Thomas Beecham

Professions :

Born :

April 29, 1879

Died :

March 8, 1961

The function of music is to release us from the tyranny of consci... by Thomas Beecham

The function of music is to release us from the tyranny of conscious thought.

release function conscious

Madam, you have between your legs an instrument capable of giving pleasure to thousands and all you can do is scratch it.

scratches musical giving

The sound of a harpsichord - two skeletons copulating on a tin ro... by Thomas Beecham

The sound of a harpsichord - two skeletons copulating on a tin roof in a thunderstorm.

skeletons musical two

"Have you heard any Stockhausen?" Beecham was asked. "No, but I b... by Thomas Beecham

"Have you heard any Stockhausen?" Beecham was asked. "No, but I believe I have stepped in some."

belief heard believe

The trouble with women in an orchestra is that if they're attractive it will upset my players and if they're not it will upset me.

upset music player

I find brass bands have a melancholy sound. All right out of doors, of course - fifty miles away. Like bagpipes, they turn what had been a dream into a public nuisance.

brass-bands dream doors

Music first and last should sound well, should allure and enchant the ear. Never mind the inner significance.

music sound mind

Composers should write tunes that chauffeurs and errand boys can... by Thomas Beecham

Composers should write tunes that chauffeurs and errand boys can whistle.

tunes writing boys

It is quite untrue that British people don't appreciate music. They may not understand it but they absolutely love the noise it makes.

sarcasm sarcastic people

We cannot expect you to be with us all the time, but perhaps you could be good enough to keep in touch now and again.

good-enough musical enough

There are two golden rules for an orchestra: start together and finish together. The public doesn't give a damn what goes on in between.

music funny two

They are quite hopeless - drooling, driveling, doleful, depressin... by Thomas Beecham

They are quite hopeless - drooling, driveling, doleful, depressing, dropsical drips.

doleful hopeless depressing

Composers and musicians have always starved and, as this is a sentimental country, we think the tradition should be continued.

musical country thinking

A soprano in Massenet's Don Quixote complained that she had missed her entry in the aria, "because Mr. Challiapin always dies too soon." "Madam, you must be profoundly in error," said Sir Thomas, "No operatic star has yet died half soon enough for me."

soon-enough errors stars

If I were a dictator I should make it compulsory for every member of the population between the ages of four and eighty to listen to Mozart for at least a quarter of an hour daily for the coming five years.

population age years

At a rehearsal I let the orchestra play as they like. At the conc... by Thomas Beecham

At a rehearsal I let the orchestra play as they like. At the concert I make them play as I like.

orchestra rehearsal play

The English may not like music, but they absolutely love the nois... by Thomas Beecham

The English may not like music, but they absolutely love the noise it makes.

music love funny

Her singing reminds me of a cart coming downhill with the brake o... by Thomas Beecham

Her singing reminds me of a cart coming downhill with the brake on.

brake singing musical

Beethoven's last quartets were written by a deaf man and should o... by Thomas Beecham

Beethoven's last quartets were written by a deaf man and should only be listened to by a deaf man.

music lasts men

If an opera cannot be played by an organ grinder, it's not going... by Thomas Beecham

If an opera cannot be played by an organ grinder, it's not going to achieve immortality.

immortality opera achieve

Bruno Walter

Arturo Toscanini

Artur Rodzinski

Anton Seidl

Andre Kostelanetz

Bernard Haitink