Etched into the annals of Fab Four folklore is the received wisdom that The Beatles (White Album) sessions were clouded by quarrels and tension, the beginning of the end for a band coming apart at the seams. So it’s both surprising and heartening to learn the immortal double LP’s upcoming 50th anniversary set offers ample evidence to the contrary.

“It’s widely reported that it was The Beatles breaking up as a band, but it really isn’t – they’re very cohesive,” ...