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[[File:Sir Thomas Beecham 1940s.jpg|thumb|Sir Thomas Beecham]] |
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'''[[w:Sir Thomas Beecham|Sir Thomas Beecham]]''' ([[29 April]], [[1879]]– [[8 March]] [[1961]]) was a British conductor. He founded several British orchestras. From the early twentieth century until his death, Beecham was a dominant influence on the musical life of Britain. |
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[[File:Beecham emu 1910.jpg|thumb|Caricature of Thomas Beecham, dated 1910]] |
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'''[[w:Thomas Beecham|Sir Thomas Beecham, 2nd Baronet]]''', [[w:Order of the Companions of Honour|CH]] ([[29 April]] [[1879]] - [[8 March]] [[1961]]) was an English conductor and [[w:impresario|impresario]] best known for his association with the [[w:London Philharmonic Orchestra|London Philharmonic]] and the [[w:Royal Philharmonic Orchestra|Royal Philharmonic]] orchestras. He was also closely associated with the [[w:Royal Liverpool Philharmonic|Liverpool Philharmonic]] and [[w:The Hallé|Hallé]] orchestras. From the early 20th century until his death, Beecham was a major influence on the musical life of [[United Kingdom|Britain]] and, according to the [[BBC]], was Britain's first international conductor. |
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* The musical equivalent of the towers of St Pancras Station |
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** Of [[w:Edward Elgar|Edward Elgar]]'s 1st symphony |
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** Neville Cardus: ''Sir Thomas Beecham, A Memoir'', (1961) |
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** Of [[w:Johann Sebastian Bach|J. S. Bach]]; quoted by Neville Cardus, ''Guardian'', 8 March 1971 |
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* A musicologist is a man who can read music but can't hear it. |
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** Quoted by H. Proctor-Gregg, ''Beecham Remembered'' (1976), p. 154 |
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* The function of music is to release us from the tyranny of conscious thought. |
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** Quoted in Atkins and Newman, ''Beecham Stories'', 1978 |
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** On Beethoven's Seventh Symphony |
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** Quoted in Atkins and Newman, ''Beecham Stories'', 1978 |
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=== Conductors by John L. Holmes (1988) pp 31-37 {{ISBN|0-575-04088-2}} === |
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* I found it as alluring as a wayward woman and determined to tame it. |
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** Of the music of [[w:Frederick Delius|Frederick Delius]] |
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* The grand tune is the only thing in music that the great public really understands. |
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* If I cannot sing a work, I cannot conduct it. |
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* A city life for me! |
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** Of [[w:Ralph Vaughan Williams|Ralph Vaughan Williams]]' Pastoral Symphony |
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* No composer has written as much as 100 bars of worthwhile music since 1925. |
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== External links == |
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{{wikipedia}} |
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{{commons category}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Beecham, Thomas}} |
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== Unsourced == |
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[[Category:Musicians from England]] |
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*It is said that in one rehearsal he was unsatisfied with the performance of a female [[cello]] soloist, and so said to her ''"Madam, you have between your legs an instrument capable of giving pleasure to thousands, and all you can do is scratch it!"''. |
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[[Category:Conductors from England]] |
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*He helped [[Walter Legge]] underwrite the creation of the [[Philharmonia Orchestra]], and conducted its premiere concert on [[25 October]], [[1945]]. Later, Legge raised the matter of Beecham's fee, to which he replied: ''"The privilege of directing this magnificent consort of artists is such that my pleasure would be diminished if I accepted a fee. I would, however, gladly accept a decent cigar"'' |
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[[Category:1879 births]] |
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*''"Here are two golden rules for an orchestra: start together and finish together. The public doesn’t give a damn what goes on in between."'' |
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[[Category:1961 deaths]] |
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*When asked why only male composers appeared in his repertoire, he said ''"There are no women composers, never have been, and possibly never will be"'' (however he later revised this view, and became a champion of [[Ethel Smyth]]'s music) |
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*He described the sound of the harpsichord variously as |
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** ''"like two skeletons copulating on a corrugated tin roof"'' |
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** ''"playing a birdcage with a toasting fork"'' |
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*Of [[Ludwig van Beethoven|Beethoven]] – ''"Beethoven’s last quartets were written by a deaf man and should only be listened to by a deaf man"'' |
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*''“Try everything once except [[folk dancing]] and [[incest]]”''. [This is also attributed to Sir [[Arnold Bax]], [[George S Kaufman]], [[Oscar Wilde]] and [[Winston Churchill]].] |
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*''“[[Brass band]]s are all very well in their place – outdoors and several miles away”''. |
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*''“I have just been all round the world and have formed a very poor opinion of it”''. |
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*After conducting an orchestra through a piece of music - "''Bass Trombone, you are out of tune''." [a voice comes from the orchestra saying] "''Sir, the bass trombonist hasn't arrived yet''." [To which Beecham replied] "''Oh... well when he arrives, tell him he's out of tune''." |
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*On a grave stone is written: "''Here lies a fantastic organist and an excellent musician''." [Beecham then comments...] "''What, both in the same grave''?" |
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*It is quite untrue that British people don't appreciate music. They may not understand it but they absolutely love the noise it makes. |
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Latest revision as of 20:08, 12 July 2024
Sir Thomas Beecham, 2nd Baronet, CH (29 April 1879 - 8 March 1961) was an English conductor and impresario best known for his association with the London Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic orchestras. He was also closely associated with the Liverpool Philharmonic and Hallé orchestras. From the early 20th century until his death, Beecham was a major influence on the musical life of Britain and, according to the BBC, was Britain's first international conductor.
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Quotes
[edit]- Great music is that which penetrates the ear with facility and leaves the memory with difficulty. Magical music never leaves the memory.
- [Beecham admitted to Neville Cardus that he had made this up on the spur of the moment to satisfy an importunate journalist; he acknowledged that it was an oversimplification. (Neville Cardus: 'Sir Thomas Beecham, A Memoir', 1961)]
- The musical equivalent of the towers of St Pancras Station
- Of Edward Elgar's 1st symphony
- Neville Cardus: Sir Thomas Beecham, A Memoir, (1961)
- Asked if he had ever conducted any Stockhausen, he said, "No, but I once trod in some."
- Too much counterpoint; what is worse, Protestant counterpoint.
- Of J. S. Bach; quoted by Neville Cardus, Guardian, 8 March 1971
- A musicologist is a man who can read music but can't hear it.
- Quoted by H. Proctor-Gregg, Beecham Remembered (1976), p. 154
- The function of music is to release us from the tyranny of conscious thought.
- Quoted in Atkins and Newman, Beecham Stories, 1978
- What can you do with it? It's like a lot of yaks jumping about."
- On Beethoven's Seventh Symphony
- Quoted in Atkins and Newman, Beecham Stories, 1978
Conductors by John L. Holmes (1988) pp 31-37 ISBN 0-575-04088-2
[edit]- I found it as alluring as a wayward woman and determined to tame it.
- Of the music of Frederick Delius
- The grand tune is the only thing in music that the great public really understands.
- If I cannot sing a work, I cannot conduct it.
- A city life for me!
- Of Ralph Vaughan Williams' Pastoral Symphony
- No composer has written as much as 100 bars of worthwhile music since 1925.
