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.

Track Listing:
CD 1
Symphonie fantastique, Op.14
1. I. Rêveries - Passions (Largo-Allegro agitato e appassionato assai)
2. II. Un bal (Allegro non troppo)
3. III. Scène aux champs (Adagio)
4. IV. Marche au supplice (Allegretto non troppo)
5. V. Songe d'une nuit du Sabbat (Larghetto-Allegro)

6. Le Corsaire, Op.21

Les Troyens
7. Marche troyenne, 'Trojan March' (Les Troyens, Act I)
8. La chasse royale et l'orage (Act IV)
 
CD 2
Symphony in C
1. Allegro vivo
2. Adagio
3. Allegro vivace & Trio
4. Allegro vivace

L'Arlésienne - Incidental Music, Suite No.1
5. Prélude
6. Menuet
7. Adagietto
8. Carillon

L'Arlésienne - Suite No.2 (orch. Ernest Guiraud)
9. Pastorale
10. Intermezzo
11. Minuet (from 'La jolie fille de Perth')
12. Farandole
 
CD 3
Le Roi s'amuse: Incidental Music - Ballet Music
1. I. Gaillarde
2. II. Pavane
3. III. Scène du bouquet
4. IV. Lesquercarde
5. V. Madrigal
6. VI. Passepied
7. VII. Finale

8. Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
9. L'Enfant prodigue: Cortège et air de danse

Samson et Dalila
10. Danse des prêtresses de Dagon (Act 1)
11. Bacchanale (Act 2)
La Damnation de Faust Op.24
12.  Danse des Sylphes (2. Partie)

La Damnation de Faust
Part III
Scene 12
13. Menuet des Follets (3 Partie)
14. Cendrillon: Valse

Faust: Ballet Music
15. I. Les Nubiennes (Allegretto: mouvement de valse)
16. II. Adagio
17. III. Danse antique (Allegretto)
18. IV. Variations de Cléopâtre (Moderato maestoso)
19. V. Les Troyennes (Moderato con moto)
20. VI. Variations du miroir (Allegretto)
21. VII. Danse du Phryné (Allegro vivo)
 
CD 4
Carmen
1. Prelude, Act 1 (Les toréadors)
2. Entr'acte, Act 2 (Les dragons d'Alcala)
3. Entr'acte, Act 3 (Intermezzo)
4. Entr'acte, Act 4 (Aragonaise)

5. Gwendoline Overture

Dolly Suite Op.56 (orch. Rabaud)
6. 1. Berceuse
7. 2. Mi-a-ou
8. 3. Le Jardin de Dolly
9. 4. Kitty-Valse
10. 5. Tendresse
11. 6. Le Pas espagnol

12. Le Rouet d'Omphale Op.31
13. Joyeuse Marche
14. España - rapsodie
15. Patrie Op.19

Roma - suite de concert No.3
16. Allegro vivacissimo (Carnaval) from Roma - suite de concert No.3
 
CD 5
Symphony in D minor
1. I. Lento - Allegro non troppo
2. II. Allegretto - Poco più lento - Tempo I
3. III. Allegro non troppo

Symphony in G minor
4. Andante - Allegro non troppo
5. Vivace
6. Adagio
7. Allegro
8. Pavane Op.50
 
CD 6
1. Le Carnaval romain - ouverture caractéristique Op.9
2. King Lear - Grande ouverture Op.4

La Vierge
3. Le dernier sommeil de la Vierge (Last Sleep of the Virgin)

Zémire et Azor - Ballet music
4. Entrée: Ballet (Entrée des génies)
5. Passepied (2me Air de ballet)
6. Pantomime (1er Air de ballet)
7. Entr'acte (Introduction to Act III)
8. Finale (Ali's ariette, "Je suis encore tremblant")
9. Gavotte (from Zino-Zina)

Roméo et Juliette
10. Le sommeil de Juliette