Beecham Conducts Schubert & Franck

On this CD:

1. Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, D. 485
Composed by Franz Schubert
Performed by London Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham

2. Symphony, in D minor, Op. 48
Composed by Cesar Franck
Performed by London Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham

Beecham Conducts Schubert & Franck, Music, Cesar Franck, Franz Schubert, Sir Thomas Beecham, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Classical, Classical Artists, Classical Music, Orchestral & Symphonic, Romantic Symphony, Symphonic

Sir Thomas Beecham Conducts Schubert
Average customer rating:

Great performances - an essential disc

Great performance, problematic sound issues

Essential!

Sir Thomas Beecham Conducts Schubert

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006JNAH
Release Date: 2002-11-05

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In D Major
Symphony No. 2 In B Flat Major
Symphony No. 8 In B Minor - Unfinished

Customer Reviews:

Great performances - an essential disc.......2007-03-18

Sir Thomas Beecham's Schubert recordings demonstrate his superb understanding of this music. On this disc, we hear his very fine performances of symphonies nos. 1, 2 and 8. The interpretations of two first symphonies are probably the best available. The "Unfinished", however, is better served elsewhere (e.g., Abendroth, Furtwängler, Munch, Szell), but Beecham's understanding is again very illuminating and moving as well.

The mono sound is excellent - don't let the previous review prevent you from grabbing this disc for technical reasons. The sound is full-bodied, reasonably clear and detailed.

Great performance, problematic sound issues.......2006-01-17

It IS possible to get a clean mono sound onto a CD. The Karel Ancerl Gold series proves that it can be done -- sound so well remastered and de-hissed, so vividly captured and richly detailed, you hardly notice it's mono you're listening to.

This is NOT the case here. There is moderately strong hiss and background noise throughout. The music is well-captured (remarkably so), but it's held back in having its full effect by the distractions in which it's embedded. It becomes a strain trying to appreciate Beecham's achievement. I think it's worth the strain and effort, but prospective buyers should be mindful of this circumstance.

In all other particulars the previous reviewer's opinion is essentially on the mark, particularly in regards to the earlier symphonies. It's remarkable to learn that those two works were very, very new in Beecham's repertoire at the time of recording (ca. 1952-53). His natural gifts simply abounded to Schubert's benefit.

I compared Beecham's 8th to several modern stereo versions (Sinopoli, Sawallisch and Abbado) and an LP mono version (Keilberth). I own (but have yet to listen to) the Muti, Marriner, and Kubelik full Schubert box sets, so this verdict is provisional, but it seems to me that Beecham does indeed stand toe-to-toe, interpretationally, with other versions of this work. Unless my unopened box sets reveal something earth-shattering, I'd have to agree with the previous reviewer once again.

Conclusion: buy this with your eyes open, but for those who can appreciate historic achievements despite the deficiencies of historic recording techniques and less-than-ideal modern processing and re-mastering, this can be recommended.

Essential!.......2004-05-23

What a wonderful Schubertian Beecham was! For me, these performances of the first two symphonies are simply unmatched by anything recorded before or since. They are the only versions you will want or need. The "Unfinished" is, of course, a more competitive field - but even here, this Beecham belongs among the very finest ever: Furtwangler, Mengelberg, Abendroth, and Fritz Lehmann (the latter has not yet made it to CD). And in the 2nd movement, no one has matched the hypnotic lyricism mined by Beecham. This is an indispensable disc!

Customer Reviews:

I'd give this 6 stars if I could!.......2005-12-06

I would give Sir Thomas Beecham's Royal Philharmonic recording of Schubert Symphonies 1 and 2 six stars if I could: it's that good! Beecham had a special touch with Schubert: light, witty, delicate where needed, but muscular and masculine where needed. In short, this is a perfect Schubert recording.

Some listeners may not like the MONO sound designation, but the sound quality is very high, and all the instruments can be heard clearly and in proper balance. This was recorded in 1950, and the sound is really very good.

The recording I have of this is on Sony UK, in a series of Beecham recordings with the Royal Philharmonic from the pre stereo age, mostly 1949-1954. Modern restoration techniques have made these recordings sound even better than they ever did on LP.

I highly recommend this for Schubert's Symphonies 1 and 2, beautiful little masterworks in their own right, and not mere juvenelia. Beecham's Royal Philharmonic recordings (EMI, Stereo) of Schubert Symphonies 3, 5, and 6 is also highly recommended by me, and many other music lovers.