Symphony No. 6 œPastoral (Rec 1977) (with Mozart - Symphony No. 41 œJupiter)

Sir Adrian Boult (1889-1983) studied at the Leipzig Conservatoire under Nikisch and Reger from 1912-13, and then began to conduct the British Symphony Orchestra in 1920. His first major appointment was at the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (1924-30) followed by his appointment as Director of the BBC Symphony Orchestra (1930-1950). He made the BBC Symphony Orchestra into an international ensemble of such a high standard that Toscanini made a number of recordings with the orchestra for HMV. During the pre-war years, Boult toured frequently in Germany, Czechoslavakia and the US. He also was at the Salzburg Festival in 1935. After retiring from the BBCSO in 1950, he became principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra but resigned in 1956, keeping closely associated with them. He admired Wiengartner (notably in Beethoven), Furtwängler and Walter. He retired in 1979.

These stereo recordings have been licensed from EMI. They have never been issued on CD before and have been re-mastered from the original EMI stereo master tapes.

Boult's previous recording of the Beethoven Symphony No. 6 (London Philharmonic Orchestra) was in the studio for Vanguard in June 1957 while the Mozart Symphony No. 41 (BBC Symphony Orchestra) was previously recorded in 1933 for HMV. Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony was recorded in April and May 1977, shortly after Boult had turned 88. It was released in the April of the following year on an EMI/HMV LP, ASD 3456, as an 89th-birthday tribute to the conductor, and documents an active part of Boult's repertoire. (Prior to this recording he had conducted the Pastoral at the BBC Proms in 1972 and 1976; on both occasions the orchestra was the BBC Symphony.)