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Conductor Eduard van Beinum and his Recorded Legacy

Conductor Eduard van Beinum, who died just about four decades ago while rehearsing his beloved Concertgebouw Orchestra, would be out-of-place in today's superficial world of "glamour, jet-set" conductors. His career was based on solid musicianship and a total lack of self-glorification. When he was 14, his mother took him to a concert by the Concertgebouw Orchestra, and he told her that one day she would see him standing before that Orchestra. He had a natural instinct for making music, and learned his craft through hard work and study. His prophesy became true—he became conductor of one of the major orchestras of the world, entrusted with carrying on its distinguished traditions.

Eduard van Beinum was born in Arnhem, The Netherlands, September 3, 1901, into a musical family; his father was a double-bass player in the local orchestra. Young Eduard studied piano, violin and viola, becoming so proficient on the latter that at the age of 16 he played that instrument in the Arnhem Orchestra. He learned basics of music from his older brother, who was a violinist and choirmaster. Eduard became a proficient pianist, and impressed teachers at the Amsterdam Conservatory with his performance of Beethoven's First Piano Concerto. He also was known for his interest in chamber music, which he performed frequently with his wife, violinist Sepha Jansen. But his prime interest was conducting, a craft he basically learned through experience. He began his conducting career by leading several amateur choirs and orchestras, after which he was appointed conductor of the Haarlem Orchestral Society, where he remained for four years. During this time he learned repertory, not only standard orchestral works, but music of contemporary composers, an interest that continued throughout his entire career.

Eduard van Beinum with Eugene Ormandy who was at the timeguest conducting the Concertgebouw Orchestra

Eduard van Beinum about to begin a concertwith the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra

Beinum's accomplishments were noticed in nearby Amsterdam. He was invited to appear with the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra both as piano soloist and guest conductor. In 1931 he was appointed second conductor of the Orchestra; in typical Beinum fashion, the first concert he conducted in this capacity consisted of two Eighth Symphonies, those of Beethoven and Bruckner. Even though the Concertgebouw Orchestra was led by the imperious Willem Mengelberg, with frequent appearances by major conductors of the day including Pierre Monteux and Bruno Walter, Beinum more than held his own, and in 1938 was appointed principal conductor, beside Mengelberg. His international career began in the late '30s; he was invited to appear with many leading orchestras including the Leningrad Philharmonic. In 1947, after a series of successful guest appearances, he took over leadership of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Under his direction, the Orchestra became the finest in England, reflected in a series of recordings for Decca/London. In 1945 Eduard van Beinum and the Concertgebouw Orchestra made their first tour of the United States, beginning a tradition that the Orchestra continues to this day. Beinum generally avoided performing just one or two concerts as a guest; he preferred to work with orchestras over a period of time. He was a great favorite in Chicago, conducting 8 concerts at the Ravinia Festival in 1955. In 1956, after highly successful guest appearances, Beinum was appointed music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Eduard van Beinum rehearsing the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra

Beinum's style of conducting was different from that of most conductors. He was not an authoritarian like Mengelberg. He respected his musicians and considered them to be colleagues. His concept was that he and his orchestra were making music together. Bart van Beinum, the conductor's son, described his father's attitude concisely and accurately by pointing out that for him it was less a matter of "interpreting" a score than of "realizing" it. He sought to grasp its inner motivations and to transform it into sound through his own energy, so that it was conveyed to listeners as directly and purely as possible. He had infallible musical instincts over a wide range of repertory. Eduard van Beinum died of a heart attack April 13, 1959, at the age of 59, while rehearsing his beloved Concertgebouw in the Brahms First Symphony. He was at the height of his career.

