Your favourite Delius recordings ?

[Roehre]

Alas, in the 80s, life in London and spending on the arts were restricted by mortgage budgetary considerations. However, I was pleased to note the availability of the 7 CD set, today, at an agreeable price and have placed an order.

I got them in the late '90s from selections at bottom prices, in total only just over £1 more than they cost now.
You won't be disappointed (though I have my question marks re the songs).

[Dave2002]

I got them in the late '90s from selections at bottom prices, in total only just over £1 more than they cost now.
You won't be disappointed (though I have my question marks re the songs).

One of the Amazon reviewers thought that the mp3 version was good enough, currently at just under £8. The CD box set is not one of the ones with the autorip feature - though it's not such a big deal if one has the time and patience to rip the CDs oneself, or just play the CDs. One nice feature of autorip is that the music becomes available almost immediately, though I don't know what happens if the CDs themselves don't materialise.

I have an outstanding order for Beethoven Symphonies conducted by Krivine which I'll probably never get now, but as far as I can see I have access to the mp3s, even though the order is not complete. Presumably I can cancel the order and not pay for the mp3s - which I've not as it happens listened to, though I have heard some of Krivine's Beethoven on other streaming sites.

I might be tempted to try the Delius mp3s, as I'm not sure that I really want to have all the CDs. I do have the larger box set already, and it's completely unopened - and has been for a long while. The suite for violin and orchestra in the 7 CD collection might be a pleasant discovery. I have not liked much by Delius in the past, apart from a few small pieces such as La Calinda and the Sleigh Ride piece. I thought the double concerto was good when I first heard it, but further attempts to listen to that haven't improved my opinion of it. I have similar feelings towards the violin concerto and sonatas championed by Tasmin Little.

£7.99 is not a lot for the mp3s though - so maybe!

[Roehre]

...
I might be tempted to try the Delius mp3s, as I'm not sure that I really want to have all the CDs. I do have the larger box set already, and it's completely unopened - and has been for a long while. The suite for violin and orchestra in the 7 CD collection might be a pleasant discovery. I have not liked much by Delius in the past, apart from a few small pieces such as La Calinda and the Sleigh Ride piece. I thought the double concerto was good when I first heard it, but further attempts to listen to that haven't improved my opinion of it. I have similar feelings towards the violin concerto and sonatas championed by Tasmin Little....!

I'll get my coat, but IMVHO Delius is a first class second rate composer
I wonder how much we still would hear of most of his music had it not been Beecham (and Barbirolli) who championed it.

[Beef Oven!]

A have a few Delius discs, many already listed, most which I don't like. I really struggle with Delius. I very much like the recordings of two operas - Fennimore & Gerda, Hickox, CHANDOS - A Village Romeo & Juliet, Mackerras, DECCA.

However, I've always adored this Beecham CD that I bought yonks ago. Not the best sound quality, but gorgeous music and singing.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I'll get my coat, but IMVHO Delius is a first class second rate composer

Yeah - I get that; one of my favourite second division composers - there are times when his sound world (which is absolutely distinctive) is the only one that will do!

I wonder how much we still would hear of most of his music had it not been Beecham (and Barbirolli) who championed it.

I dunno - but I'm very grateful that they did!

[Dave2002]

Seeing that Delius/Beecham/Sony CD reminded me that I have this one -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Arnell-Berners-Triumph-Paris--Nocturne/dp/B0000263RW/ref=sr_1_15?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1427917054&sr=1-15&keywords=lord+berners

Not quite sure how you get the CD covers up on this site without a lot of effort.

[Bryn]

In Windoze and using Firefox, right click on the image, select copy image location and paste into the Insert Image URL option (not forgetting to untick the "retrieve ... " box.

[EdgeleyRob]

I agree there are times when Delius hits the mark like no other composer.

A few favourites -

Violin Sonatas - Little.
String Quartet,Late Swallows - Brodsky.
Mass of Life - Beecham (not the best sound but with a talk by the conductor).
Piano Concerto - Lane (an early work which is not the typical FD sound world but I love it)

[Barbirollians]

One of the Amazon reviewers thought that the mp3 version was good enough, currently at just under £8. The CD box set is not one of the ones with the autorip feature - though it's not such a big deal if one has the time and patience to rip the CDs oneself, or just play the CDs. One nice feature of autorip is that the music becomes available almost immediately, though I don't know what happens if the CDs themselves don't materialise.

I have an outstanding order for Beethoven Symphonies conducted by Krivine which I'll probably never get now, but as far as I can see I have access to the mp3s, even though the order is not complete. Presumably I can cancel the order and not pay for the mp3s - which I've not as it happens listened to, though I have heard some of Krivine's Beethoven on other streaming sites.

I might be tempted to try the Delius mp3s, as I'm not sure that I really want to have all the CDs. I do have the larger box set already, and it's completely unopened - and has been for a long while. The suite for violin and orchestra in the 7 CD collection might be a pleasant discovery. I have not liked much by Delius in the past, apart from a few small pieces such as La Calinda and the Sleigh Ride piece. I thought the double concerto was good when I first heard it, but further attempts to listen to that haven't improved my opinion of it. I have similar feelings towards the violin concerto and sonatas championed by Tasmin Little.

£7.99 is not a lot for the mp3s though - so maybe!

Ralph Holmes playing of Delius knocks Tazza into a cocked hat IMO . Different league .

[Roehre]

I agree there are times when Delius hits the mark like no other composer.

A few favourites -

Violin Sonatas - Little.
String Quartet,Late Swallows - Brodsky.
Mass of Life - Beecham (not the best sound but with a talk by the conductor).
Piano Concerto - Lane (an early work which is not the typical FD sound world but I love it)

I like the string quartet very much, but not Fenby's setting for string orchestra (or that of the slow mvt Late Swallows for the same forces particularly, though that seems to be Delius' own idea).
I'd like to add the cello sonata to the violin sonatas as well.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Ralph Holmes playing of Delius knocks Tazza into a cocked hat IMO . Different league .

MO, too - but praise be to Ms Little for her dedication to this Music (but for her, I would never have heard any of it Live).

[Stanfordian]

Ralph Holmes playing of Delius knocks Tazza into a cocked hat IMO . Different league .

Hiya Barbirollians,

Delius is always of interest to me. It's an interesting viewpoint you have on as Tasmin Little who is one of the finest violinsts the U.K. has ever had.

[Conchis]

I have the anniversary box set that EMI released a few years back - picked it up last year as a bargain from amazon. I think it contains just about everything FD ever wrote. Lots of stuff of interest in there and some great performances. Delius had a unique soundworld, which takes some time to get into, I find, but infinitely rewarding once you're 'there'.

[Dave2002]

Delius is always of interest to me. It's an interesting viewpoint you have on as Tasmin Little who is one of the finest violinsts the U.K. has ever had.

I'm not commenting on Tasmin Little, but one of my first LPs was Ralph Holmes playing Beethoven's Kreutzer and Spring sonatas. He was a superb violinist.

I mentioned the Delius double concerto before. My first exposure to that was with Menuhin and Tortelier. No complaints there as far as I can remember, either.

[Barbirollians]

Tasmin Little is a fine violinist but for all her qualities in Delius Ralph Holmes performances are in a different league to my ears in the concerto and sonatas. I have not heard her in the Suite or Legende . His tone is more ingratiating and his interpretations less earthbound .