Editing Walter Legge (section)

{{Short description|English music producer (1906–1979)}}
{{for|the Welsh rugby union player|Walter Legge (rugby union)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2020}}
[[File:Walter-Legge.jpg|thumb|right|Walter Legge, c. 1960]]

'''Harry Walter Legge''' (1 June 1906 – 22 March 1979) was an English [[European classical music|classical music]] record producer, most especially associated with [[EMI]]. His recordings include many sets later regarded as classics and reissued by EMI as "Great Recordings of the Century". He worked in the recording industry from 1927, combining this with the post of junior music critic of ''[[The Guardian|The Manchester Guardian]]''. He was assistant to [[Thomas Beecham|Sir Thomas Beecham]] at the [[Royal Opera House]], Covent Garden, and in World War II played a role in bringing music to the armed forces and civilians.

After the war, Legge founded the [[Philharmonia Orchestra]] and worked for EMI as a recording producer. In the 1960s, he quarrelled with EMI and resigned. He attempted to disband the Philharmonia in 1964, but it continued as an independent body without him. After this he had no permanent job, and confined himself to giving masterclasses with, and supervising the recordings of, his second wife, [[Elisabeth Schwarzkopf]].