Beecham, Sir Thomas : (1879-1961), English conductor who championed the music of Frederick Delius & used his personal fortune for the improvement of orchestral & operatic performances in England.
... Keats—we will say nothing of writers like Blake or Francis Thompson; a band on the pier at a seaside resort will please more people than a great piece of music with the orchestration conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham. In a world of gods it might be true that the highest made the most universal appeal but here in a world of beasts and men (you bring in the beasts—why not play to Bushy and try how she responds ...
... Keats—we will say nothing of writers like Blake or Francis Thompson; a band on the pier at a seaside resort will please more people than a great piece of music with the orchestration conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham. In a world of gods it might be true that the highest makes the most universal appeal, but here in a world of beasts and men (you bring in the beasts—why not play to Bushy 142 and try how... Force, the other that it was done by your own splashing, kicking, groaning Herculean efforts. Now, sir, if it is the latter, if you have done that unprecedented thing, made yourself by your own laborious strength into a poet (for your earlier efforts were only very decent literary exercises), then, sir, why the deuce are you so abject, self-depreciatory, miserable? Don't say that it is only a poet who... remarks that G's appearance does not amount to much. But I am not clear about that. However, it is not of much importance. This year is said to be your brightest year according to the horoscope, Sir. Horoscope by whom? According to a famous Calcutta astrologer (I have forgotten his name) my biggest time comes much later, though the immediately ensuing period is also remarkable. Like doctors ...
... to everybody, but has really great music a universal appeal? ... a band on the pier at a seaside resort will please more people than a great piece of music with the orchestration conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham. In a world of gods it might be true that the highest makes the most universal appeal, but here is a world of beasts and men (you bring in the Page 182 beasts - why not play to... Abercrombiean acrobacy: AK: Why have you bucked at my "azure" as a line-ending? And why so late in the day? Twice before I have used the same inversion and it caused no alarm. Simple poetic licence, Sir. If Wordsworth could write What awful perspective; while from our sight... and leave no reverberation of "awful" in the reader's mind, and if Abercrombie boldly come out with ... that you didn't like "good" poetry, only 'fine' and even 'very fine'. Let us then promote it to "fine", but stop short of 'grand'. 20 Page 198 NB: What's your opinion on today's poem, Sir? Sri Aurobindo: Quite successful. NB: "Quite successful" only? When will this be followed by a little more warmth and exhilaration, can you predict? Sri Aurobindo: Well, I can write ...
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