More of 'what they said' - this time, what Sir Thomas said....

Updated: Apr 26, 2022

We conclude our series looking at how composers and musicians critiqued their colleague's work with a few of Sir Thomas Beecham's acerbic thoughts. These were first published in our December 2021 Tutti Newsletter and are repeated here for your enjoyment.

“It’s like a lot of yaks jumping around!” (Beethoven Symphony number 7),

“The musical equivalent of St Pancrasstation.” (Elgar)

“Brass bands are all very well in their place – outdoors and several miles away”

“Why do you always insist on playing when I’m trying to conduct?”

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

And finally,to round off this series of, generally, not very kind remarks, (for which acknowledgements are due to Classic FM) a word from that most gentlemanly composer Haydn,who prayed that his music might

“someday become a spring from which the careworn may draw a few moments rest and refreshment.”

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