Mozart - Overture to Der Schauspieldirektor
Sibelius - Valse Triste
Handel - The gods go a-begging Suite arr. Beecham
Delius - La Calinda from Koanga
Smyth - Overture to The Boatswain's Mate
Saint-Saëns - Bacchanale from Samson and Delila
Strauss - Salome's Dance and Closing scene from Salome

Peter Ash - Conductor
Andrew Wincott - Narrator
Julia Mintzer - Soprano

Beecham (1879 – 1961) was the most influential British conductor of his time. A noted wit, he founded two of London’s four current orchestras: the London Philharmonic and Royal Philharmonic.

He was also a champion of neglected music from the past and of the new music of his own time, in particular the work of Delius, Sibelius and Richard Strauss.

The first half of the concert reflects Beecham’s delight in shorter mood pieces, ‘lollipops’ as he called them. The concert closes with the ‘Dance of the Seven Veils’ and ‘Closing Scene’ of Strauss’ notorious opera Salome, whose UK premiere Beecham presented and which was initially banned by the censor due to its ending, where the heroine kisses the severed head of John the Baptist.