Not sure if anyone has already mentioned this. There's an interesting-looking new Delius film at 7.30 - 9pm on BBC4 on Friday. I was reading about it in today's i paper.
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Thank you for this recommendation. I will watch the programme as Delius is one of my favourite composers. However, when the writer says he was "German by birth", he was born in Britain wasn't he or is this now being disputed? His first 22 years here, then on to America rather than Germany or France. The music itself not at all Germanic to my ears although I could be wrong.Originally posted by gurnemanz View Post
On paper, the arguments set out in the article seem a bit far fetched. -
He was not merely born in Britain, he was born in Yorkshire (Bradford, to be precise). Though he died in France, he was buried in England. Sure, his parents were German by birth, but he was not.Originally posted by Lateralthinking1 View PostComment
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Perhaps the Indie thinks that Bradford is in Germany? The "headline" writer certainly hasn't read Jessica Duchen's article, which clearly states that Delius "spent the first 22 years of his life in Bradford" and that "his family came fron Germany".
(Much the same points raised by JD here are also to be found in John Bridcut's article in the current BBC Music Magazine, by the way.)[FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]Comment
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There was an amusing misprint in the television review section of last Saturday's Guardian: Friday - Delius - BBC1 - 7.30. That would be the day!Originally posted by gurnemanz View PostComment
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Not only were his parents German "by birth", they remained German, even after the move to Yorkshire. His father moved for business reasons (the wool trade), from Bielefeld in Westphalia, and they settled into an ex-pat German 'wool community' in Bradford. Fritz Delius was born there in 1862 (he changed his name to Frederick only in 1902, 18 years after he left England). He received violin lessons from a German member of the Halle, and went to music college at Leipzig (under Reinecke). His first language was German, though he had learned English early and had attended Bradford Grammar School. He never seems to have taken to England, though he liked the Yorkshire scenery, and considered an opera based on Wuthering Heights (the North Country Sketches are as far as it got). He wrote this to Granville Bantock in 1911, which seems to encapsulate his view of England:Originally posted by Bryn View Post
"I am afraid artistic undertakings are impossible in England - the country is not yet artistically civilised - There is something hopeless about English people in a musical and artistic way and, to be frank, I have entirely lost my interest and prefer to live abroad and make flying visits".
My own view is that Delius was a (the only?) German impressionist, like Debussy was a French one, their music growing out of Chopin, Grieg and Wagner. His Britishness is to be found more in the influence he had on younger composers, most of whom were British. RVW, Moeran, Warlock, Bax all owed him something - and acknowledged it.
The fact that Delius is buried in Surrey was Beecham's doing. He persuaded Jelka to have the body disinterred from Grez-sur-Loing and reburied at Limpsfield, which had no connexion with Delius.Comment
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Julius [Frederick's father] moved to England to further his career as a wool merchant, and became a naturalised British subject in 1850 (wikipedia).Originally posted by Pabmusic View Post
German may have been his "first" language, but English was his language of education and hence presumably his "best" which, together with his English birth, surely makes him English rather than German.Originally posted by Pabmusic View PostMy life, each morning when I dress, is four and twenty hours less. (J Richardson)Comment
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What about a bit of both? His music certainl;y is broadcast on the continent more thyan in this country. I amglad there is a new film about him. I will watch this one!Don’t cry for me
I go where music was born
J S Bach 1685-1750Comment
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There's the proof: neither German nor (merely) English - Delius was a Yorkshireman through-and-through!Originally posted by Pabmusic View Post
My own view is that Delius was a (the only?) German impressionist, like Debussy was a French one, their music growing out of Chopin, Grieg and Wagner. His Britishness is to be found more in the influence he had on younger composers, most of whom were British. RVW, Moeran, Warlock, Bax all owed him something - and acknowledged it.
(Some "impressionist" influences - at least - on Schreker, perhaps?)[FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]Comment
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And on Karg-Elert, Berg, and Zemlinsky too. (And I'm sure I'll think of others!)Originally posted by ferneyhoughgeliebte View PostComment
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When was the Violin Concerto written? I saw, and was entrusted with, his original mss, which I took from London to Great Yarmouth, [don't ask], and he still signed himself 'Fritz' with no crossings out.
He's a mixture of nationalities like most of us if we go back a few years. But British by birth surely.Comment
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Very interesting. The concerto is from 1916, but it wasn't published until 1921 (Augener).Originally posted by salymap View PostComment
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AsPabmusic says Beecham had Delius moved to the cemetery in Limpsfield, Surrey,which I visited years ago.
Then after Beecham's death, his widow had Beecham moved from the beautiful Brookwood cemetery nesr Guildford, to Limpsfield. Whether to retain the Delius connection or for her convenience to visit her husband's grave, I don't know.Comment
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This is beginning to sound like invasion of the body snatchers! Well, maybe not, but you'll get my drift.Originally posted by salymap View PostComment
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An interesting thread folks, if like me you know little about the man and his music. In fairness to the author of the Independent article the “German by Birth” bit is only in the strapline and could be the work of some ignorant sub-editor who had clearly not been listening to COW in April when “Donald Macleod was joined by violinist Tasmin Little and cellist Julian Lloyd Webber to discuss the life and music of Frederick Delius.” ( See how easy it is to lift copy..)
No mention of Eric Fenby in the article.
It's the film I want to see, so thanks for the tip-off. Will I came away wanting to listen to more, or will it be “musical marmite”?
I'm sure Delius admirers will have seen this : A Summer Garden Revisited (with notes)
Just right in this weather ...
And someone posted a note about the BBC 4 documentary here: http://youtu.be/LI7m6v5YVNU The Walk to the Paradise GardenLast edited by Pegleg; 24-05-12, 16:51.Comment
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