Sir Thomas Beecham’s 1959 Messiah is one of the most striking reimaginings of Handel ever committed to record. Working with Sir Eugene Goossens’s richly coloured, full-symphonic orchestration, Beecham transforms Handel’s oratorio into a sweeping musical drama that glows with energy, grandeur and unmistakable personality. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus perform at their zenith, with a luxury quartet of soloists — Jennifer Vyvyan, Monica Sinclair, Jon Vickers and Giorgio Tozzi — delivering interpretations as bold and vibrant as the orchestral palette behind them.

Beautifully restored by Pristine, this release allows modern listeners to experience Messiah exactly as Beecham conceived it: opulent, theatrical, unapologetically imaginative and utterly unlike any other version. Whether you cherish Handel’s masterpiece or are discovering this legendary reinterpretation for the first time, Beecham’s Messiah offers a thrilling encounter with a score reborn — a vivid reminder that great music thrives not only in tradition but in inspired reinvention.

We also celebrate Beethoven's 255th birthday with 15% off all of his hundreds of Pristine appearances.

Artur Rodziński’s December 1938 broadcasts with the NBC Symphony capture the orchestra in its blazing early prime, recorded live from Radio City’s Studio 8H. Across two programmes he draws electrifying performances from his young ensemble, from the brilliance of Glinka’s Ruslan and Lyudmila Overture and a commanding Tchaikovsky Fifth, to the rarity of Starokadomsky’s Concerto for Orchestra and a vividly characterised Firebird Suite. A week later, Rodziński returns with an entirely new set of masterworks: Dvořák’s Eighth Symphony, Hindemith’s powerful Mathis der Maler, and a razor-sharp Till Eulenspiegel.

Pristine’s new XR and Ambient Stereo restoration reveals these performances with remarkable clarity and warmth, overcoming the bone-dry acoustic of Studio 8H and restoring a sense of space, colour and immediacy to the original acetates. Together, these two broadcasts offer a thrilling snapshot of Rodziński’s artistry and the NBC Symphony’s early brilliance, preserved at a defining moment in American musical broadcasting.

Plus we celebrate Sibelius's 160th birthday with a 20% discount on all his recordings at Pristine.

Sir John Barbirolli’s Vaughan Williams cycle with the Hallé Orchestra remains one of the great interpretive landmarks in British music. These four symphonies, recorded between 1944 and 1957, reveal a conductor who understood Vaughan Williams instinctively and an orchestra shaped perfectly to his vision. From the wartime serenity of the Fifth to the haunting glacial landscapes of the Sinfonia Antarctica, the performances carry an emotional depth that still astonishes.

The later stereo recordings of the London and Eighth Symphonies add new colour and impact, showcasing the Hallé’s warmth and precision at their finest. Presented here in newly restored sound, this double-CD set captures a partnership defined by trust, character and deep musical insight. A major release for anyone who values Barbirolli, Vaughan Williams or simply great orchestral storytelling.

PLUS: all this week save 20% on everything here at Pristine in our 20th anniversary Black Friday sale - automatic discounts galore!