Short bio Frederick Delius
Birthday:
1862 in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England
Died:
1934 in Grez-sur-Loing, France
Active:
1890s - 1920s
Genre:
Classical
Period:
20th Century, Post-Romantic
Full biography Frederick Delius
Frederick Delius was an English composer born in 1862 in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. Delius' family had a long-standing tradition in the textile industry, but he chose to pursue a career in music instead.
After studying music at the Leipzig Conservatory in Germany, Delius traveled extensively throughout Europe, seeking new influences and inspiration for his compositions. His music typically reflected the influence of the impressionist and post-romantic movements, and is characterized by lush harmonies and colorful orchestrations.
Some of Delius' most famous works include The Walk to the Paradise Garden, On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring, and Brigg Fair. Despite being deaf in his later years, he continued to compose music with the help of his assistant, Eric Fenby, until his death in France in 1934.
Delius' music was not widely recognized during his lifetime, but has since gained critical acclaim as a key example of British impressionist music. He was not afraid to experiment with new compositional techniques and was known for his innovative musical contributions that marked the transition between Romanticism and modernism.
Compositions featuring Frederick Delius
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aquarelles (2), for strings (arr. by Fenby from 2 songs "to be sung on a summer night") | 4:33 min | Orchestral | 1936 |
| 2 | Fennimore and Gerda Intermezzo, for orchestra (arr. by Fenby from interludes from opera "Fennimore and Gerda") | 5:20 min | Orchestral | 1936 |
| 3 | Idyll: Once I passed thro' a populous City, for soprano, baritone & orchestra, RT iii/10 | 20:58 min | Vocal Music | 1932 |
| 4 | Fantastic Dance, for orchestra, RT vi/28 | 3:41 min | Orchestral | 1931 |
| 5 | Irmelin, prelude for orchestra, RT vi/27 | 5:13 min | Orchestral | 1931 |
| 6 | A Song of Summer, for orchestra, RT vi/26 | 10:45 min | Orchestral | 1930 |
| 7 | Caprice and Elegy, for cello & chamber orchestra, RT vii/8 | 7:40 min | Orchestral | 1930 |
| 8 | Sonata for violin & piano No. 3, RT viii/10 | 16:41 min | Chamber Music | 1930 |
| 9 | Songs of Farewell, for double chorus & orchestra, RT ii/9 | 18:54 min | Choral | 1930 |
| 10 | A Late Lark, song for tenor & small orchestra, RT iii/6 | 5:10 min | Vocal Music | 1929 |
| 11 | Cynara, song for baritone & orchestra, RT iii/5 | 10:13 min | Vocal Music | 1929 |
| 12 | Pieces (5) for piano, RT ix/7 | 8:55 min | Keyboard | 1923 |
| 13 | Preludes (3) for piano, RT ix/8 | 3:47 min | Keyboard | 1923 |
| 14 | Sonata for violin & piano No. 2, RT viii/9 | 12:37 min | Chamber Music | 1923 |
| 15 | The splendour falls on castle walls, for chorus, RT iv/6 | 3:24 min | Choral | 1923 |
| 16 | Cello Concerto, RT vii/7 | 23:43 min | Concerto | 1921 |
| 17 | Hassan, incidental music, RT i/9 | 33:29 min | Orchestral | 1920 |
| 18 | Avant que tu ne t'en ailles, song for voice & piano, RT v/31 | 3:30 min | Vocal Music | 1919 |
| 19 | Dance, for harpsichord in A minor, RT ix/6 | 2:15 min | Keyboard | 1919 |
| 20 | A Song Before Sunrise, for small orchestra, RT vi/24 | 6:02 min | Orchestral | 1918 |
