Quote

Elgar's first symphony is the musical equivalent of St Pancras Railway Station.

Thomas Beecham

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Thomas Beecham
Age: 81 †
Born: 1879
Born: April 29
Died: 1961
Died: March 8
Conductor
Sir Thomas Beecham
2nd Baronet
First
Railway
Equivalent
Symphony
Station
Stations
Musical
Music
Firsts

More quotes by Thomas Beecham

Image
The sound of a harpsichord - two skeletons copulating on a tin roof in a thunderstorm.
Thomas Beecham
Image
Composers should write tunes that chauffeurs and errand boys can whistle.
Thomas Beecham
Image
Madam, you have between your legs an instrument capable of giving pleasure to thousands and all you can do is scratch it.
Thomas Beecham
Image
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.
Thomas Beecham
Image
Composers and musicians have always starved and, as this is a sentimental country, we think the tradition should be continued.
Thomas Beecham
Image
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.
Thomas Beecham
Image
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.
Thomas Beecham
Image
In the first movement alone, I took note of six pregnancies and at least four miscarriages.
Thomas Beecham
Image
The English may not like music, but they absolutely love the noise it makes.
Thomas Beecham
Image
It is quite untrue that British people don't appreciate music. They may not understand it but they absolutely love the noise it makes.
Thomas Beecham
Image
If she is attractive, I can't perform with her if she is not, then I won't.
Thomas Beecham
Image
At a rehearsal I let the orchestra play as they like. At the concert I make them play as I like.
Thomas Beecham
Image
Without question the most unpopular medium of musical sound in the world.
Thomas Beecham
Image
The bagpipes sound exactly the same when you have finished as when you started
Thomas Beecham
Image
If an opera cannot be played by an organ grinder, it's not going to achieve immortality.
Thomas Beecham
Image
They are quite hopeless - drooling, driveling, doleful, depressing, dropsical drips.
Thomas Beecham
Image
I have just been all round the world and have formed a very poor opinion of it.
Thomas Beecham
Image
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.
Thomas Beecham
Image
No operatic star has yet died soon enough for me.
Thomas Beecham
Image
No woman is worth the loss of a night's sleep.
Thomas Beecham