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SIR THOMAS BEECHAM, The RPO Legacy Volume 5.

MENDELSSOHN
: Overture; 'The Fair Melusine', Scherzo in G minor,
SAINT SAENS
: Symphonic Poem, 'Le Rouet d'Omphale',
DELIUS:
Summer Evening,
DVORAK:
'The Golden Spinning Wheel',
MASSENET
: 'The Last Sleep of the Virgin',
MEHUL:
Overture, 'Les deux aveugles de Tolède',
HAYDN
: Symphonies Nos. 40 & 102,
BERLIOZ:
Overture, 'King Lear',
LISZT:
Symphonic Poem, 'Orpheus',
PAISIELLO
: Overture, 'Nina, o la pazza d'amore',
HANDEL-BEECHAM:
Ballet, 'The Great Elopement'.

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Sir Thomas Beecham
Dutton Laboratories 2CDEA5025 2 discs 151m ADD (Rec 1947-51).

This is indeed a treasure trove of Beecham rarities in excellent transfers that confirm Dutton as the pre-eminent 'Beecham' label. The Méhul and Paisiello overtures have not been available ever since their days as 78rpm recordings. They are charmingly done with just the right amount of panache and wit imbued into the tuneful and merry music. However my chief delight was Dvorak's 'Golden Spinning Wheel', which reveals Beecham at his most unbuttoned and shows his mastery as a characterful conductor in descriptive scores. The same goes for Delius' magical 'Summer Evening' that moves along at a dreamingly lilting pace describing a hot sultry night. The RPO play to the manner born in all pieces but the Haydn symphonies are also imbued with a certain charm. Characteristically Beecham uses corrupt editions of the scores but in Beecham's hands it hardly seems to matter. No. 40 is a particular rarity and is a very welcome addition to the now quite representative Haydn-Beecham catalogue. Liszt's 'Orpheus' was remade in stereo just before the conductor died but this earlier mono version is intimately more poetic and magical especially in the wonderfully alert harp part. Mendelssohn's 'Fair Melusine' is also available in stereo but I would again opt for this earlier version as the swagger and Beechamesque virtues are altogether more vivid here. Beecham was also a fine Berliozian and his white hot interpretation of the King Lear Overture is an interpretation to treasure for its daredevil orchestral wizardry and unique sense of occasion. The RPO's Number 1 Lollipop, Massenet's 'Last Sleep of the Virgin' is also represented as is the Scherzo from Mendelssohn's Octet, both works played with unashamed beauty by the RPO under the genial Sir Thomas. Mike Dutton has refurbished these post-war recordings with astonishing immediacy and the two for one price tag must make this album one of the prime items on every historical enthusiast's shopping list.

Reviewer

Gerald Fenech

Performance:

Sound:



Reviewer

Gerald Fenech

Performance:

Sound:


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