Sketch of Eduard van Beinum used on the cover of the Philips 8 LP album called"The Art of Eduard van Beinum"



Recordings

Fortunately, Eduard van Beinum made many recordings. Of course, for the true van Beinum advocates, there are not enough. He made two Mahler recordings for Decca, Symphony No. 4 in 1952 with the Concertgebouw, and Songs of Wayfarer in 1946 (with the London Philharmonic). For Philips he recorded The Song of the Earth and Songs of a Wayfarer. He performed most of symphonies (radio tapes exist of the Third and Sixth Symphonies and are being considered for release). Bruckner fared much better, as Beinum recorded Symphonies 7, 8, and 9. A March 12, 1959 concert performance of Symphony No. 5  released as part of a deluxe book commemorating the Concertgebouw Orchestra's Bruckner performances.  A June 1952 performance of  Symphony No. 4 has been issued on Audiophile Classics.  Philips issued (October 2000) a super-budget 4-CD set containing the 1959 Bruckner 5, their own recordings of Symphonies 8 and 9, and the Decca 1953 recording of Symphony No. 7 -- see review.  Issued (September 2000) is an 11-CD set of live performances from 1935/1958 containing many superlative performances.  See separate review under Features. Sound Dynamics Associates is issuing Van Beinum commercial recordings in first-class transfers.

Following is a listing of all commercial recordings Beinum made with the Concertgebouw Orchestra. Label identification is indicated next to dates of the sessions. For the benefit and interest of collectors, and to put historic recordings into perspective, mention will be made of other important Concertgebouw recordings during this period, 1943-1959.

November 24-26, 1941 (Telefunken)
Brahms: Variations on a Theme of Haydn
Sibelius: The Swan of Tuonela

April 1942 (Telefunken)
Strauss: Death & Transfiguration
Berlioz: Excerpts from The Damnation of Faust
Wagenaar: Cyrano de Bergerac Overture
(all conducted by Willem Mengelberg)

May 17-21, 1943 (DG/Polydor)
Franck: Symphonic Variations (with Geza Anda)
Reger: Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Mozart
Reger: Ballet Suite (DG/Polydor)
Wagenaar: The Taming of the Shrew Overture

September 6-17, 1943 (DG)
Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3
Brahms: Symphony No. 1
Strauss: Don Juan
Strauss: Dance of the Seven Veils
Weber: Der Freischütz Overture
(all conducted by Herbert von Karajan)

September 20-23, 1943 (Polydor)
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique )(never issued)
Bizet: Music from L'Arlesienne
Dvorak: Slavonic Dances 5 and 8, Op. 46
Smetana: The Moldau

March 9-18, 1946 (first Decca/London recordings)
Berlioz: Excerpts from The Damnation of Faust, Trojan March(Beulah 1PD 17)
Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 2
(all recorded in Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London)

September 9-20, 1946 (Decca)
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique
Ravel: Rapsodie espagnole
Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring  
Mendelssohn: Excerpts from A Midsummer Night's Dream
Schubert: Symphony No. 5
Wagner: Overture and Bacchanale from Tannhäuser (never issued)

September 10-22, 1947 (Decca)
Bruckner: Symphony No. 7
Britten: Four Sea Interludes & Passacaglia from Peter Grimes
Brahms: Symphony No. 1
Haydn: Symphony No. 96
Franck: Psyché et Eros
Tchaikovsky: Waltz from Serenade for Strings
Tchaikovsky: Andante cantabile

September 13-15, 1948 (Decca)
Brahms: Violin Concerto in D (with Ossy Renardy)
Saint-Saëns: Danse macabre
(both conducted by Charles Munch)

September 20-22, 1948 (Decca)
Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra (awarded Grand Prix du Disque)
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 24 (with Kathleen Long)
Tchaikovsky: Waltz from The Nutcracker

July 9, 1949 (concert performance)
Britten:  Spring Symphony (premiere, with Jo Vincent, Kathleen Ferrier, Peter Pears)

September 15-23, 1949 (Decca)
Dvorak: Slavonic Dance Op. 46 No. 3
Berlioz: Benvenuto Cellini Overture
Gluck: Alceste Overture
Bach: Polonaise/Badinerie from Suite No. 2 (first recording)
Beethoven: Egmont Overture
Smetana: The Moldau
Strauss: Don Juan
Sibelius: Finlandia
Wagner:  Prelude to Act III of Lohengrin

May 8-9,1950 (Decca)
Beethoven: Symphonies 3 and 7 (conducted by Erich Kleiber)

January 16, 1951(first Philips Concertgebouw recording)
Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture (conducted by Paul van Kempen)

