Frederick Delius: Topics 1998

• 1997
• 1996

• IMPORTANT ADDITIONS TO THE DELIUS WEB SITE by Bill Thompson! (10-23-98) (Oct 25, 1998)

  Live orchestral recording of a large portion (9:47) of HIAWATHA in RealAudio format. This is truly a rare opportunity to hear an unpublished Delius work as it was broadcast on the radio in Europe several years ago.

  The Eric Fenby Page - with new pictures, biographical info, links and sound files.

  The Delius Fan Survey - if you haven't already submitted your response, please share with us some information about your interest in Delius's music.

  COMING ATTRACTIONS:

  1. Information on the 1999 Delius Festival in Jacksonville, Florida (which will include a recital by violinist Tasmin Little and a premiere of Delius's early string quartet)
  2. Enhanced versions of the MIDI sound files to sound better on wavetable sound cards (these cards give a more realistic orchestral sound)
  3. A comparison of the original and revised versions of the libretto to Delius's opera KOANGA

  Check out THE DELIUS WEB SITE by Bill Thompson

• Frederick Delius 1862-1934: A Short Guide to his Life and Works (Aug 15, 1998)

  I've received a copy of it from The Delius Trust. It is a very pretty work. Contents are

  • A Short Biography by Lionel Carley
  • A Select Bibliography Books and Festival or Exhibition Catalogues by Lionel Carley
  • A Select Discography by Stephen Lloyd
  • List of Works Compiled by Stephen Lloyd and Robert Threlfall
  • The Collected Edition of the Works of Delius
  • Other Publications
  • Delius Societies
  • A Short History of The Delius Trust

• Farewell Mr. Miura (May 12, 1998)

  The Delius Society Journal, No. 123 announced.
  If you are an Japanese, Delius music loveres and don't know him, you must be fake.
  

• "Delius Fan Survey" (Apr 29, 1998)

  Join Mr. Bill Thompson's "Delius Fan Survey".

  • Delius Fan Survey Questions Delius Fan Survey
  • Delius Fans Page Delius Fans Speak!

• Mr Minton taught to me about The Gentlemen of St John's (Apr 18, 1998)

  about The Gentlemen of St John's

• Today's disk (Apr 15, 1998)
  1. Fennimore and Gerda
     • Chandos CHAN9589, 1997.
       • Fennimore: Randi Stene
       • Gerda: Judith Howarth
       • Niels Lyhne: Peter Colman-Wright
       • Erik Refstrup: Mark Tucker
       • Consul Claudi: Aage Haugland
       • Mrs Claudi: Annette Simonsen
       • A Spportsman: Michael W. Hansen
       • A Town Councillor: Bo Anker Hansen
       • A Tutor: Finn Bielenberg
       • A Distiller: Peter Fog
       • Councillor Skinnerup: Stefan Cushion
       • Ingrid: Susse Lillesøe
       • Lila: Marianne Lund
       • Marit: Helle Charlotte Pedersen
       • A Voice across the Water: Gert Hennning-Jensen
       • A Lady: Hedwig Rummel
       • Maidservants: Christa Brix, Eva Bruun Hansen
        
       • Richard Hickox
       • Danish National Radio SO, Danish National Radio Choir
  This is the Premier recording in the original language (German).

• Today's disk (Mar 23, 1998)
  1. Elgar, Delius : Violin Concertos
     • EMI 0777 7 64725 2 2, 1993.
       1. Violin Concerto
          1. With moderate tempo -
          2. Slower -
          3. Tempo I - Allegretto - Piu moderato
       • Yehudi Menuhin : vln
       • Meredith Davies, RPO
     c/w Elgar Violin Concerto, Yehudi Menuhin, Sir Adrian Boult, New PO.
  In "British Composers" Series. This in not new disk.

• Today's some disks
  1. The Four Violin Sonatas
     • Conifer Classocs CD 75606 51315-2, Tasmin Little, Piers Lane (including in B Sonata without numbering), 1997. notes by Tasmin Little, Robert Threfall.
  2. Grieg, Delius : Complete Music for Cello and Piano
     • Philips 454 458-2, Julian Lloyd Webber, Bengt Forsberg, 1998.
       1. Sonata in One Movement for Cello and Piano
       2. Two Pieces for Cello and Piano
          1. Caplice
          2. Elegy
       3. Serenade (from the drama "Hassan")
       4. Romance
  3. Ca' The Yowes, A Collection of 20th Century Part-Songs
     • Etcetera KTC1192, The Gentlemen of St John's College, 1996?. (including Delius' "The Wanderer's Song" among Berkeley, Britten, Finzi, RVW)

