180-gram import LP

Cut from the original Analog EMI Master Tapes at Abbey Road Studios!

Sir Thomas Beecham as a conductor was largely self-taught. Born into a rich industrial family, he was able to access funds to nurture his musical talent and later found and sustained orchestras, like the London Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic, featured here in this famous recording of Strauss' last and largest tone poem Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life). His flamboyant style and acerbic wit often created enemies amongst his peers (Boult found him "repulsive" and Barbirolli mistrusted him) and admirers amongst contemporary composers, such as Strauss, Stravinsky and Sibelius, who sent telegrams for Beecham's 70th birthday celebrations only for Beecham to quip "Nothing from Mozart?"

As producer Victor Olof writes on the sleeve: "This recording is virtually the last major orchestral work that Sir Thomas Beecham taped. I do not remember his making fun at all during these sessions, as he was apt to do on most occasions. Maybe he considered this as his lasting memorial to an old friend, little realizing that it would also be his own memorial."

Recorded on April 17 and 22, 1958, at the Kingsway Hall, London; produced by the legendary Victor Olof and Peter Andry; and engineered by Robert Gooch. Cut at Abbey Road Studios from the original stereo analog master tapes with the Neumann VMS82 lathe fed an analog pre-cut signal from a specially adapted Studer A80 tape deck with additional 'advance' playback head, making the cut a totally analog process.

Track Listing
The Hero
His Adversaries
His Companion
His Prowess in Battle
His Peaceful Labours
His Retirement and Life's Fulfilment