| 21 | Poem of Life and Love, for orchestra | 18:15 min | Orchestral | 1918 |
| 22 | Eventyr (Once upon a Time), ballad for orchestra, RT vi/23 | 16:06 min | Orchestral | 1917 |
| 23 | To be sung of a summer night on the water, songs (2) for chorus, RT iv/5 | 4:07 min | Choral | 1917 |
| 24 | A Dance Rhapsody (No. 2), for orchestra, RT vi/22 | 8:08 min | Orchestral | 1916 |
| 25 | Double Concerto, for violin, cello & orchestra, RT vii/5 | 20:58 min | Concerto | 1916 |
| 26 | Old English Lyrics, songs (4) for voice & piano, RT v/30 | 9:09 min | Vocal Music | 1916 |
| 27 | Requiem, for soprano, baritone, double chorus & orchestra, RT ii/8 | 30:53 min | Choral | 1916 |
| 28 | Sonata for cello and piano, RT viii/7 | 13:39 min | Chamber Music | 1916 |
| 29 | String Quartet No. 2, RT viii/8 | 27:46 min | Chamber Music | 1916 |
| 30 | Violin Concerto, RT vii/6 | 25:05 min | Concerto | 1916 |
| 31 | Air & Dance, for string orchestra, RT vi/21 | 4:54 min | Orchestral | 1915 |
| 32 | To Daffodils, song for voice & piano | 2:24 min | Vocal Music | 1915 |
| 33 | North Country Sketches, for orchestra, RT vi/20 | 26:14 min | Orchestral | 1914 |
| 34 | Sonata for violin & piano No. 1, RT viii/6 | 20:21 min | Chamber Music | 1914 |
| 35 | I-Brasîl, song for voice & piano, RT v/28 | 3:32 min | Vocal Music | 1913 |
| 36 | Songs (2) for Children, for chorus & piano, RT v/29 | 4:33 min | Choral | 1913 |
| 37 | On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring, tone poem for orchestra (Pieces for small orchestra, No. 1), RT vi/19/1 | 6:26 min | Orchestral | 1912 |
| 38 | Pieces (2) for small orchestra, RT vi/19 | 10:34 min | Orchestral | 1912 |
| 39 | A Song of the High Hills, for wordless chorus & orchestra, RT ii/6 | 27:08 min | Choral | 1911 |
| 40 | An Arabesk, for baritone, chorus & orchestra, RT ii/7 | 12:38 min | Choral | 1911 |
| 41 | Chanson d'automne, song for voice & piano, RT v/27 | 2:01 min | Vocal Music | 1911 |
| 42 | Summer Night on the River, tone poem for orchestra (Pieces for small orchestra, No. 2), RT vi/19/2 | 6:22 min | Orchestral | 1911 |
| 43 | Fennimore and Gerda, opera, RT i/8 | 54:22 min | Opera | 1910 |
| 44 | La lune blanche, song for voice & piano, RT v/26 | 2:17 min | Vocal Music | 1910 |
| 45 | The nightingale has a lyre of gold, song for voice & piano (or orchestra), RT v/25 | 1:53 min | Vocal Music | 1910 |
| 46 | In a Summer Garden, rhapsody for orchestra, RT vi/17 | 14:16 min | Orchestral | 1909 |
| 47 | A Dance Rhapsody (No. 1), for orchestra, RT vi/18 | 12:48 min | Orchestral | 1908 |
| 48 | Midsummer Song, for wordless chorus, RT iv/4 | 2:06 min | Choral | 1908 |
| 49 | Wanderer's Song, for male chorus, RT iv/3 | 3:37 min | Vocal Music | 1908 |
| 50 | Brigg Fair (An English Rhapsody), for orchestra, RT vi/16 | 16:11 min | Orchestral | 1907 |
| 51 | On Craig Dhu, for chorus, RT iv/2 | 3:52 min | Choral | 1907 |
| 52 | Piano Concerto in C minor, RT vii/4 | 23:30 min | Concerto | 1907 |
| 53 | Songs of Sunset, for mezzo-soprano, baritone, chorus & orchestra, RT ii/5 | 31:11 min | Choral | 1907 |
| 54 | A Mass of Life (Eine Messe des Lebens), for soloists, chorus & orchestra, RT ii/4 | 98:50 min | Choral | 1905 |
| 55 | Sea Drift, for baritone, chorus & orchestra, RT ii/3 | 24:56 min | Choral | 1904 |
| 56 | Appalachia (Variations on an old slave song), for baritone, chorus & orchestra, RT ii/2 | 35:04 min | Choral | 1902 |
