Frederick Delius

[J]

Regarding,'Appalachia'. The Lp I had was the Barbirolli. The one I have here is conducted by Mackerras & I am definately enjoying it now. Not too disparage the 'Florida suite',but this is even finer. Glorious music. I was just busy doing things & obviously wasn't paying enough attention. More fool me! There's no chaff here. What I was thinking of? This is one of Delius's most original & varied works. Marvellous!

My own judgement is that "Appalachia" is Delius' very finest work, or perhaps I should say the very "epitome" of everything he wrote.  What is the heart or core or defining ethos of what Delius communicates in all his music?  If I myself had to use a single word to characterize it I might say "evanescence" or "transience" - the sense or quality of things "passing away" (those wordless voices that waft in and out of the textures now and then in Appalachia is a particularly telling expression), - and his special artistry lies in the exquisite poignance he draws out of that experience.  But in Appalachia not only does he evoke this poignance of the transient but transforms it into almost an ecstasy, - a transcendence of the boundaries of the self, or almost mystical participation in some immanent "life force" or vitalism, - whatever.  Thus towards the end of the piece when the baritone leads the chorus with "Oh Honey I am going down the river in the morning..." what one would think should be a very sorrowful reflection has morphed into almost a celebration, or at least an affirmation, - emerging out of the very center of regret.  It's uncanny.  Much of the music is intensely sad & melancholy, - yet by the end one feels wondrous, exhilirated, - even joyful.

I want to urge you to pick up if you can the Hickox/RPO performance of "Appalachia" which IMO is far and away the very best reading it has ever received, - in the tempos and dynamics, the ebb and the flow, it is just about perfect.

[Mirror Image]

I want to urge you to pick up if you can the Hickox/LSO performance of "Appalachia" which IMO is far and way the very best reading it has ever received - in the tempos and dynamics, the ebb and flow, is just about perfect.

This I agree with. Yes, it's the best Appalachia I've heard too.

[asin]B00006ILMG[/asin]

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Beautiful contribution to this thread, J. What you say about Delius is closely related to what Christopher Palmer in his book on Delius calls 'The Delian Experience' - that seminal experience in Florida, when Delius heard Negroes singing, and their strange harmonies wafting towards him through the evening, both poignant and uplifting. Appalachia was the first longer piece by Delius I came to love very much, and it still hasn't lost its power to move me. Hickox is very good, I agree, though I find the baritone in the Barbirolli more appealing, less grainy.

[cilgwyn]

I'll have another listen later on.Wonderful music. Sounds like I should get a cd of that Barbirolli (I did have the Lp). As to the Hickox,I looked this up on Amazon & recognised the cd 'artwork'. I did have the performance on cd. Sadly,it went,along with lovely original Argos set of The Mackerras recording of 'A Village Romeo & Juliet'. 'The great Delius purge!' Silly me!!!
Now,partly (maybe,wholly?) thanks to Johan,I'm enjoying this composer again & more than before! In fact my 'Delius Marathon' only ended the other day,because of a bad migraine,and just in case anyone who doesn't like Delius reads this,it was NOT because of all the Delius I was listening to!!!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Phew! 

[J]

What you say about Delius is closely related to what Christopher Palmer in his book on Delius calls 'The Delian Experience' - that seminal experience in Florida, when Delius heard Negroes singing, and their strange harmonies wafting towards him through the evening, both poignant and uplifting.

Yes, - one description I remember (from Wiki) of those days in Solano Grove along the St. John's River that struck my imagination speaks of shipowners encouraging their Negro (African-American) deckhands to sing as they worked, and how haunted Delius became by their unforgettable songs as he "heard them day or night carrying sweet and clear across the water to his verandah whenever a steamship passed".

Could you tell me a bit more about Palmer's book on Delius, - "Portrait of a Cosmopolitan"?  How much of the work is straight biography and historical/cultural/impressionistic reflection on the music, vs. technical/academic
"nuts and bolts" analysis of scores and such?

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

J, about Palmer's book - it is one part personal, one part biography, one part musical analysis of the rudimentary kind. Christopher Palmer tells us about his relationship with Delius' music, about Delius' life and character, and the very varied influences which stand behind the music. He has separate chapters (iirc, I read it a long long time ago) detailing Delius' German side, French side, Scandinavian side, English side, American side. And he gives a chapter about the composers Delius influenced in his turn. You don't have to know a lot of musical theory to like the book, though it helps to be able to read and/or play music, because he gives examples. I love the book, as it makes you want to explore Delius' music.

