Delius in the Fjords

The travels of Delius in his younger days are an interesting time to read about. It is amazing to me how the genesis of inspiration and the cone of influence combine to create a unique artistic expression.

Variety is the spice which ladens this program, some more familiar, others less so. Any work which requires a Great Yawp from an ensemble, such as Eventyr, has me sold.

As I visit Sir Andrew Davis' contributions to Delius' music on Chandos, the more I like both. They are definitely fine recordings, and I am glad to have made the investment.

A review from 2023

This is an interesting assortment of orchestral works from British composer Frederick Delius. A handful of orchestral miniatures are mixed in with some longer symphonic poems and incidental music. It makes for an intriguing exploration of Delius as a composer, if not an uneven listening experience.

The big news here are the longer Eventyr (Tales of Adventure), a fantastical work of whimsy, Paa Vidderne (On the Mountains), a misty orchestral sojourn, and Folkeraadet (The People’s Parliament), a comic political tale. Delius’ style in Eventyr and Paa Vidderne will be familiar to fans of the composer; chromatic lyricism that exhibits endless haunting and long-breathed beauty. Folkeraadet is an odd duck, leaning into the dark comedy and political hijinks musically, a rare showing of musical wit from Delius.

The smaller works here are folksy and colourfully vivid, full of orchestral charm. They are a bit lightweight, maybe even mere trifles in some cases, but perhaps they offset the longer works well. On Hearing the First Cuckoo is Delius’ masterpiece and is superbly played here.

Chandos’ SACD sounds beautiful, capturing the Norwegian players in lovely, clear detail. Andrew Davis seems to really have a knack for Delius, hitting it out the park for me in Appalachia and The Song of the High Hills, also on SACD. Aside from Eventyr and Cuckoo, these are all rarely performed works, nonetheless recorded, so for Delius fans, this will be a must hear.

As a program, this is an interesting mix. All the works aren’t necessarily typically Delian, but that is not necessarily bad either.

Listen on YouTube

 

Works
Folkeraadet (25.33)
Eventyr (15.12)
Paa Vidderne (14.07)
Two Songs from The Norwegian (7.23)
On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring (6.16)
Sleigh Ride (5.35)
Norwegian Bridal Procession (3.41)

Performers
Ann Helen Moen, soprano
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Andrew Davis, conductor

Label: Chandos
Year: 2014
Total Timing: 78.38

 

A nice variety of larger works from Delius and shorter, slight pieces.

It is all done very well, and having the Bergen players on hand lends it an extra modicum of the exotic.

A curiosity for Delius fans.

 

 

 

Find more Delius recordings HERE!