May 1951(Philips)
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6/Marche Slave (conducted by Paul van Kempen)

July 12, 1951
Mahler: Symphony No. 2 (conducted by Otto Klemperer, live, Holland Festival)

July 17-18, 1951 (Philips)
Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet Overture (conducted by Paul van Kempen)

September 3-4, 1951 (Decca)
Brahms: Symphony No. 3
Dvorak: Symphony No. 8
(both conducted by George Szell)

September 1-24, 1951 (Decca)
Berlioz: Roman Carnival Overture. Excerpts Damnation of Faust
Franck: Symphonic Suite Psyché
Berlioz: Symphonic fantastique  
Brahms: Symphony No. 1
Haydn: Symphony No. 94
Mozart: Symphony No. 33

December 1951 (Philips)
Tchaikovsky: Capriccio italien
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5
(all conducted by Paul van Kempen)


February 21-22, 1952 (Philips)
Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition (winner of Grand Prix du Disque 1953)
(conducted by Antal Dorati)

April/May 1952 (Decca)
Mahler: Symphony No. 4 (with soprano Margaret Ritchie)
Rossini: William Tell/La gazza ladra/La scala di Seta/Semiramide overtures
Schubert: Rosamunde Suite
Mendelssohn: Excerpts from A Midsummer Night's Dream
Handel: Royal Fireworks Music
Clarke: Trumpet Voluntary

November/December 1952 (Decca)
Brahms: Tragic and Academic Festival Overtures
Brahms: Variations on a Theme of Haydn
Schubert: Symphony No.4
Sibelius: En Saga,Tapiola
Haydn: Symphony No. 96
Haydn: Symphony No. 97

May 1953 (Decca)
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 (with Clifford Curzon)
Bruckner: Symphony No. 7
Pijper: Symphony No. 3 (with Clifford Curzon)
Diepenbrock: Prelude and Entr'acte from Marsyas
Franck: Psyché Suite

September 14-16, 1953 (Decca)
Britten: Four Sea Interludes and Passacaglia from Peter Grimes
Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra

September 26-30, 1953(Decca)
Beethoven: Symphonies 5 and 6
(conducted by Erich Kleiber)

May 17-29, 1954 (first Beinum Philips recordings)
Brahms: Symphony No. 2
Henkemans: Violin Concerto (with Theo Olof)
Beethoven: Symphony No. 2
Debussy: Images
Pijper: Six Symphonic Epigrams
Pijper: Piano Concerto (Hans Henkemans, pianist)

May 31/June 9, 1955 (Philips)
Bach: Orchestral Suites 1 and 2
Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4
Bruckner: Symphony No. 8
Schubert: Symphony No. 3

October 13-14, 1955 (Philips)
Bartok: Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste

April 3-12, 1956 (Philips)
Bach: Orchestral Suites 3 and 4
Stravinsky: Firebird Suite
Nicolai: The Merry Wives of Windsor Overture
Thomas: Mignon Overture
Kodaly: Háry János Suite

May 22-25, 1956 (Philips)
Stravinsky: The Song of the Nightingale
Mozart: Serenade, K. 320
Mozart: Symphony No. 29

July 17, 1956 (Philips)
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade

September 17-25, 1956 (Philips)
Bruckner: Symphony No. 9
Brahms: Symphony No. 3
Berlioz: Roman Carnival overture

December 3-12, 1956 (Philips)
Mahler: Song of the Earth/Songs of a Wayfarer (with Nan Merriman, ms; Ernst Haefliger, ten.)

May 22-29, 1957 (Philips)
Schubert: Symphony No. 6
Schubert:  Symphony No. 8
Debussy: La Mer/Nocturnes/Berceuse héroïque/ Marche écossaise(the first official stereo recordings)
Mozart: Clarinet Concerto (with Bram de Wilde)

June 4-8, 1957 (Philips)
Beethoven: Violin Concerto (with Arthur Grumiaux, see notes below)
Mozart: Concerto for Flute and harp (with Hubert Barwahser & Phia Berghout)
Sibelius: Valse triste, Finlandia

February 24, 1958 (Philips)
Brahms: Alto Rhapsody (with Aafje Heynis)

