Elgar Symphony Quotes by Thomas Beecham

As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?

— Thomas Beecham

Without question the most unpopular medium of musical sound in the world.

— Thomas Beecham

The sound of the harpsichord resembles that of a bird-cage played with toasting-forks.

— Thomas Beecham

Composers and musicians have always starved and, as this is a sentimental country, we think the tradition should be continued.

— Thomas Beecham

What can you do with it? It's like a lot of yaks jumping about.

— Thomas Beecham

No woman is worth the loss of a night's sleep.

— Thomas Beecham

I prefer Offenbach to Bach often.

— Thomas Beecham

The grand tune is the only thing in music that the great public really understands.

— Thomas Beecham

I have just been all round the world and have formed a very poor opinion of it.

— Thomas Beecham

Madam, you have between your legs an instrument capable of giving pleasure to thousands and all you can do is scratch it.

— Thomas Beecham

In the first movement alone, I took note of six pregnancies and at least four miscarriages.

— Thomas Beecham

Beethoven's last quartets were written by a deaf man and should only be listened to by a deaf man.

— Thomas Beecham