Delius on BBC4

[Pabmusic]

I think there is scope for different interpretations . I was introduced to Delius by a CfP recording by Handley of many favourite Delius pieces but I love Beecham's way with the music too .

Barbirolli however is probably my favourite conductor of his works ( as so often ! ) not too much perfume not too brisk just splendidly passionate .

Absolutely right. Music should be able to 'take' different interpretations, and most will be valid. They can all be favourites - there's no mutual exclusivity involved. Sometimes I find that I'm not in the mood for - say - Previn in RVW 5 (though it's my favourite) and I get more from the more 'sober' Boult. (Excess of Horlicks, as Beecham might have said )

I think that Beecham was rather clever (or lucky?), in that he created a sort of monopoly in Delius conducting that made it difficult for his contemporaries to 'compete'. Certainly it can seem that Beecham was the one great champion. But Wood, Barbirolli and Sargent also played much Delius (Boult had a rare blind spot) and there are fine recordings from Constant Lambert and Anthony Collins, too. Beecham was truly great in Delius, but it is easy to become blinded into thinking there can be only one authoritative approach to the music, or (and this is more important) that it's 'special' music that needs a 'secret' to conduct successfully. For many years now, conductors have demonstrated that there can be different valid approaches.

[pastoralguy]

I thought Bo Holten spoke very eloquently.

[secondfiddle]

Beecham did a lot for the musical life of this country and spend a lot of his [and his father's]money on doing that. However he could let his tongue run away with him to get an immediate effect, which has not been kind to his memory. He said a lot of silly, and unkind, things but didn't think about them being remembered years after his death. His deeds are what count and mostly they improved the world of music,especially opera and ballet.

Beecham is sometimes wrongly said to have changed the notes when editing Delius’ scores. Virtually all his editing was confined to adding phrasing marks, something that Delius (unlike Elgar) felt unnecessary to put in. Beecham, I feel, was unsurpassed in the interpretation of Delius, but that does not mean his was the only way of interpreting it. Mark Elder’s recent performance of Sea Drift at the RFH was magnificent, but so are the existing recordings that Beecham made of the work. Great music surely shouldn’t exist and be judged by one interpretation of it. The trouble with Delius is that, like a select group of composers, he needs a lot of listening to. Nowadays we seem to be too impatient to make a judgement where music is concerned and don’t always have the time to listen to music properly, especially longer works. For an interesting contrast, I recommend listening to (but not necessarily buying) a performance of Sea Drift that is available on CD conducted by Carl Schuricht who was a great supporter of Delius’s music. Not only does Sea Drift sound different when sung in German (when there are occasionally additional notes to accommodate the German phrasing)but his reading, to my ears at least, sounds completely different from what one hears normally. Is he wrong?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Carl Schuricht who was a great supporter of Delius’s music

As was the late George Tintner, who frequently performed it live:

http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.557242

[amateur51]

My belated but no less sincere thanks to all who have made recommendations about good Delius starter sets - I've made a note but they'll have to wait a while on the list, I'm afraid - but I do have the BBCMM CD now

[VodkaDilc]

I have just finished watching the programme - and found it moderately enjoyable. I have never been a great fan of Delius and don't see that this has made a big difference. I was struck by the scant attention given to Eric Fenby. Have his books and the Russell film given undue prominence to his role in the later part of Delius's life? After all the period footage of Beecham (which I found enormously enjoyable), I might have expected some interviews with Fenby from the archives, but, unless I dropped off (and I almost did once or twice) there were none.

(I find that Mark Elder comes over well in this type of programme - and, as someone else has remarked, Andrew Davis comes over badly. I think many of remember his irritating Last Night of the Proms speeches rather too well.)

[salymap]

I've enjoyed catching up with this thread after quite a break and it's interesting to read all the comments.
I'm glad someone mentioned Sargent and others in the Beecham era, based in London I heard their performances
mostly and agree, Ralph Holmes or Jean Pougnet for the violin concerto.

[Barbirollians]

This appears to be a very cheap way of getting much of Beecham's Delius. The Pougnet Delius Concerto is a delight and the non Delius CD is great fun .

http://http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sir-Thomas-Beecham-English-Bantock/dp/B004FKMHM0/ref=sr_1_8?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1339412289&sr=1-8