April 30/May 3,1958 (Philips)
Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite
Brahms: Symphony No. 4
Grieg: Elegaic Melodies

June 30, 1958 (Philips)
Ravel: Bolero

July 1-5, 1958 (Philips)
Handel: Water Music
Brahms: Violin Concerto (with Arthur Grumiaux)

September 23-27, 1958 (Philips)
Brahms: Variations on a Theme of Haydn
Ravel: La Valse
Brahms: Academic Festival / Tragic Overtures
Sousa: The Stars and Stripes Forever

October 6-14, 1958
Brahms: Symphony No. 1
J. C. Bach: Sinfonias Op. 18, Nos. 2 and 4

March 1-2, 1959 (Philips)
Beethoven: Piano Concertos 1 and 4 (with Robert Casadesus)(Beinum's last commercial recording)

March 12, 1959
Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 (live Radio Nederland recording, issued in Philips' Beinum Commemorative LP set as well as on CD)

Van Beinum also made two recordings for Decca/London with the "Chamber Music Society of Amsterdam," Debussy's Sacred and Profane Dances and Ravel's Introduction and Allegro for Harp and Strings (both with harpist Phia Berghout)

UPDATE: August 2001: The Van Beinum discography is enhanced with a number of  CDs all with the Concertgebouw unless otherwise indicated:

Japanese Decca has issued:
Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 (recorded May 1953) (POCL 4589)
Mahler: Symphony No. 4 (recorded April/May 1952 - not September 1951 as indicated in the CD booklet), coupled with En Saga, Op. 9 of Sibelius (recorded December 1951) (POCL 4590)
Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra (recorded September 20, 1948), coupled with Stravinsky's Le sacre du printemps, recorded September 11, 1946(POCL 4588)
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique. Three excerpts from The Damnation of Faust. Roman Carnival Overture (all recorded September 1951) (POCL 4713)
Rossini: Four Overtures (William Tell, Semiramide, La gazza ladra, La scala di seta) (recorded May 1952) Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet Overture (with the London Philharmonic) (recorded 1950) (POCL 4714)

These are all new transfers "from the original tapes" generally with superb sound. The Mahler and Bruckner were previously issued on London CD (421 139 and 421 140 respectively), but these have been long out-of-print. Beinum's Bruckner Seventh remains one of the finest recorded performances of the score, with a particularly radiant finale. There would have been room on this CD for a filler—the Bruckner performance is 58:55; it is unfortunate this CD space wasn't utilized. Beinum's Mahler Fourth is equally impressive. Never one to dawdle, Beinum's performance takes but 52:26, one of the fasted recorded, yet it never sounds rushed. Sibelius' En Saga is an odd coupling, but I'm glad available CD space was utilized. This is one of Beinum's supreme recorded accomplishments—close to definitive, with magnificent orchestral playing. On the original LP (London LL 737) this was coupled with the same composer's Tapiola, which easily could have been included on the Bruckner CD. Beinum's Bartok Concerto for Orchestra is the second recording of the score; Fritz Reiner's was first, with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, in 1946. Beinum's was issued on 78s, then transferred to LP (London LLP 5). This outstanding performance is marred slightly by a a touch of mid-low-frequency "hum," but one gets used to this. The monophonic sonic picture is quite vivid, which cannot be said for the accompanying Stravinsky. Sacre was one of Beinum's showpieces, a true virtuoso display for his orchestra; his dynamic performance takes well less than 33 minutes. This is the earliest recording in a group of London releases, recorded in 1946, with Victor Olof as producer. Even with the venerable Kenneth Wilkinson as engineer, this is one of the least satisfactory Concertgebouw recordings, blurred and lacking in impact, but London's Japanese transfer is far superior to the already-issued Beulah CD (2PD 11) and the recently issued LYS CD. Dutton's issue of this is best of all (see below). There exists a live recording of Sacre with Beinum; it is to be hoped that eventually it will appear on CD.

LYS has started a new series, The Art of Eduard van Beinum, which holds some promise although transfer quality varies greatly.

