Compared to EMI’s 1992 CD reissue of Thomas Beecham’s 1959 Franck and Lalo symphonies, Andrew Walter’s remastering for the label’s Great Artists of the Century series boasts enough extra bite and presence to warrant upgrading, together with the addition of Fauré’s Pavane. If contemporaneous stereo Franck Symphony recordings by Munch/Boston, Monteux/Chicago, and Paray/Detroit reveal higher degrees of ensemble sheen, reliable intonation, and tonal beauty in relation to the French National Radio Orchestra, Beecham is hardly a weak second. His forward-moving fluidity (the first movement’s effortlessly effected tempo changes, for instance) and clear-cut textures hold the music’s melodramatic potential in check. This is particularly true of his bombast-free Finale. Whatever limitations the strings display in long, sustained lines, they positively shimmer in the slow movement’s muted passages that accompany the wind solos.
For whatever reason, the same orchestra plays with more power, vibrancy, and technical polish in Lalo’s rarely-heard four-movement G minor Symphony. I especially like Beecham’s incisive yet relaxed way with the Vivace’s outer sections and his effortless shaping of the Allegro finale’s long-lined themes against the faster, scampering motives. Both affection and authority mark this reference performance, although I can’t resist Yondani Butt and the Royal Philharmonic on ASV for their flashier execution and over-the-top sonics. As for Beecham’s elegantly nuanced and perfectly paced Fauré, it virtually plays itself. Self-recommending for Beecham fans.
