Poll
Question:
Which British conducter do you prefer?
Option 1: John Barbirolli (1899-1970)
votes: 9
Option 2: Thomas Beecham (1879-1961)
votes: 7
Option 3: Adrian Boult (1889-1983)
votes: 10
Option 4: Malcolm Sargent (1895-1967)
votes: 2
Someone rightly pointed out that we need to expand our borders comparing conducters. I call this the B's and the S' (BS poll for short :))
All four conducted for much of the same period...
I've even given you two votes if you are stuck (so kind)...
Barbirolli and Boult. Barbirolli's VW 2 & 8, and Elgar's Enigma were the first classical records I ever bought.
Sarge
Boult and Barbirolli for me. No contest.
Have chosen Beecham. Pretty obvious to me, lots of interesting recordings of, say Beethoven, Mozart, Berlioz etc., as well as English music - Delius, Elgar ...
(http://991.com/newGallery/Sir-Thomas-Beecham-Lollipops-534467.jpg)
Have also chosen Boult, whose Brahms and Westminster recordings I tend to like. Am somewhat regretting this, was torn between Barbirolli and Boult & might prefer Barbirolli as a more interesting conductor, but I find him not so consistent. His Sibelius and Mahler doesn´t appeal to me, for instance, whereas the Bax/Delius LP (Tintagel, Walk to Paradise Garden etc.) is very good, and his Schoenberg "Pelleas" likewise fine, to mention some.
(http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/42598595.jpg)
Another vote for Barbirolli and Boult - The former for his Sibelius and the latter for his excellent Vaughan Williams.
Poor Sargent without a single vote! He was often regarded by his peers as the 'supreme' choral' conductor too. And he conducts an outstanding Peter and the Wolf that still stands the test of time today (with Sir Ralph Richardson).
Boult. But I like Beecham's Berlioz enough to maybe push him past the other two.
Tief Ernst for me. Joy of music.
Banana. I prefer Barbirolli to Boult, but I don't know enough about the others to cast an informed vote. I have the impression, however, that Sargent is better than his reputation allows.
Quote from: eyeresist on March 12, 2012, 06:07:53 PM
I have the impression, however, that Sargent is better than his reputation allows.
Remember the last time that expression brought some ... uh ...
Actually, you are right about Sargent.
Quote from: springrite on March 12, 2012, 06:10:30 PMRemember the last time that expression brought some ... uh ...
*twitchy*
There's something quite distinctive about the sound Beecham could get, the detail with the woodwind for instance. And obviously he was a great character as well.
Sargent still has no votes but it's not surprising.
Quote from: Mirror Image on March 13, 2012, 09:16:36 AM
Sargent still has no votes but it's not surprising.
Maybe if we change the spelling of his name to Sergeant.
Quote from: springrite on March 13, 2012, 09:23:27 AM
Maybe if we change the spelling of his name to Sergeant.
Sgt. Rock would approve this I'm sure. ;)