This page lists all the known recordings of the BBCSO between 1932 and 1950. The BBC Symphony Orchestra was formed in 1930 and quickly became one of the premier British orchestras because it offered properly paid employment for the best musicians in the country. While its main purpose was performing for the radio it was chosen by HMV to record a wide variety of repertoire for the gramophone. Commercial discs have perserved for posterity the music making of the orchestra, but there are also some airchecks recorded from radio broadcasts. Until 1950 the BBCSO was conducted by Sir Adrian Boult, but recordings exist of a few other conductors during this period most famously Toscanini.

London, April & October 1932 Weber Freischutz Ov Boult
London, 30 May 1932 Elgar Funeral March Boult
London, May 1932 Brahms Tragic Ov No 21 Boult
London, May 1932 Brahms Hungarische Tanzen No 21 Boult
Abbey Road, 21 July 1932 Beethoven Sym no 8 Boult
Abbey Road, 25 July 1932 Humperdinck Hansel & Gretel Ov Boult
London, July 1932 Wagner Tristan & Isolde Prelude - concert ending Boult
London, November 1932 Brahms Piano Conc no 1 Backhaus, Boult
London 6 April 1933 Mendelssohn Midsummer Night's Dream incidental music Boult
prob 6 April 1933 Wagner Parsifal Good Friday Music Boult

London, 6 April 1933 Wagner Meistersinger Act 1 Prelude Boult
London, May 1933 Bach JS Violin Sonata no 6: Praeludium Boult

London, May 1933 Mozart Sym no 41 Boult
London May 1933 Mozart Impresario Overture Boult
c. May 1933 Beethoven Egmont Overture Boult
c. May 1933 Saint-Saens Bacchanale Boult
c. May 1933 Berlioz Roman Carnival Overture Boult

Queen's Hall, 15 May 1933 Sibelius Sym no 7 S. Koussevitzky
London, 20 October 1933 Mendelssohn Hebrides Ov Boult
London 20 Oct 1933 Beethoven Coriolan Ov Boult
No 1 Studio, Abbey Road, 27 March 1934 Elgar Dream of Gerontius Prelude Boult
c. March 1934 Mozart Cosi fan tutte Overture Boult
c. March 1934 Schumann Manfred Overture Boult
c. March 1934 Nicolai Merry Wives of Windor Overture Boult
c. march 1934 Mozart Symphony No 35 Linz Fritz Busch
Queen's Hall, March 1934 (live) Berg Wozzeck Act II M Blyth, R Bitterauf, P Jones, P Hemming, T Davies, B White, W Widdop, Wireless Chorus, Boult
Abbey Road Studio No 1, 21 May 1934 Beethoven Fidelio Ov B. Walter
Abbey Road Studio No 1, 21 May 1934 Brahms Sym no 4 B. Walter
Abbey Road Studios, 22 May 1934 Mozart Sym no 39 B. Walter
Nov-34 Auber Masaniello Overture Boult
Nov-34 Mendelssohn Ruy Blas Overture Boult
London, 17 December 1934 (live) Schubert Sym no 9 Boult
Queen's Hall, 3 June 1935 Cherubini Anacreon Ov A. Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 3 June 1935 Elgar Enigma Vars A. Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 3 June 1935 Wagner Gotterdammerung S's Trauermusik A. Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 5 June 1935 Brahms Sym no 4 A. Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 5 June 1935 Wagner Faust Ov A. Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 5 June 1935 Wagner Gotterdammerung S's Trauermusik A. Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 5 June 1935 Wagner Parsifal Act 1 Prelude A. Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 12 June 1935 Geminiani Conc Grosso Op 3/2 A. Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 12 June 1935 Debussy La Mer A. Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 12 June 1935 Beethoven Sym no 7 A. Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 12 June 1935 Rossini Semiramis Ov A. Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 14 June 1935 Mozart Sym no 35 A. Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 14 June 1935 Mendelssohn Midsummer Night's Dream Nocturne A. Toscanini
Queens Hall, 14 June 1935 Beethoven Sym no 7 A. Toscanini
London, November 1935 Brahms Piano Conc no 2 A Schnabel, Boult

London BBC studio concert 22 December 1935 Strauss Tod und Verklarung, Boult (2 min extract)
London, 23 January 1936 Sibelius Night Ride & Sunrise Boult
London, 23 January 1936 Sibelius The Oceanides Boult

London BBC studio concert 8 March 1936 Bantock Pagan Symphony (UK premiere) (26 mins extracts)
London 26 March 1936 Elgar Enigma Variations Boult