     Mr Minton (Nippon Medical School) taught to me

     This group is made up of the Choral Scholars of St John's College, Cambridge University. There are 14 members and they sing the alto, tenor and bass parts in the College Choir (the soprano part is sung by 16 boys aged 8 - 13). The Gentlemen of St John's were in Japan September 1997 to sing concerts in Tokyo, Tsukuba, Yokohama, Yamanashi and Niigata, and the full choir including the boys are scheduled to visit December 1998 to sing in Tokyo, Tsukuba, Fukuoka, Kyoto and Nagoya.

     As far as I can remember, it was released at the end of 1996, but I'll check up on this with the members of the Gentlemen of St John's.

• Record Review Items taken form The Delius Society Journal, No. 122
  1. A Mass of Life, Requiem
     • Chandos CHAN 9512(2), Hickox.
  2. 4 Sonatas for Violin and Piano
     • Conifer Classocs CD 75606 51315-2, Tasmin Little (including in B Sonata without numbering)
  3. Fennimore and Gerda
     • Chandos CHAN 9S89, Hickox.
  4. 7 Danish Songs, English and Scandinavian Songs, Irmelin Suite
     • Dinemec Classics DCCD019, Carole Farley, Serebrier, PO
  • := I have not seen yet. When can I see them in Japan?

  Mr. Michael R. Ridderbusch, the autor of Danville Delius Festival (in Danville, VA): May 29 - June 1, 1997 was seen The Delius Society Journal, No. 122., p. 39.

• Delius's operas that have been issued on CD (thanks > Mr. Allan Steckler)
  1. Irmelin
     • BBC CD 3002, Del Mar
  2. The Magic Fountain
     • BBC CD 3004X, Del Mar (c/w Margot la rouge)
     • Arabesque Z6546-2, Del Mar (c/w Margot la rouge) (same as above, but no booklet and credits)
  3. Koanga
     • INTAGLIO INCD 7442, Groves
  4. A Village Romeo and Juliet
     • ARGO 430275-2, Mackerras
     • EMI 7 64386 2, Beecham
     • Romeo und Julia auf dem Dorfe (Original German Version) CPO 999 328-2, Klauspeter Seibel
  5. Margot la rouge
     • BBC CD 3004X, Del Mar (c/w The Magic Fountain)
     • Arabesque Z6546-2, Del Mar (c/w The Magic Fountain) (same as above, but no booklet and credits)
  6. Fennimore and Gerda
     • EMI CLASSICS 5 66314-2, M. Davies
  • -> I have not seen yet.

• Marriner's new omnibus album including Delius

  Einglish Seasons, A Year in Music by Delius, Grainger, Bridge, Bax and Foulds, Philips PHCP-11072, Dec 21, 1997. (this numbering in Japan)

  1. Delius : On Hearing rhe First Cuckoo in Spring (5'03")
  2. Bridge : Enter Spring (18'08")
  3. Foulds : "April - England" (7'45")
  4. Bridge : Summer (Tone Poem for Orchestra) (9'34")
  5. Grainger : Harvest Hymn (3'40")
  6. Bax : November Woods (19'32")
  7. Bridge : "Sir Roger de Coverley" (4'16")
  
  
  • Sir Neville Marriner, ASMF
  • Recorded May 1996, at Studio 1, Abbey Road, London
  • notes by Naoya Hirabayashi

  This Delius is new recording. Yes, Sir Neville's tempo is habitual fast. But his fast tempo seems to draw out the fragrance of musical dance, doesn't it?

  Here are Japanese obi:

  春初めてのカッコウを聞いて - 英国の四季
  美しくも厳しい英国の自然は、数々の文学を生み出したように、素晴らしいメロディも育みました。 早春から冬にいたるイギリスの自然の営みを、穏やかで優しいメロディ・ラインが印象的なイギリス音楽でたどるこのアルバムは、深い共感と繊細なアンサンブルが、春を告げる鳥の喜ばしい囀り、短くも美しく輝く夏の陽射し、黄金色に染まる田園風景などを彷彿とさせ、心休まるひとときをもたらしてくれます。 繊細なイギリス音楽は、喧噪の社会に疲れた現代に生きる私たちの心を癒す不思議な力を秘めているようです。

  The Japanese obi (not notes) says "delicate Engilish Music has the power of healing." I do HATE this categorizing commercialism.