"Perhaps the greatest conductor of the 20th century"

[kea]

Didn't he conduct quite a lot of Levi Strauss?

Hmm, I'm always making that typo in my head, but I think this is the first time it's slipped into print.

[insert photoshop of WF in cowboy hat rustling up a herd of cattle]

[Don Petter]

I remember them as excellent, as was his mono recording of Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra.

You've struck a chord there! The Karajan Bartok was one of my first LPs, bought at the instigation of my brother. I was just getting interested in classical music, and wanted to explore 'something modern'. He, being ten years older than me and having a much wider classical knowledge, was asked to accompany me to the record shop. Two records were bought, the other being Stravinsky conducting the Rite and the 1945 Firebird Suite (Philips A 01307 L).

[tigajen]

Beecham?

[BBMmk2]

My seconds will see your seconds, sir (and will order a couple of Black Sheep ales for us).

"Infinitely"??!! Bah - humbug, I say - HUMBUG!!!

Your on!! I'll have a look!! :)

[amateur51]

HUMBUG!!!

I'm quIte partial to the occasional sweetmeat of that ilk

[verismissimo]

Mravinsky?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Mravinsky?

Another "excellent at what he did" candidate, but, from his recorded legacy at least, the repertoire is too limited to deserve the accolade, IMO. (Bach, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Verdi, Berlioz, the Second Viennese School ... all seem to be absent from his catalogue, and very little Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner, Sibelius, Debussy, Bartok or Stravinsky ... or Mussorgsky and Prokofiev, perhaps most surprising.)

[visualnickmos]

Didn't Bela Bartok say

"Competitions are for horses, not artists"

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Didn't Bela Bartok say

"Competitions are for horses, not artists"

If he did, then he's gone even further up in my estimation.

[visualnickmos]

If he did, then he's gone even further up in my estimation.

Quite!

Ferney

I'm pretty sure about this; I came across numerous references to it.

[gradus]

Not especially given to modesty, Beecham himself may well have agreed with his own nomination and although I never saw him conduct, on the strength of his many superb recordings, and the views of those who attended his concerts and his musicians, he was amongst the greats.

[Don Petter]

Not especially given to modesty, Beecham himself may well have agreed with his own nomination and although I never saw him conduct, on the strength of his many superb recordings, and the views of those who attended his concerts and his musicians, he was amongst the greats.

I did, just. My first Beecham concert turned out to be his last. (Portsmouth Guildhall, 7th May 1960.)

I'd happily give him my vote.