Volume I (LYS 431) contains the same works as Japanese Decca POCL 4588, Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra and Stravinsky's Sacre, but the transfers are mediocre at best. Volume II (LYS 471) is of enormous interest, containing the Violin Concerto of Mendelssohn, with Alfredo Campoli as soloist (recorded February 1949), as well as the same composer's Hebrides Overture (recorded May 1949) and the Symphony No. 3 of Brahms (recorded March 1946). These are all Decca recordings with the London Philharmonic, and transfers are excellent. Volume III (LYS 472) is of equal merit, containing Mozart's Symphony No. 35 (recorded 1949) and Haydn's Symphony No. 100 (recorded 1946), both with the London Philharmonic, and the latter composer's Symphony No. 96 recorded in 1947 with the Concertgebouw. Fine transfers. Volume IV (LYS 473) is of merit as it contains a superb transfer of Beinum's stunning Ravel Rapsodie espagnole (recorded September 1946) and the first CD issue of a rare recording, Franck's Symphonic Variations with Geza Anda as soloist, one of the earliest Beinum recordings, from sessions in September 1943. The major work is the 1946 recording of Berlioz' Symphonie fantastique in a fine transfer. It is remarkably that Rapsodie espagnole was recorded the same month as Sacre; sound quality is far superior to the Stravinsky. All LYS CDs thus far issued have minimal program notes, in French.

Dutton Laboratories has released the third CD coupling of Beinum's Bartok and Stravinsky, and it is an unqualified success (Dutton CDK 1206). Dutton's transfer is at least equal to any thus far released and manages to avoid most of the distortion in the masters of Sacre. The Dutton issue of Beinum's 1947 Bruckner Symphony No. 7 is superb (CDK 1205) offering as a brief filler the same work that occupied the final side of the 8 78's of the original issue, the Waltz from Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings.  Bruckner's Symphony No. 7 can also be heard in a fine transfer on TAHRA, but there is no filler (TAHRA 252). I understand this label plans many more Beinum releases. Another major issue is a 4-CD set  on Music & Arts. It  contains some works already available on CD: Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra, Stravinsky's Rite, Bruckner's Symphony No. 7, the 1943 recording of Symphonic fantastique of Berlioz, and the Tchaikovsky Waltz. But it  includes Beinum recordings never before on CD: the 1947 recording of excerpts from Britten's Peter Grimes, Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 24 (with Kathleen Long) recorded in 1948, Reger's Ballet Suite, Op. 130 recorded in 1943 and the same composer's Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Mozart Op. 132 recorded the same year.

Of enormous interest is an 11-CD set of "virtually all of Van Beinum broadcasts during the period 1939-1957, both as conductor and pianist...all orchestral recordings are with the Concertgebouw Orchestra."  This is on the Q-disc label, which is part of Centrum Nederlandse Nuziek; album number 97015. Here are contents of the set:

