Sony UK Beecham Edition

As many of you know, the UK division of Sony Classical has been doing some interesting reissues lately, including a series of Beecham issues under the rubric 'the Original CBS Recordings.' Lately, for example, we have finally gotten the Berlioz Te Deum (though the transfer is quite shrill, and could probably benefit from a sharp rolloff at maybe around 12 KHz), and there is another CD of Mozart to go with the previously issued RPO recordings.

Yesterday I was at Record Surplus and ran into occasional record producer (you have him to thank for EMI's Milstein and Rabin boxes, for example) and current KUSC exec David Mermelstein. This interesting Beecham series was among the things we discussed (I also thanked him for his influence on the classical Grammy nominees, particularly in helping to keep the krossover krap out), but he had a nagging thought

On 20 Jul 2003 20:57:35 GMT, 'Matthew B. Tepper (posts from uswest.net

As a Beecham fan since the 1950s - I once even owned the Delius Society 78 RPM recordings - I have all of the Sony material released so far on CD as well as the entirety of the LP catalogue as well.

I agree, Matthew, that the transfers are a trifle on the shrill side compared with the old Columbia LPs. I just wonder what equalization was used on that material. Although recorded largely in the UK they cannot possibly have used NAB, but rather CCIR or its equivalent at the time, if there was not standard. But one's ears should determine those things finally and evidently the transfer engineer at Sony in the UK has a hearing defect: he cannot hear the highs, so he boosts them.

As you say, a rolloff is in order. But some collectors with highend gear don't even have such controls.

I expect that the Harold will be along in due course. If they are not available in the USA, Crotchet has them all on easy order.

And most of Beecham's recordings seem to be REAL performances rather than a patchwork quilt of little bits.

Tom Deacon

I hope you also discussed KUSC's new collaboration with Clear Channel, a very worrisome development for all of public radio.

One of the CBS LPs I have on my shelves still is ML-5029, simply entitled 'Sir Thomas,' has on it works of Gretry, Mehul and Boccherini that I do not think have come out in the British Sony Beecham series thus far. Additionally, the Dvorak Symphonic Variations and Balakirev 'Thamar.' found on ML-4974 have yet to see the light of day on that series, although some of the these may have been licensed by EMI for their own Beecham series back in the early '90s. Let us hope that British Sony reissues the entire output so that a lot of scratchy old LPs can finally be given the short shrift. Before mavens begin to flame me for insulting the idea of retaining LPs, it needs to be explained that for those of us under 50, these records are frequently flea market or used-shop purchases. They are rarely in the type of condition that would make them worth keeping as opposed to the CDs of the same performances discussed here. I am sure there are lots of collectors out there and on this newsgroup who bought their copies new and have kept them in mint condition over the past half century, but for those of us who began collecting in the late '60s or early '70s, we got what we could when we could. Thank God for the CDs, because we can (almost) finally hear these performances under optimum conditions

Gene

letters to be typed in news:8b1d720e.0307202328.4bd7efd1

It didn't come up. In fact, I haven't listened to KUSC in weeks, since their last begging drive.

Thamar did make it onto EMI (c/w the first symphony), but I don't think the Mehul overtures have ever appeared. Not sure about the Gretry and Boccherini - perhaps Rodger W or someone knows and will post for us.

I have a Beecham Chabrier 'Espana' on LP (those fancy red vinyl LP's of 'the greatest 100 recordings' or something similar) and have never seen it on CD. The performance has more wit and verve than any other I've heard. Is this a CBS recording? I can't imagine that it is an EMI one.

Not to my knowledge.

Would a discography of Beecham issues on CD be of any interest? It won't be complete because I'm not a Beecham completist, but I can rough up one that includes the various EMI and Sony disks, and others can then supply info on the less obvious items.

Incidentally, Roger, do you not find it passing strange that an easily accessible complete Beecham discography has yet to be posted on the Internet?

I realize that such a thing exists in BOOK form. But who would ever buy such a thing today? Not me, I can assure you.

maybe I am overlooking something obvious, but I did a Google search for Beecham discography a while ago and came up with nothing except expensive books.

Tom Deacon

I believe there is/was a Beecham discography on the Andante Website, but (grumble) you have to be a member to see it now. I think it was compiled by Mike Gray, so my level of confidence in its accuracy would be very high.

On 22 Jul 2003 03:53:16 GMT, 'Matthew B. Tepper (posts from uswest.net

A safe conclusion. Mike also did the one which is on sale as a book.

Tom Deacon