[J]

J, about Palmer's book - it is one part personal, one part biography, one part musical analysis of the rudimentary kind. Christopher Palmer tells us about his relationship with Delius' music, about Delius' life and character, and the very varied influences which stand behind the music. He has separate chapters (iirc, I read it a long long time ago) detailing Delius' German side, French side, Scandinavian side, English side, American side. And he gives a chapter about the composers Delius influenced in his turn. You don't have to know a lot of musical theory to like the book, though it helps to be able to read and/or play music, because he gives examples. I love the book, as it makes you want to explore Delius' music.

Thanks Johann, - I'll have a look for it.

The books on Delius I am most familiar with are Beecham's biography, Fenby's account of the last years, and Jahoda's somewhat "popularized" (but endearing) treatment "The Road to Samarkand". 

What I'd love to have is a really large-scale "Life" - something akin to Swafford's Brahms or Jens Fischer's book on Mahler, - but don't believe anything like that has been done yet.  On the whole Delius remains a rather obscure and mysterious character for me, - especially in regards to his inner experience and development.  I've seen reference to a large two-volume collection of Letters that might offer good insights.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I have read the books you mention, too, of course. You are right - no big, 'definitive' book about Delius' life and works has yet been written, and I wonder if it will ever happen. Although Delius in his younger years certainly knew how to enjoy himself, he became 'Delius', the singer of transience, only when he was in his forties. It seems that from that moment on he did nothing but transform all his experiences into sound. The life suffered as a consequence. He is elusive and aloof, but his music is very moving, though not in an autobiographical way as it is in Mahler.

[Mirror Image]

Who wouldn't love this:

http://www.youtube.com/v/SVeaAhYluOc

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

How anyone could not fall in love with this music is beyond me.

[Dundonnell]

How anyone could not fall in love with this music is beyond me.

Ha   A challenge indeed

The music IS very beautiful...that I fully accept and acknowledge. I might even grant "gorgeously beautiful"

But what sticks in my throat every time is the lack of contrast...to MY ears of course The beauty and tranquillity is not won through struggle but is just there.  I can admire the sound but it takes me nowhere else, the journey is through exactly the same sort of country with nothing to alter the view or interrupt the idyll.

And that is utimately what bores me. The more I think about it.....I don't really dislike Delius's music at all. It just bores me   And that is not a criticism of Delius.....it is no more and no less than a commentary on what I personally am looking for in music or what sort of emotional response I have to music. Were I to live for a thousand years it is perfectly possible that might change but given a somewhat shorter life expectancy I shall devote my attentions to exploring much much more of the sort of music I appreciate better but have still to fully uncover.

Sorry, Fred     .........(and Johan, too, of course)

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Apology accepted. 


Thanks for the clarification, Colin. I think it's a matter of temperament. Like you, I love music that is full of contrast and that battles its way through to victory and/or serenity (as you well know). But there is a more melancholy, meditative side to me, that is 'serviced' by the likes of Delius...

[Dundonnell]

I quite understand

Now that we are clear that I don't really dislike Delius at all...... I can get back to disliking Rachmaninov

[cilgwyn]

By dinasman at 2012-05-02

I gather Dundonnell won't be pre ordering this?!
(Release date: May 28th)

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

You never can have too many 'Masses of Life'. The work isn't a favourite even among some Delians I know, which I find quite puzzling. The Mass is the largest and most comprehensive choral-orchestral piece he ever wrote, a very varied fresco full of inspired ideas. I love it.

[cilgwyn]

Good on Naxos for bringing out this recording. It could also solve a problem for me. As you know,the Groves is deleted & has been for a while & sellers keep asking nasty prices! Even worse,emi have recently developed a nasty habit of reissuing their British music back catalogue in the form of multi cd box sets. If you only want one particular piece of music,or have most of the other items in the box,it's a bit of a pain,quite frankly!
  But now,along comes Naxos with a new recording at under £10!!!! I SHALL,however,be looking at reviews,before buying,but this is very good news & wouldn't burn too large a hole in this poor beggar's (I DID say,beggar!!! ) pocket!

To think that emi ACTUALLY used to record music like this?!!!

[Dundonnell]

By dinasman at 2012-05-02

I gather Dundonnell won't be pre ordering this?!
(Release date: May 28th)

I shall stick with the Hickox version As I have said before, there are at least 16 Delius cds sitting on my shelves.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Yes, you have been digging (into your pocket) for Delius, that's undeniable.

[Sergeant Rock]

As you know,the Groves is deleted & has been for a while & sellers keep asking nasty prices! :

You mention the Groves often; mourn its lack of afforable availabilty. Why do you think Groves is preferable to Hickox? I mean, why wouldn't Hickox satisfy your Mass of Life jones? Just curious 

Sarge