CD1:  Liszt:  Piano Concerto No. 2 (Josef Pembaur)(8/9/1935); Bach:  Cantata No. 56 (Mack Harrell) (19/2/1939); Tchaikovsky:  Romeo and Juliet (6/6/1940).
CD2: Bach: Concerto for two Harpsichords (van Beinum/Johannes den Hertog)(11/12/1939); Schubert:  Der Hirt auf dem Felsen (Jo Vincent, sop/Rudolf Gall, clarinet)(7/7/1940); Schubert: Rosamunde Entracts (7/7/1940); Stephan: Music fuer Geige & Orchester (George Kulenkampff)(4/1/1940)
CD3: R. Mengelberg:  Salve regina (To van der Sluys, sop)(2/10/1939); Franck: Four Excerpts from Psyche (15/5/1941); Ravel:  Piano Concerto in G (Cor de Groot) (28/11/1940); Debussy:  La Mer (30/1/1941).
CD4:  Badings:  Cello Concerto No. 2 (Carel van Leeuwen Boomkamp)(27/3/1941); Tchaikovsky:  Symphony No. 4 (date not certain, and Beinum might not be the conductor).
CD5:  Debussy:  Printemps (8/7/1942); Reger:  Ballet Suite(18/7/1943); Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra (10/9/1938)(Decca recording).
CD6: Debussy: Images (19/12/1948). Stravinsky:  Firebird Suite(13/5/1948); Ravel:  Daphnis and Chloe Suite No. 2 (New York 11/10/1954).
CD7:  Bach/Busoni:  Concerto BWV 1052 (Dinu Lipatti, pianist) (2/10/1947); Brahms:  Symphony No. 1 (25/10/1951).
CD8:  Respighi:  Fountains of Rome (16/10/1949).  Andriessen:  Miroir de Peine (Irma Kolassi, sop)(21/12/1952);  Schoenberg:  Five Orchestral Pieces, Op. 16 (21/10/1951); Beethoven:  Piano Concerto No. 3 (Solomon).
CD9:  Pijper:  Symphony No. 3 (2/10/1957); Henkemans:  Viola Concerto (Klaas Boon) (24/4/1956); Andriessen:  Symphony No. 4 (19/10/1955)  Escher: Musique pour l'esprit en deuil (? 1943)
CD10: Beethoven:  Egmont Overture (New York 11/10/1954); Verdi:  Aria from Don Carlos (Boris Christoff, bass)(18/4/1956); Beethoven:  Violin Concerto (Francescatti) (19/3/1958).
CD11:  Mozart:  Violin Concerto No. 4 (Menuhin)(Vienna 8/6/1956); Mozart:  Symphony No. 40 (rehearsal 20/9/1956); Diepenbrock:  Te Deum (soloists/chorus)(7/10/1956) (Philips rec.)
The set also includes a DVD of a 1957 performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 3.  Read the REVIEW of this set.

It is distressing to think that the above is might be all that remains of Van Beinum's Concertgebouw legacy in the official Radio Nederland archives, and surprising that the last-mentioned set doesn't include the premiere performance of Britten's Spring Symphony recorded July  9, 1949, with Jo Vincent, Kathleen Ferrier, Peter Pears and the Netherlands Radio Choir. This was issued on a Decca CD in 1994 coupled with the 1953 recording of the same composer's Four Sea Interludes and Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (440 063), long unavailable.  Perhaps other sources can provide more of Van Beinum's  broadcast performances—let us hope!

Haydn House has issued (as of February 2005) the following Beinum recordings in superlative transfers from original sources:

Schubert: Symphony No. 9
Brahms: Academic Festival and Tragic Overtures (Philips stereo recordings)
Brahms: Academic Festival and Tragic Overtures (Decca mono recordings)
Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4/short works of Sibelius, Nicolai, Grieg, Debussy, and Berlioz
Britten: Four Sea Interludes & Passacaglia from Peter Grimes/Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
Haydn:  Symphonies 94, 96 and 97
Beethoven: Symphony No. 2 (live performance)
Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 (live performance)
Ravel: Bolero, La Valse
Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite

These can be ordered directly from Haydn House from their website:  www.HaydnHouse.com [ed. Haydn House's website no longer seems to be operating]. They also have issued Anatole Fistoulari's remarkable 1961 Concertgebouw recording of a suite from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake Ballet.

Eduard Van Beinum recordings with the London Philharmonic Orchestra (all on Decca/London)

Comments about some previous CD reissues: The two Philips CDs in their Legendary Classics Series (Bach/Handel/Brahms) were sonically sabotaged by excessive use of the "No-Noise System." The Beulah reissues (Rite of Spring, Symphonie fantastique, Damnation of Faust excerpts, Trojan March) generally do not do justice to the original recordings. Bruckner 8 and 9 on Philips are excellent by any standards. Decca/London issued a number of Beinum performances: Mahler 4, Bruckner 7 (1953 recording), Franck Psyché, and Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1/Haydn Variations, all of which were excessively filtered so that not only was hiss eliminated, but many of the high frequencies and some ambience as well. Most of these Philips and Decca/London CDs have long been out-of-print.