5 June 1936 Callendar Orchestral Suite BBCSO Boult BBC

July 8 1936 Schubert, Mozart [extracts 54 mins] / Wood Prom  

London, October 1936 Bach 2 Piano Conc A & K U Schnabel, . Boult
London, October 1936 Mozart Piano Conc no 10 A & K U Schnabel, Boult
8 Nov 1936 Smith VC (Brosa) BBCSO Boult BBC

Queen's Hall, 2 December 1936 Elgar Dream of Gerontius Excerpts (live) H Nash, M Brunskill, H Stevens, BBC Choral Society Boult
London, 6 December 1936 Walton Portsmouth Point Ov Boult
London, December 1936 Berlioz Les Francs Juges Ov Boult
London, December 1936 Berlioz Roi Lear Ov Boult

London BBC studio December 20 1936 Prokoviev VC 2 Soetens, Wood (live)
London, January 1937 Borodin Prince Igor March Boult
London, January 1937 Tchaikovsky Eugene Onegin Act 3 Polonaise Boult
Prob Jan 1937 Gluck Alceste Overture Boult
Abbey Road Studios, 24 March 1937 Elgar Introd & Allegro for Strings Boult
Abbey Road Studios, 24 March 1937 Elgar Sospiri. Boult
London, 24 March & 25 June 1937 Bliss Music for Strings Boult
London, 16 April 1937 Elgar Imperial March Boult
London, 16 April 1937 Walton Crown Imperial Boult
Abbey Road, 25 June 1937 Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings Boult
Queen's Hall, 14 June 1937 Debussy Images Iberia Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 14 June 1937 Sibelius En Saga Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 16 June 1937 National Anthem Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 16 June 1937 Wagner Faust Ov Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 16 June 1937 Wagner Lohengrin Act 1 Prel Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 16 June 1937 Wagner Lohengrin Act 3 Prel A. Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 16 June 1937 Wagner Tannhauser Ov & Venusberg MusicToscanini
Queen's Hall, 16 June 1937 Wagner Siegfried Idyll Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 16 June 1937 Wagner Siegfried Act 3 Waldweben Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 16 June 1937 Wagner Gotterdammerung Siegfrieds Rheinfahrt Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 16 June 1937 Wagner Walkure Act 3 Walkurenritt Toscanini
QH, 17 Jun & 21-22 Oct 1937 Beethoven Sym no 6 Toscanini
Queens Hall, 17 November 1937 Tovey Cello Conc P Casals, Boult
Queens Hall, London, 21, 22 +25 October 1937 & 2 June 1938 Beethoven Sym no 1 Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 25 October 1937 Brahms Tragic Ov Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 30 October 1937 Brahms Tragic Ov Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 30 October 1937 Brahms Deutsches Requiem I Baillie, A Sved, BBC Choral Society, . Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 3 November 1937 Beethoven Sym no 9 I Baillie, M Jared, B Jones, H Williams, BBC Choral Society, Toscanini
1937 Vaughan Williams Symphony No 4 BBC SO Vaughan Williams
Queens Hall, 19 May 1938 National Anthem Britain Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 23 May 1938 Bach JS Brandenburg Conc no 2 Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 23 May 1938 Strauss R Don Quixote Feuermann, Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 27 May 1938 Verdi 4 Sacred Pieces Te Deum - ending BBC Ch Socy, Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 27 May 1938 Verdi Requiem Z Milanov, K Thorborg, R Roswaenge, N Moscona, Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra A. Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 2 June 1938 Mozart Zauberflote Ov Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 3 June 1938 Rossini Scala di Seta Ov Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 3 June 1938 Mozart Sym no 41. Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 3 June 1938 Brahms Liebeslieder Waltzes BBC Chorus, Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 10 June 1938 National Anthem Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 10 June 1938 Scarlatti Good Humoured Ladies Ballet Suite. Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 10 June 1938 Sibelius Sym no 2 Toscanini
Queens Hall, 10 June 1938 Brahms Sym no 2 Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 13 June 1938 Rossini Scala di Seta Ov Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 14 June 1938 Weber Invitation to the Dance Toscanini
Studio (?), London, 11 November 1938 Elgar Spirit of England incomplete (live) E Suddaby, BBC Choral Society, Boult

