Frederick Delius 1862 1934

Frederick Delius is among the most celebrated English composers of the 20th century. Widely studied and performed, his works are considered models of the British impressionist school and continue to fascinate students and scholars centuries later. This research guide serves as a ready reference for students and scholars, but will also be interesting to read and useful for anyone who wants to know where to begin to learn more about this important composer.

This book examines Delius's individual approaches to genre, form, harmony, orchestration and literary texts which gave the composer's musical style such a unique voice.

An intimate portrait of Delius by the man who notated many of the disabled composer's last works. Includes 33 musical examples.

"There are many biographies and articles about the life of Frederick Delius (1862-1934), but there has never been a comprehensive book about his music until now. He was an extraordinarily versatiles composer, equally at home with orchestral, instrumental, and chamber works as with choral works and songs; and Delius and his Music covers his entire output. Everything he published, from his earliest compositions and 'trifiles' to the mighty, ninety-minute A Mass of Life, is analysed here in nontechnical language. The history and background of each work and its critical reception are also examined, set within a biography, and against a backdrop of the English musical scene and some of its personalities during the seventy years of Delius's life. There are numerous musical examples and many quotations from contemporary newspapers and journals, as well as a complete list of Delius's works, with catalogue numbers, and a select bibliography. This book will appeal not only to students and Delian scholars, but also to everyone who already has an interest in Delius's unique music, or who would like to discover it for the first time"--Jaquette.

Frontcover -- Contents -- List of illustrations and tables -- Preface -- Abbreviations -- Selected glossary of landscape terms used in place names -- 1 Norway's awakening -- 2 1862-1888: Bradford, Florida and Leipzig -- 3 1888-1889: With Grieg on the heights -- 4 1890-1891: 'C'est de la Norderie' -- 5 1892-1895: Norway lost -- 6 1896: Norway regained -- 7 1897: Front page news -- 8 1898-1902: Unshakeable self-belief -- 9 1903-1907: Breakthrough in Germany and England -- 10 1908-1912: Changes of direction -- 11 1912-1918: High hills, dark forests -- 12 1919-1934: Myth and reality in Lesjaskog -- Appendix I: List of visits to Norway -- Appendix II: Works with Norwegian and Danish texts and associations -- Selected bibliography and archival sources -- Index