VA — Delius (2022)

FLAC (tracks) / MP3 320 kbps | Classical | 4h 19 min | 988 / 595 MB

Frederick Delius was an English composer who forged a unique version of the Impressionist musical language of the early twentieth century. He was born in Bradford, England, in 1862, and died in Grez-sur-Loing, France, in 1934. He did not come from a musical family; rather, his father owned a wool company and hoped that his son would follow a career in business. Delius, however, wanted to study music, and though his father did not approve of music as a profession, he did not discourage music-making as a pas; thus, Delius was allowed to study the violin and the piano. To his father\’s dismay, he also spent much of his youth sneaking away from school to attend concerts and opera performances. When he completed school, he went to work for his father in the family business. In 1884, he left England for Florida, where he worked on a plantation as an orange grower. While in Florida, he began studying music with Thomas Ward, a musician and teacher from Jacksonville. Delius proved to be a failure as an orange grower, and began supporting himself as a musician. In 1886, his father arranged for him to spend a year and a half studying music in Germany at the Leipzig Conservatory. Though Delius would later insist that he learned very little of importance during his stay in Leipzig, it was there that he met Grieg, with whom he forged a lifelong friendship. Grieg convinced Delius\’ father to allow the young man to become a composer, and Delius, with the support of his formerly reluctant father, soon moved to Paris and began living the life of an artist. Once in Paris, Delius began composing in earnest, and towards the end of the nineteenth century had already completed two operas, Irmelin and The Magic Fountain. In the first decade of the twentieth century, Delius married the painter Jelka Rosen and produced a number of important works, including the opera A Village Romeo and Juliet, the large-scale choral works Appalachia and A Mass of Life (based on the writings of Nietzsche), a piano concerto, and a number of songs and chamber pieces. His music was well-received throughout Europe, and Delius was quite successful up until World War I, when he was forced to leave France for England. Despite his renown in continental Europe, Delius was virtually unknown in his native England, and his stay there was marred by financial difficulties. After the war, Delius returned to France, where the syphilis he had contracted in Florida gradually caused him to become paralyzed and blind. Ironically, as Delius became increasingly infirm, his fame began to spread. This was due in large part to the efforts of English composer Sir Thomas Beecham, who championed Delius\’ music and organized a Delius Festival in 1929. Though terribly ill, Delius nonetheless still wanted to compose, and in 1928 enlisted the services of English musician Eric Fenby, to whom he dictated music (Fenby would later write a book about Delius). Towards the end of his life, Delius was made Companion of Honor by King George V of England, and was awarded an honorary degree in music by Oxford University. Before his death, Delius was able to hear his music over the radio and on record, but these accomplishments paled before the terrible deterioration of his health, and he died in seclusion.
1. Academy Of St Martin In The Fields – On hearing the first Cuckoo in Spring (05:46)
2. Academy Of St Martin In The Fields – A Village Romeo and Juliet, Music Drama in six scenes — Arr. Beecham : The Walk To The Paradise Garden (08:44)
3. Academy Of St Martin In The Fields – Koanga / Act 2 : La Calinda (04:07)
4. Academy Of St Martin In The Fields – Summer night on the river (05:18)
5. Academy Of St Martin In The Fields – Intermezzo from \’Fennimore and Gerda\’ (05:30)
6. Northern Sinfonia of England – Summer Evening (06:29)
7. Academy Of St Martin In The Fields – A Song before Sunrise (04:45)
8. Academy Of St Martin In The Fields – Air and Dance (04:57)
9. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – Prelude to \»Irmelin\» (05:12)
10. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – Two Aquarelles : Lento, ma non troppo (02:25)
11. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – Two Aquarelles : Gaily, but not too quick (02:22)
12. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – Brigg Fair (16:26)
13. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – Florida — Suite For Orchestra : 1. Daybreak (12:31)
14. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – Florida — Suite For Orchestra : 2. By The River (06:39)
15. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – Florida — Suite For Orchestra : 3. Sunset (10:00)
16. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – Florida — Suite For Orchestra : 4. At Night (08:43)
17. Julian Lloyd Webber – 2 Pieces for Cello and Chamber Orchestra : Caprice (03:25)
18. Julian Lloyd Webber – 2 Pieces for Cello and Chamber Orchestra : Elegy (04:47)
19. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – In a Summer Garden (14:16)
20. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – Over the Hills and Far Away (13:38)
21. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – North Country Sketches : 1. Autumn (08:10)
22. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – North Country Sketches : 2. Winter Landscape (04:18)
23. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – North Country Sketches : 3. Dance (06:29)
24. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – North Country Sketches : 4. The March of the Spring (08:04)
25. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – A Dance Rhapsody No. 1 (13:10)
26. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – A Dance Rhapsody No. 2 (08:05)
27. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – Appalachia — Ed. Beecham : 1. Molto moderato (04:27)
28. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – Appalachia — Ed. Beecham : 2. Poco più vivo ma moderato (02:14)
29. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – Appalachia — Ed. Beecham : 3. Andante (02:08)
30. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – Appalachia — Ed. Beecham : 4. Molto moderato (04:28)
31. Chorus of the Welsh National Opera – Appalachia — Ed. Beecham : 5. Con moto (03:01)
32. Chorus of the Welsh National Opera – Appalachia — Ed. Beecham : 6. Lento e molto tranquillo (04:57)
33. Chorus of the Welsh National Opera – Appalachia — Ed. Beecham : 7. Andante con grazia (01:38)
34. Chorus of the Welsh National Opera – Appalachia — Ed. Beecham : 8. Lento sostenuto e tranquilo (03:08)
35. Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera – Appalachia — Ed. Beecham : 9. Allegro alla marcia (02:01)
36. Daniel Washington – Appalachia — Ed. Beecham : 10. Marcia: molto lento maestoso (10:01)
37. John Shirley-Quirk – Sea Drift : Once Paumanok (05:39)
38. John Shirley-Quirk – Sea Drift : Till of a sudden (09:09)
39. John Shirley-Quirk – Sea Drift : O rising stars! (06:47)
40. John Shirley-Quirk – Sea Drift : O I am very sick and sorrowful (05:37)