The Dutch Philips reissues (Mahler, Debussy, Mozart, J. C. Bach, Schubert, Mozart, Brahms), are superb transfers that do justice to the original Philips recordings. All are essential in any Beinum CD collection. There is a bit of a mystery about the June 1957 recording of the Beethoven Violin Concerto with Arthur Grumiaux. This is a superb performance magnificently recorded—one of the most natural-sounding recordings ever made in the Concertgebouw. In the U.S. it was issued on an early Epic LP before the advent of stereo. Although not listed in the official Concertgebouw discography (Jan Van Bart's Discografie van het Concertgebouworkest) as being in stereo, the performance was issued on a Philips cassette in glorious stereo, but when issued on a Japanese CD (PHCP 1328) it was, for some inexplicable reason, mono. The Philips Dutch Masters series issue also is  mono (468 828); it is now felt that the Philips stereo cassette actually was the Grumiaix/Concertgebouw/Sir Colin Davis recording of 1974, with the conductor incorrectly identified.

EDUARD VAN BEINUM CONCERTGEBOUW CDS: (as of February 2005)(some have been deleted)

ANDANTE (4060) (4 CD set of live radio recordings)
Debussy: Images for Orchestra. Iberia. Printemps. La Mer.
Franck: Excerpts from Psyché.
Ravel: Suite No. 2 from Daphnis et Chloé
Hendrik Andriessen: Miroir de Peine. (Irma Kolassi, soprano)
Rudolf Escher: Musique pour l'esprit en deuil
Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61 (Zino Francescatti, violin). Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37. (Solomon, piano)
Johann Sebastian Bach: Concerto in D minor, BWV 1052 (Dinu Lipatti, piano)
Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 4 in D major, K. 218 (Yehudi Menuhin, violin)
Schubert: Excerpts from Rosamunde.
Schoenberg: Five Orchestral Pieces, Op. 16.

AUDIOPHILE CLASSICS
BRUCKNER:  Symphony No. 4 (June 1952 perf) (APL 101.543)
SCHUBERT:  Symphony No. 9 (live 1950?) BRITTEN:  Peter Grimes excerpts (APL 101.544)

BBC LEGENDS (BBC 4124)
Beethoven: Symphonies 2 and 7 (Philharmonia Orch. live)

BEULAH
BERLIOZ: Symphonie fantastique (1951 recording). Excerpts from The Damnation of Faust (1946 recording). Trojan March (1PD17)
STRAVINSKY: The Rite of Spring (coupled with Albert Coates/LSO recordings) (2PD11

DECCA (4723 110 (4 CDs) (Decca recordings 1948-1953)
BRAHMS: Symphony No. 1 in C minor
BERLIOZ: Symphonie fantastique. Roman Carnival Overture.Three excerpts from Damnation of Faust.
BARTOK: Concerto for Orchestra.
PIJPER: Symphony No. 3.
DIEPENBROCK: Marsyas incidental music.
SCHUBERT: Die Zauberharfe overture. Symphony No. 4 in C minor.
MENDELSSOHN: Excerpts from A Midsummer Night's Dream.
ROSSINI William Tell, La Gazza Ladra, Semiramide and La Scala di Seta overtures.
MOZART: Symphony No. 35 in D (with London Philharmonic)
BEETHOVEN: The Creatures of Prometheus (with London Philharmonic)
LALO: Symphonie espagnole (with Alfredo Campoli, violin/London Philharmonic)

DECCA (440 063)
BRITTEN: Spring Symphony (world premiere live performance as part of the Holland Festival July 9, 1949, with soprano Jo Vincent, contralto Kathleen Ferrier and tenor Peter Pears, the Boys' Choir of St. Willibrorduskerk, Rotterdam, the Netherlands Radio Choir and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra). CD also includes the Four Sea Interludes and Young Person's Guide..

DUTTON
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 7.  TCHAIKOVSKY: Waltz from Serenade for Strings (CDK 1205)
BARTOK: Concerto for Orchestra.  STRAVINSKY: Rite of Spring (CDK 1206)
BERLIOZ:  Symphonie fantastique (1946 recording). SCHUBERT:  Symphony No. 5. BEETHOVEN:  Prometheus Overture (with London Phil) (CDK 1208).
BRAHMS:  Symphony No. 1 (1947 recording) (CDK 1210) (also contains Brahms cond. by Clemens Krauss)

ELOQUENCE
BRITTEN: Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes (467237)

