Frederick DELIUS (1862-1934)
Delius Series - Volume 4 - French Masterworks
Prelude to opera Margot la Rouge (1901-02) [3:40]
In a Summer Garden (1908) [15:43]
Five Songs to words by Paul Verlaine: (Il pleure dans
mon cœur(1895) orch. c.1915 Philip Heseltine
[2:53]; Le ciel est, par-dessus le toit (1895) orch.
c.1915 Philip Heseltine [2:36]; La lune blanche (1910)
orch. c.1915 Philip Heseltine [2:22]; Chanson d'automne
(1911) orch. 2011 Bo Holten [2:10]; Avant que tu ne t'en
ailles (1919) orch. 2011 Bo Holten [3:37])
Paris: A Nocturne (The Song of a Great City)
for orchestra (1899-1900) [21:00]
Henriette Bonde-Hansen (soprano)
Aarhus Symphony Orchestra/Bo Holten
rec. 10 October, 21 December 2011; 21/24 May 2012, Symfonisk
Sal, Musikhuset Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark
DANACORD DACOCD 728 [54:08]
In 2012 the year of the 150th anniversary of Delius’s
birth it is good to see a good number of releases of Delius’s
music.
With this disc Danacord’s Delius series surefootedly piloted
by Bo Holten has reached volume 4. The series commenced in 2007
with volume 1 Danish Masterworks quickly followed the
same year by volume 2 Norwegian Masterworks. After a
five year gap the series recommenced earlier this year with
volume 3 English Masterworks. The Aarhus Symphony Orchestra,
Denmark is not one of the best known orchestras yet this Delius
series has been a sheer delight from start to finish. Continuing
the Danish theme Holten has conducted all four volumes and another
consistent factor is the impressive singing of leading Danish
soprano Henriette Bonde-Hansen.
It was in 1888 that Delius aged 26 left the Leipzig Conservatoire
for Paris. Delius had begun to cultivate friendships with members
of the cultural side of Parisian society. During the First World
War, apart from some time spent in England and Norway, Delius
made France his home, living with Jelka Rosenat Grez-sur-LoingnearFontainebleau.
He later married Jelka in 1903. The works on this release were
written between 1895/1919 spanning some 24 years which is roughly
the first half of Delius’s period in France. The opening
work is the Prelude to the one act opera or lyric drama
Margot la Rouge. Composed in 1901/02 to a libretto
by Berthe Gaston-Danville (pseudonym Mme. Rosenval) this verismo
opera is a melodrama based on seedy Parisian life and is set
in a backstreet café/bar. Composed in 1908 and titled
‘a fantasy for orchestra’ In a Summer Garden
could easily be a musical depiction of Delius’s garden
at Grez. Delius appended to the score several lines of verse
by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Between the years 1895 and 1919 Delius
wrote songs to words by the French poet Paul Verlaine, an adherent
of the nineteenth century art movement known as Symbolism. The
five songs were not conceived as a cycle but they have been
suitably grouped here. Delius expressly wished all his Verlaine
settings to be sung in French. The first two songs Il pleure
dans mon cæur (Tears fall in my heart) and Le ciel
est, par-dessus le toit (The sky above the roof), both written
in 1895, were orchestrated about 1915 by Philip Heseltine. From
1910 the third song La lune blanche (The white moon)
is again a Heseltine make-over but it came later in 1915. The
final two songs Chanson d'automne (Autumn Song) from
1911 and Avant que tu ne t'en ailles (Before you go away)
from 1919 were both orchestrated by Bo Holten in 2011; I would
imagine especially for this recording. The final work on the
release and the longest is his tone poem Paris: A
Nocturne (The Song of a Great City) for large orchestra.
It was written in 1899-1900 at Grez. Delius held a great affection
for Paris as suggested by the score’s full title Paris,
A Night Piece - The Song of a Great City. Delius champion
Sir Thomas Beecham conducted the British première of
Paris in 1908. I learned that after Delius’s death
Fredrick Ashton choreographed the score as a ballet danced by
Margot Fonteyn at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London in
1936.
Danish-born Bo Holten conducts attractive and sensitive performances
revealing the orchestra’s sure predilection for Delius.
Bonde-Hansen is a light attractive soprano, with clear diction
who is able to project her voice well. Maybe some listeners
will find the Danish soprano’s fluttery vibrato uncomfortable
listening. I did at first but it was a feature I soon became
accustomed to. My only cause for concern about this release,
not one that bothers me unduly but may distract others, is the
initial sameness of the Delian soundworld. At first hearing
all the works on the release generally share dreamy and shimmering,
atmospheric writing with seemingly little in the way of melodic
variation. More concentrated listening will reveal numerous
subtle differences but they are not necessarily obvious. The
sound quality is clear and warmly atmospheric with a decent
balance. I can favourably report that full French texts with
English translations are included in the booklet. In addition
the liner-notes state that these are the first recordings of
the orchestral songs in French.
On this Danacord issue everything about these performances feels
just right. Beautifully performed and recorded this release
will become a treasured disc in my Delius collection.
Michael Cookson
Everything about these performances feels just right.
Other Delius on Danacord
DACOCD536
Danish Masterworks
DACOCD592
Norwegian Masterworks
DACOCD717
Rare Historic Delius
DACOCD721
English Masterworks