Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Conductor and impresario who founded the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and was a towering figure in British music.
On the island
Eight records
Victoria de los Ángeles and Jussi Björling
everyone seems to think that the boy is very good throughout. I think a very successful piece of recording and very appealing to incentiment.
Sir Thomas Beecham and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Most people call them derangement. ... I really took enormous trouble over them. And it took me about twenty or twenty-five years to discover how to rearrange Handel for the modern orchestra. ... I have pulled off what I was endeavoring to achieve, which was a species of compromise between Handel of the 18th century and the orchestral resources of the 20th.
Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön
Taba made more of the music than any other that I know. He sang for me in the end funeral. As Belmont says? And he sang in the Zambruta and in some respects the best Tamino I ever had.
Two caricatures (Wagner and Rossini)
At the head of the group is that great French caricaturist of music, Monsieur Beethoven of France. What I'm about to play you are two caricatures of his of the music of Wagner and Rossini respectively.
Symphony No. 1 in C major (second movement)
Sir Thomas Beecham and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
It's one of those pioneery, underivative works that make their appearance now and then, and it throws a flood of light upon other Russian composers. Like Rimsky, they owe an awful lot to Balakirev. But really was a Pathfinder and a remarkably independent and successful pioneer. The actual accomplishment of this symphony is far greater than most people realize. The orchestration, the themes, the whole mood, the architecture, all those things are quite unique.
whose command of the language, our language, or rather the Scottish language, was in my opinion unrivaled.
Sir Thomas Beecham and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Because it has the greatest amount of variety in it of any work of his. ... Out of all the pieces of Delius have I had to choose one to take around with me in my pocket, I would choose a Mass of Life.
In conversation
Presenter asks
0:50How would you face the idea of a desert island exile? Would the loneliness be hard to bear?
I don't think I'll be very lonely for a while. and up to the moment the only place I had been able to think of select to provide me with sanctuary on such an occasion is jail. But I've never managed to get into jail. I've tried hard, but it's never come off yet.
Presenter asks
2:05What type of record do you think would be best value under desert island conditions? Symphonies, opera, songs, programme music?
Well, I think on the whole, operatic record. They provide more variety than symphonic work. You have the orchestra, of course, and you have singers, who are of course more often than not a source of exasperation to me. But still you have chorusists as well.
Presenter asks
7:01Is there anyone you'll definitely accept from that [exasperating singers]?
Taba made more of the music than any other that I know. He sang for me in the end funeral. As Belmont says? And he sang in the Zambruta and in some respects the best Tamino I ever had.
The keepsakes
The book
Not recorded.
The luxury
Presenter asks
8:33What are your views on opera on television?
Very poor view, I take. I haven't seen anything good yet. I am the limited stage. There's a great drawback. And then the bringing the artists, you know, so near to the front. You see clamping jaws contortions of faces of singers and frenzy reference to achieve the right kind of sound on high notes. It it's really very much of a caricature, you know, up to the moment. ... You can't put it right with the greater number of operatic works.
Presenter asks
18:27How efficient do you think you'd be as a castaway? Could you look after yourself on a desert island?
I think I could, you know. I should find it much more difficult now than I would have done twenty-five thirty years ago. Because I've got very much used now to married life. Prior to that I did look after myself, with the assistance, of course, of an excellent factotrum. ... I could do that. After a little practice. A little revolver practice. For I once was a very good shot, one of the best in England.
Presenter asks
19:31If you were allowed to take one luxury onto the island, any one thing you like that isn't of any practical use.
Good haven a cigar.
“I don't think I'll be very lonely for a while. and up to the moment the only place I had been able to think of select to provide me with sanctuary on such an occasion is jail. But I've never managed to get into jail. I've tried hard, but it's never come off yet.”
“It took me about twenty or twenty-five years to discover how to rearrange Handel for the modern orchestra. And yet make it not too unhandeling. It isn't easy.”
“For my part it is such a remarkable and subtle art that I cannot think of it in any other terms with that of remarkable caricature.”
“I speak of Harry Lauder. You will hear one of his most popular songs and a favorite record of mine. whose command of the language, our language, or rather the Scottish language, was in my opinion unrivaled.”
“Out of all the pieces of Delius have I had to choose one to take around with me in my pocket, I would choose a Mass of Life.”