Word: beecham
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Delius: Society Set (Betty Beecham, piano, the Luton Choir, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Thomas Beecham conducting; Victor, 12 sides). Delius, like Sibelius, is more highly thought of in England than in the U.S. In this English recording, his foremost champion has put together the C Minor Piano Concerto, the Marche Caprice and the soaring Song of the High Hills. Performance: excellent...
...Thomas Beecham, white-bearded British conductor who likes to distribute pieces of his mind, arrived in Manhattan with Lady Beecham. He was as generous as ever. Sir Thomas, 68, on Italy's eight-year-old Conductor Ferruccio Burco, who had arrived for a U.S. tour a few days before: "Who is responsible for this outrage? . . . Where are your police? The boy should be in kindergarten sucking a lollipop."* On musicians generally: "Musicians have no reason to be stuffy. I've seen an orangutan play the flute." On the state of things: "The world is drifting into barbarism...
Mozart: Symphony No. 35, K. 385 (the NBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini conducting; Victor, 5 sides). Toscanini's second try on records at the "Haffner" still falls short of Toscanini's heights; this one still lacks the spaciousness and grace of Sir Thomas Beecham's performance with the London Philharmonic. Recording: good...
Once, in his excitement after a brilliant violin solo, the old man interrupted the music of Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme suite to clap. Conductor Beecham threw a silencing glance over his shoulder and Composer Strauss looked around apologetically. When the concert was over, the crowds stood applauding while Octogenarian Strauss climbed slowly "down the stairs to the stage. He bowed and croaked "Merci! merci...
...replied that one concert would not be worth his while. Britain was poor, but not too poor to help. Last week's concert was the first of six in a Strauss festival: two he will conduct himself; the others will be given in his honor. Wealthy Sir Thomas (Beecham Pills) and the BBC chipped in with extra concerts. From a waitress came a ten-shilling postal order "because I come from a musical family." The British Treasury promised to "consider favorably" a proposal that Strauss be allowed to take $4,000 in Britain's precious sterling...