnaval Roman Overture - Narration
8. Der Freischütz - Overture
9. London Philharmonic Orchestra - Narration
10. Delius: In a Summer Garden - Narration
11. International Opera Seasons at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden - Narration
12. Wagner - Götterdämmerung: Act I: Hier sitz' ich zur Wacht - Narration
13. International Opera Seasons at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden - Part II - Narration
14. Conducting Mozart in Berlin - Narration
15. Die Zauberflöte: Act 1: Schnelle Füße, rascher Muth - Narration
 
CD 2
1. Creation of Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
2. Don Quixote: The Defeat of Quixote - Narration
3. Le Bourgeois gentilhomme Op.60: Intermezzo (Prelude to Act II)
4. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Narration
5. Sea Drift - Once Paumanok - Narration
6. Sea Drift - O reckless despairing carols - Narration
7. Symphony No.2 (Symphonic Suite) Op.9, 'Antar': II. Allegro
8. Beecham's Marking of the Parts - Narration
9. Beecham's Rehearsal Method (I) - Narration
10. Symphony No.41 (The Jupiter) - Movement 2 - Narration
11. Beecham's Rehearsal Method (II) - Narration
12. Die Entführung Aus Dem Serail: Act 2: Ach, Belmonte - Rehearsal
13. Die Entführung aus dem Serail - Singspiel in three acts K384, Act II (The palace garden): Ach, Belmonte! ach mein Leben! (Konstanze/Belmonte/Pedrillo/Blonde)
14. Beecham's insistence on perfection - Narration - Divertimento No.2, K.131: Mvt 1
15. Beecham's rehearsal method (III) - Narration - Symphony No.104 - Mvt 1 Rehearsal & Performance
16. Beecham's improvisatory conducting - Narration
17. Marche troyenne, 'Trojan March' (Les Troyens, Act I) (2003 Digital Remaster)
18. Beecham's Lollipops - Narration
19. La Vierge: Le dernier sommeil de la Vierge (Last Sleep of the Virgin)
20. Beecham's effect on the on the audience in the United States - Narration
21. English National Anthem
22. Beecham's Conducting Technique - Narration
23. Le Corsaire Overture
24. Beecham and Berlioz's Grande Messe des Morts - Narration
25. Grande Messe des Morts - Tuba Mirum - Narration
26. Beecham's Conducting Technique with Choruses - Narration
27. Solomon: Recitative: Double chorus: Praise the Lord
28. Beecham's arrangements of the music of Handel
29. Love in Bath: Hornpipe (Il Pastor Fido)
30. Beecham's Results as a Guest Conductor - Narration
31. Franck: Symphony - Narration
 
CD 3
1. A Village Romeo & Juliet - Scene 1 & 2 - Narration
2. A Village Romeo and Juliet - Scene 4 Part II and Scene 6
3. Beecham & French Music (I) - Narration
4. L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 - Prelude
5. L'Arlésienne - Incidental Music, Suite No.1: Adagietto
6. Beecham & French Music (II) - Narration
7. Grétry, edited and arranged Beecham - Zémire et Azor - Passepied - Narration
8. Zémire et Azor - Ballet music: Pantomime (1er Air de ballet)
9. Beecham & French Music (III) - Narration
10. Zémire et Azor: Act 2: Rose chérie - Narration
11. Beecham's very wide range of Repertoire - Narration
12. Symphony No.100 in G major,`Military`: III. Menuet (Moderato) - Trio
13. Beecham and German Music
14. Symphony No.7 - Mvt 1 - Narration
15. Die meistersinger von Nürnberg - Overture
16. Beecham and Scandinavian Music (I) - Narration
17. Peer Gynt Incidental Music - Wedding March - Narration
18. Peer Gynt - Incidental Music: 8. Anitra's Dance
19. Beecham and Scandinavian Music (II) - Narration
20. Tapiola - Narration
 
CD 4
1. Beecham Live in Concert - Symphony No.2: Mvt 1 & 4 - Narration
2. Beecham Live in Concert - Symphony No.8: Mvt 4 - Narration
3. Symphony No.93 - Mvt 1 - Narration
4. Symphony No.93 in D major: II. Largo cantabile
5. Beecham and Audiences - Narration
6. Beecham and Controversy - Narration
7. Late Opera Recordings - Narration
8. La Boheme: Act 1: Questo Mar Rosso
9. La bohème: Act Two - Quando me'n vo'soletta (Musetta/Marcello/Alcindoro/Mimi/Rodolfo/Schaunard/Colline)
10. Casting of Singers for Operas - Narration
11. Carmen: Act 1: Près des remparts de Seville - Narration
12. Carmen - Acte III - N°24 Final : Tu Me Dis De La Suivre (José)
13. Beecham's final edition of Handel's Messiah - Narration
14. The Messiah - Every Valley - Narration
15. Beecham's 80th Birthday - Presentation to Beecham
16. Symphony No.99: Mvt 1 - Narration
17. Gwendoline Overture