Queens Hall, 8 May 1939 Beethoven Sym no 4 Toscanini

QH, 12 May 1939 Beethoven Sym no 5 Toscanini
Queens Hall, London, 22 May 1939 Beethoven Prometheus Ov Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 28 May 1939 Beethoven Mass in D "Missa Solemnis" Z Milanov, K Thorborg, K von Pataky, N Moscona, BBC Choral Society, Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 1 June 1939 Beethoven Sym no 4 Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 1 June 1939 Beethoven Prometheus Ov Toscanini
Queen's Hall, 1 June 1939 Beethoven Fidelio Leonora no 1 Ov. Toscanini
Colston Hall, Bristol, 9 April 1940 Tchaikovsky Capriccio Italien Boult
Colston Hall, Bristol, 9 April 1940 Vaughan-Williams Tallis Fantasia Boult
Bristol, April 1940 Mozart Horn Conc no 3 A Brain, Boult
Bristol, April 1941 Smetana Ma Vlast From Bohemia's Woods and Forests Boult

27 June 1942 Ireland Epic March LPO / Wood Prom

12 Oct 1942 Walton Christopher Columbus BBCSO Boult BBC

Maida Vale Studios, London, 5 April 1943 Beethoven Prometheus Ov Boult
Maida Vale Studios, London, 5 April 1943 Brahms Violin Conc Y Menuhin, Boult
Maida Vale Studios, London, 5 April 1943 Mozart Div no 2 Minuet Boult

19 June 1943 First Night of the Proms / Wood (Somm CD)

London (?), 5 September 1943 Vaughan-Williams Pilgrim's Progress J Gielgud, J Somers, VCC Baddeley, C Hobbs, L Browne, J d'Albie, J McKechnie, M Godley, M Rolfe, B White, S Riley, BBC Chorus, Boult

Bedford 23 Feb 1944 Bax Violin Concerto Boult
London (?), 23 March 1944 Elgar In the South Boult
Bedford School, 3, 4, 25 August & 10 October 1944 Elgar Sym no 2 Boult

26 May 1944 Holst Perfect Fool BBCSO Boult BBC

1 June 1944 Stravinsky Symphony in C Major BBCSO Boult BBC

Bedford, August 1944 Beethoven Piano Conc no 3 Solomon, Boult
Bedford, August 1944 Mozart Sym no 32 Boult
Sep-44 Holst Scherzo from unfinished symphony Boult
BBC Studio, London, 5 November 1944 (first broadcast May 1945) V-W Song of Thanksgiving E Suddaby, BBC Chorus, Thomas Coram Schools Children's Choir, Boult
Location unknown, 1944 Holst Perfect Fool Ballet Music, Boult
Studio no 1, Abbey Road, 13 October 1945 Mendelssohn MSND Ov Boult
Studio no 1, Abbey Road, 13 October 1945 Mendelssohn MSND Wedding March Boult

November 14 1945 Salome Final Scene BBCSO Boult Lawrence RAH

18 Nov 1945 Bax Garden of Fand BBCSO Boult BBC

9 Dec 1945 Britten Sea Interludes BBCSO Boult BBC

London, October 1945 Elgar Cello Conc P Casala. Boult
Film documentary, 1945 Beethoven Sym no 5 1st Movt exposition. Boult

25 Mar 1946 Butterworth The Banks of Green Willow BBCSO Boult BBC

10 Apr 1946 Moeran Cello Concerto BBCSO Boult BBC

28 Apr 1946 Moeran Violin Concerto BBCSO Boult BBC St Andrew's Hall, Norwich, 1946 A Sammons

11 May 1946 Ravel Daphnis and Chloe BBCSO Boult BBC

26 June 1946 Mahler 4 BBCSO Boult BBC

RAH Prom 28 August 1946 Vaughan Williams Symphony No. 1 (Sea Symphony) Boult (with side breaks 40 mins) Isobel Baille, Roy Henderson

29 Sept 1946 Britten, Handel, Purcell, Vaughan-Williams, Bliss, Parry BBCSO Boult BBC [Opening Night of Third Programme]

17 Jan 1947 Hadley – The Hills Boult BBC

10 Mar 1947 Ireland Vaughan Williams 2 /Sargent [BBCTS]

31 Mar 1947 Elgar 2 /Sargent [BBCTS]

Location unknown, 30 October 1947 Paganini Violin Conc no 2 Y. Menuhin, Boult
BBC Studios, Maida Vale, 29 November 1947 Mahler Sym no 3 K Ferrier, Boult

RAH, 10 February 1948 Mahler Sym no 8 (live) E Danieli, D van Doorn, E Hooke, M Jarred, G Ripley, W Herbert, G Pizzey, H Williams, BBC Choral Society, Luton Choral Society, Wellington Choral Society, Walford & District Philharmonic Society, Lambeth Schools Music Association Boys Choir, Boys of Marylebone Grammar School, Boult

April 21 1948 RAH Vaughan Williams Symphony No. 6, Boult (World Premiere) (opening two minutes only)