Eugène Goossens
Most often remembered as a highly regarded conductor with substantial tenures as music director of both the Cincinnati and Sydney Symphony orchestras, Eugene Goossens was also an important composer of twentieth-century music. Had the achievements of his career not been overshadowed by an unfortunate scandal and fall from grace in his last years, his legacy would likely have been even more significant.
Born in London and of Belgian heritage, Goossens trained as a violinist at the Bruges Conservatory and the Liverpool College of Music. It was not until he attended the Royal College of Music that he began serious composition study, with Sir Charles Villiers Stanford. Among his first compositions from 1911-13 are the Variations on a Chinese Theme and the Octet (written for flute, clarinet, horn, harp, and strings). These works utilized an early style strongly reminiscent of the French impressionists Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel, and drew strong praise from the elder statesmen of the composition circle at that time, including Frederick Delius.
In order to support himself, Goossens followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, both of whom were conductors. He trained as the assistant conductor to Sir Thomas Beecham, and began to develop an impressive conducting career. In 1921, he gave many Londoners their first Stravinsky experience in the premiere UK performance of Le Sacre du Printemps.
In 1923, George Eastman (of Kodak fame) invited him to become the first music director of his newly formed Eastman-Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Following continued success there, he was offered the helm of the Cincinnati Symphony in 1931, where he was active in commissioning a number of new works, including Aaron Copland's masterpiece Fanfare for the Common Man (1942).
Although a composer of modest number, Goossens composed works in nearly every genre. His first significant orchestral work, Sinfonietta (1922), was championed by Arturo Toscanini. His most popular works include his Oboe Concerto from 1927 (written for his brother, Leon Goossens), two symphonies from 1940 and 1945, and two operas drawn on libretti by Arnold Bennett. These include the opera Judith (in which Joan Sutherland made her debut in 1951) and Don Juan de Mañara. With the exception of premieres and a few rare occasions, Goossens never had a strong inclination to conduct his own works.
It was in Sydney that Goossens would reach both the pinnacle of his career and the lowest depths of indignity. The Sydney Symphony Orchestra had been recently organized, and in 1947 Goossens was invited to become its first music director. Goossens was a visionary; although his dreams began small (the introduction of outdoor performances and increased visibility) they culminated with his groundbreaking idea and subsequent proposal for the Sydney Opera House. His many efforts were finally rewarded when he was knighted in 1955.
A 1957 scandal with artist Rosaleen Norton severely affected Goosens and destroyed his Australian career. Forced to resign from his conducting posts, Gossens returned to England. His chronically ill health and a congenital heart defect contributed to a long period of illness following the scandal. Sketches for a ballet and third opera were left unfinished at his death in 1962. He is the author of Overture and Beginners: A Musical Autobiography.
© TiVo
Discography
19 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Paganini: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 6 by Michael Rabin
Michäel Rabin, Eugène Goossens, Philharmonia Orchestra
Classical - Released by Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording on 27 Feb 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
David Oistrach - Violin Concertos
David Oïstrakh, Eugène Goossens, Franz Konwitschny
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 20 Feb 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Johann Sebastian Bach: Concerto for 2 Violins and Continuo in D Minor, Bwv 1043 - Ludwig Van Beethoven: Romance for Violin and Orchestra No.1 In G Major, Op. 40 + No.2 In F Major, Op. 50 - Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto for 2 Violins, Strings and Continuo In (Album of 1961( 60 Anniversery))
David Oïstrakh, Igor Oïstrakh, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Eugène Goossens
Pop - Released by GazzaLadra on 30 Sep 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Britten: Serenade for tenor, horn & strings; Les Illuminations; Nocturne
Peter Pears, Dennis Brain, The New Symphony Orchestra of London, Eugène Goossens
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
ELGAR / WALTON: Violin Concertos (Heifetz) (1941, 1949)
Jascha Heifetz, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Eugène Goossens, Sir Malcolm Sargent
Classical - Released by Naxos on 4 Dec 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2 & 3
Classical - Released by Guild GmbH on 15 Jul 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
BRUCH / BRAHMS: Violin Concertos (Kreisler) (1925, 1936)
Fritz Kreisler, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Eugène Goossens, Sir John Barbirolli
Violin Concertos - Released by Naxos on 9 Mar 2001
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Piano Concerto Movements
Benno Moiseiwitsch, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Eugène Goossens
Classical - Released by First Hand Records on 7 Apr 2015
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Violin Masterpieces: Oistrakh Father & Son (Remastered 2014)
David Oïstrakh, Igor Oïstrakh, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Eugène Goossens
Concertos - Released by Jube Classic on 3 Feb 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Great Goossens
Classical - Released by Oboe Classics on 1 Nov 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances, Op. 45 (Album of 1959)
London Symphony Orchestra, Eugène Goossens
Classical - Released by GazzaLadra on 15 Apr 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Austin: The Beggar's Opera (after J.C. Pepusch version) - Polly (after J.C. Pepusch version) (John Gay - Frederick Austin - Clifford Bax)
Classical - Released by Symposium on 25 Mar 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Giacomo Puccini: Madama Butterfly
Chor der Royal Albert Hall London, Orchester der Royal Albert Hall London, Eugène Goossens
Classical - Released by Cantus Classics on 9 Mar 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Britten: Serenade / Les Illuminations (Pears) (1953)
Peter Pears, Dennis Brain, The New Symphony Orchestra of London, Eugène Goossens, Eugene Goosens
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Naxos Classical Archives on 1 Jan 1957
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Orchestral Music - Dvorak, A. / Falla, M. De / Berlioz, H. / Balakirev, M.A. / Tchaikovsky, P.I. (Hollywood Bowl Concert) (Goossens) (1928)
Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra, Eugène Goossens
Classical - Released by Cambria on 1 Jan 2004
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
BRITTEN: Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings; Les Illuminations; Nocturne
Peter Pears, Dennis Brain, Eugène Goossens
Classical - Released by Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. on 1 Jan 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole, Op. 21
Eugène Goossens, The Philharmonia Orchestra, Yehudi Menuhin
Symphonic Music - Released by Sunday Club Records on 6 Mar 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: 2 Romances for Violin and Orchestra
Eugène Goossens, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, David Oïstrakh
Classical - Released by Sunday Club Records on 10 Jan 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Milestones of a Violin Legend: Igor Oistrach, Vol. 1
Igor Oistrach, David Oïstrakh, Philharmonia Orchestra, Eugène Goossens, Wladimir Yampolsky
Classical - Released by Intense Media GmbH on 7 Jun 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo