For some years after Sir Thomas Beecham died his records were reissued frequently, especially various combinations of his favourite pieces, from those he called 'lollipops' to rather more substantial items. This collection, for instance, was first issued as such in February 1982. It makes a varied programme of lillipops (The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba and the enchancing Grieg Symphonic Dance, the popular one with the delicious oboe solo at the start) to more substantial pieces like the Grieg and Mendelssohn overtures which were favourites and which he did with such inimitable style and charm—though even Beecham could not quite disguise the fact that, for all its attractive music, Grieg's In Autumn outstays its welcome. The Fairy Tale of the Fair Melusine, to give it its full title, is wholly delightful Mendelssohn from its rippling opening theme first heard on the clarinets to the contrast of its robust allegro (though it is not marked as such).
It was generally accepted by those who heard Sir Thomas that he never quite transferred to the studio the spell he so regularly cast in the concert hall. Nevertheless, records are all we have now and it is still a pleasure to hear him again in these favourite pieces, a valuable part of 'the Beecham legacy'. The recording still sounds well, though I found a lack of bass which even the most liberal use of the bass control did not restore.'