What is Thomas Beecham?
Sir '''Thomas Beecham''' (born [[St Helens, Merseyside|St Helens]], [[Lancashire]], 29 April 1879; died [[London]], 8 March 1961) was an [[England|English]] [[conducting|conductor]]. He was one of the most famous conductors of his time. He came from a very rich family and was able to use his money to pay [[orchestra]]s that he formed. He formed the [[London Philharmonic Orchestra]] and the [[Royal Philharmonic Orchestra]]. He was especially well known for conducting the music of [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart]] as well as that of his friend [[Delius]]. He often made funny [[joke]]s and many amusing stories are told about things that he said. == Early life == Beecham was born in 1879 in St. Helens, Lancashire in the north of England. Beecham was self-taught as a conductor. He had some private [[Composition (music)|composition]] lessons from [[Charles Wood]] in London and [[Moszkowski]] in [[Paris]]. Beecham’s father, Sir Joseph Beecham, had made a lot of money making [[medicine]]s (the famous Beecham pills) and he also liked music, so he was able to help his son in his career as a [[musician]]. Thomas was only 20 years old when his father was reinstated as [[mayor]] of St. Helens. To celebrate this, his father paid for the [[Hallé Orchestra]] to give a concert. It was going to be conducted by the famous [[Germany|German]] conductor [[Hans Richter]]. However, a few days before the concert it was announced that Richter was ill. Thomas immediately said he would conduct the concert. The orchestra at first refused to play for a 20 year old who had only once ever conducted a concert, but in the end they changed their minds and the concert was a great success.<ref>Thomas Beecham: an independent biography by Charles Reid, London 1962</ref> == Early career == In 1909, Thomas got a group of musicians together to form the Beecham Symphony Orchestra. They gave [[concert]]s and played for [[ballet]]s and [[opera]]s. Beecham conducted operas in [[Royal Opera House|Covent Garden]] and other London opera houses. He conduct