ETCETERA
VAN DELDEN: Notturno/Harp Concerto (with Phia Berghout, harpist) (Aug. 27, 1962)
MOZART: Concerto in C for Flute and Harp (with Phia Berghout, harp/Hubert Barwahser, flute) (Philips 1957 rec).
DEBUSSY: Sacred and Profane Dances (with Phia Berghout, harp)
RAVEL: Introduction and Allegro (with Phia Berghout, harp)

JAPANESE DECCA
BARTOK: Concerto for Orchestra STRAVINSKY: Rite of Spring){POCL 4588)
ROSSINI: Four Overtures (Concertgebouw) TCHAIKOVSKY: Romeo & Juliet (London Philharmonic) (POCL 4714)
BERLIOZ: Symphonic fantastique (1951 recording). Damnation of Faust excerpts. Roman Carival Overture (POCL 4713)
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 7 (1953 recording) (POCL 4589)
MAHLER: Symphony No. 4 SIBELIUS: En Saga (POCL 4590)

LYS
BARTOK: Concerto for Orchestra STRAVINSKY: Rite of Spring ( 431)
MENDELSSOHN: Violin Concerto (Alfredo Campoli). Hebrides Overture. BRAHMS: Symphony No. 3 (all with the London Philharmonic) ( 471)
HAYDN: Symphonies 96 (Concertgebouw) and 100; MOZART: Symphony No. 35 (London Philharmonic) ( 472)
BERLIOZ: Symphonie fantastique (1946 recording). FRANCK: Symphonic Variations (Anda). RAVEL: Rapsodie espagnole ( 473)

MUSIC & ARTS (M&A 4-CD set 1054):
BERLIOZ: Symphonie fantastique (1946 recording)
BRITTEN: Peter Grimes excerpts (1947 recording)  
BRUCKNER:  Symphony No. 7 (1947 recording)  
REGER:  Ballet Suite.
MOZART:  Piano Concerto No. 24 (Kathleen Long).
STRAVINSKY:  Rite of Spring.
BARTOK:  Concerto for Orchestra
REGER:  Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Mozart
TCHAIKOVSKY: Waltz from Serenade for Strings

RAVEL: Concerto for the Left Hand (Casadesus) (M&A 1133)

PEARL
MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 9 (Myra Hess) (9114)

PHILIPS
BRUCKNER: Symphonies 5, 7, 8, 9 (4 CDs) (464 950)
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 8 ( 442 730)
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 9 ( 442 731)
BRUCKNER:  Symphonies 5, 7, 8 and 9 (464 950, 4 CDs)
DEBUSSY: La Mer, Three Nocturnes, Images (462 069)
MAHLER: Song of the Earth/Songs of a Wayfarer ( 462 068)
SCHUBERT: Symphonies 3, 6, 8 ( 462 724)
BRAHMS: Four Symphonies ( 462 534) (2 CDs)
MOZART: Symphony No. 29/Concerto for Flute & Harp ( 462 525)
J. C. BACH: Sinfonias Op. 18 Nos. 2 and 4 (462 525)
BEETHOVEN/BRAHMS:  Violin concertos (Grumiaux) (468 828)
SOUSA: The Stars & Stripes Forever (included in a sampler CD) (462 105)

Q DISC
11 CDs of live performances, plus DVD - see above or REVIEW for details.

RETROSPECTIVE (all Philips recordings)
DEBUSSY: Three Nocturnes, La Mer, Images (Philips recordings) (RET 040)
BARTOK: Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta (RET 036)
KODALY: Hary Janos Suite (RET 036)
BRAHMS: Variations on a Theme by Haydn (RET 036)
BACH: Four Orchestral suites.(RET 034)
J. C. BACH: Sinfonias 2 and 4 (RET 034)
BRAHMS: Violin Concerto. Tragic Overture, Academic Festival Overture. (RET 039)
RAVEL: Bolero. La Valse. (RET 043)
MOZART: Posthorn Serenade, Symphony No. 29 (RET 046)
STRAVINSKY: Firebird Suite, Song of the Nightingale. (RET 044)

SONY CLASSICAL
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concertos 1 and 5 (Casadesus) (033887)

TAHRA
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 7 (1947 recording) (TAH 252)

R.E.B. (Aug. 2001, rev. Feb. 2005)