| Composer | Josef Haydn |
|---|---|
| Artist | Sir Thomas Beecham/Beecham Choral Society/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra |
| Instruments | symphony orchestra and full chorus |
| Label | SOMM (SOMM-BEECHAM 16) |
Sung in the English translation by Dennis Arundell from the German libretto of G. van Swieten, the recording includes soloists, Elsie Morison (soprano), Alexander Young (tenor) and Michael Langdon (bass).
Beecham conducted The Seasons on five occasions between 1947 and 1950 and gave a concert performance in 1956 at the Edinburgh International Festival.
There are a few irreverent Beecham touches in the recordings, such as his orchestration of the keyboard accompanied passages in the recitatives (the sound sample is one such example) and his own addition of percussion cues to emphasize some of Haydn's descriptive points.
This CD is released in collaboration with the Sir Thomas Beecham Trust in support of the Scholarship Fund.
| Joseph Haydn Spring | |
|---|---|
| 1. | Overture |
| 2. | Recitative: O see where cruel Winter |
| 3. | Chorus: Come, gentle Spring! |
| 4. | Recitative: From Aries rolls at last |
| 5. | Air: Now fairly runs the farmer's boy |
| 6. | Recitative: The farmer has his work achieved |
| 7. | Trio & Chorus: Be now gracious, smiling heaven! |
| 8. | Recitative: Now heard are all our prayers |
| 9. | Trio & Chorus: O how lovely gleams |
| 10. | Chorus & Trio: Ageless! Powerful! Bountiful God! |
| Joseph Haydn Summer | |
| 11. | Recitative: In dove-grey mantle |
| 12. | Air: The lively swain is gathering |
| 13. | Recitative: The rosy morning now breaks forth |
| 14. | Trio & Chorus: He's mounting up, the Sun. |
| 15. | Recitative: Now all are astir |
| 16. | Recitative: The midday sun is burning |
| 17. | Cavatina: Oppress'd succumbs all Nature now |
| 18. | Recitative: Oh welcome now, you shadier grove |
| 19. | Air: So reviving to the senses |
| 20. | Recitative: Oh see! Now rising in the sultry air |
| 21. | Chorus: Hark the tempest drawing nigh! |
| 22. | Trio & Chorus: The gloomy clouds now part aside |
| Joseph Haydn Autumn | |
| 23. | Overture |
| 24. | Recitative: All that through her blossom |
| 25. | Trio & Chorus: So Nature gives reward to Zeal |
| 26. | Recitative: Now see! To hazel bushes |
| 27. | Duet: You beauties of the town |
| 28. | Recitative: Now see, on new stripp'd harvest field |
| 29. | Air: There look across the open fields! |
| 30. | Recitative: Here beaters, closing in |
| 31. | Chorus: Hark! The clamorous noise |
| 32. | Recitative: On all the vines are glist'ning |
| 33. | Chorus: Cheer now! |
| Joseph Haydn Winter | |
| 34. | Introduction |
| 35. | Recitative: Now sinks the pale declining year |
| 36. | Cavatina: Light and life are both enfeebled |
| 37. | Recitative: All fetter'd lies the open lake |
| 38. | Air: Here stands the wand'rer now |
| 39. | Recitative: At his approach rings in his ear |
| 40. | Song & Chorus: Purring, whirring, purring |
| 41. | Recitative: The flax has now been spun |
| 42. | Song & Chorus: A maid who kept her honour fair |
| 43. | Recitative: From barren East now thrust |
| 44. | Air: Before thee here |
| 45. | Recitative: Remains, alone |
| 46. | Trio & Chorus: Then breaks the glorious day |
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Beecham conducts Busoni
Haydn Sonatas
Beecham conducts Delius (2)
Beecham conducts Delius (1)