The Beecham Collection: Salzedo / Tchaikovsky / Delius / Grieg

The 36th installment of the "Beecham Collection" marks the release of another volume in the remarkable series of historical recordings by the legendary conductor Sir Thomas Beecham. The live recordings from 1954 to 1960 impressively document his art of interpretation in works by Frederick Delius, Edvard Grieg, Leonard Salzedo, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

At the heart of the collection is Tchaikovsky’s rarely performed Third Symphony, the "Polish," whose lyrical character and colorful orchestration Beecham brings out with great conviction. The program is completed by Delius's atmospheric "By the River," Grieg’s second Symphonic Dance, and excerpts from Leonard Salzedo’s ballet "The Witch Boy"—a rarely played work by the British composer that Beecham added to his concert repertoire shortly after its premiere.