| 57 | Margot la Rouge, 1 act lyric drama, RT i/7 | Opera | 1902 | |
| 58 | Summer Landscape, song for voice & piano (or orchestra), RT v/24 | 3:13 min | Vocal Music | 1902 |
| 59 | A Village Romeo & Juliet, lyric drama, RT i/6 | 109:54 min | Opera | 1901 |
| 60 | Black Roses, song for voice & piano (or orchestra), RT v/22 | 2:39 min | Vocal Music | 1901 |
| 61 | I hear in the night, song for voice & piano, RT v/23 | 2:12 min | Vocal Music | 1901 |
| 62 | Life's Dance, symphonic poem for orchestra, RT vi/15 | 14:25 min | Orchestral | 1901 |
| 63 | The Walk To the Paradise Garden, for orchestra (Interlude from "A Village Romeo & Juliet") | 9:46 min | Orchestral | 1901 |
| 64 | Danish Songs (2), for voice & piano or orchestra, RT v/21 | 2:48 min | Vocal Music | 1900 |
| 65 | Paris: A Nocturne (The Song of a Great City), for orchestra, RT vi/14 | 21:59 min | Orchestral | 1899 |
| 66 | In bliss we walked with laughter, song for voice & piano, RT v/20 | 2:20 min | Vocal Music | 1898 |
| 67 | Nietzchelieder, for voice & piano, RT v/19 | 6:36 min | Vocal Music | 1898 |
| 68 | Traum Rosen, song for voice & piano, RT v/18 | 2:08 min | Vocal Music | 1898 |
| 69 | Zarathustra's Night Song, baritone, male chorus & orchestra, RT ii/1 | 2:46 min | Choral | 1898 |
| 70 | Danish Songs (7), for voice & orchestra or piano, RT iii/4 | 16:44 min | Vocal Music | 1897 |
| 71 | Koanga, opera, RT i/4 | 44:26 min | Opera | 1897 |
| 72 | Norwegian Suite, for orchestra (from incidental music to "Folkeraadet"), RT i/5 | 23:18 min | Orchestral | 1897 |
| 73 | Over the Hills and Far Away, fantasy overture for orchestra, RT vi/11 | 13:24 min | Orchestral | 1897 |
| 74 | Appalachia (American Rhapsody), for orchestra, RT vi/12 | 9:40 min | Orchestral | 1896 |
| 75 | Romance, for cello & piano, RT viii/5 | 6:10 min | Chamber Music | 1896 |
| 76 | Légende, for violin & orchestra (or piano) in E flat major, RT vii/3 | 8:20 min | Concerto | 1895 |
| 77 | Melodies (2), for voice & piano (or orchestra), RT v/16 | 5:31 min | Vocal Music | 1895 |
| 78 | The Magic Fountain, opera, RT i/3 | Opera | 1895 | |
| 79 | The Page sat in the lofty Tower, song for voice & piano, RT v/17 | 1:28 min | Vocal Music | 1895 |
| 80 | Nuages, song for voice & piano, RT v/15 | 2:47 min | Vocal Music | 1893 |
| 81 | Irmelin, opera, RT i/2 | 3:54 min | Opera | 1892 |
| 82 | Paa Vidderne (On the Heights), tone poem for orchestra, RT vi/10 | 19:39 min | Orchestral | 1892 |
| 83 | Sonata for violin & piano in B major, RT viii/3 | 25:28 min | Chamber Music | 1892 |
| 84 | Dreamy Nights, song for voice & piano, RT v/13 | 3:01 min | Vocal Music | 1891 |
| 85 | English Songs (3), for voice & piano, RT v/12 | 7:55 min | Vocal Music | 1891 |
| 86 | Jeh havde en nyskaaren Seljefløjte, song for voice & piano, RT v/14 | 2:04 min | Vocal Music | 1891 |
| 87 | Maud, song cycle for tenor & orchestra, RT iii/3 | Vocal Music | 1891 | |
| 88 | Skogen gir susende langsam besked, song for voice & piano, RT v/10 | 1:57 min | Vocal Music | 1891 |
| 89 | Songs (4) for voice & piano, RT v/11 | Vocal Music | 1891 | |
| 90 | Badinage, for piano, RT ix/4 | 2:41 min | Keyboard | 1890 |
| 91 | Petit Suite, for orchestra, RT vi/6 | 3:47 min | Orchestral | 1890 |
| 92 | Pieces (2) for piano, RT ix/5 | 3:35 min | Keyboard | 1890 |
| 93 | Small Tone Poems (3), for orchestra, RT vi/7 | 19:21 min | Orchestral | 1890 |
| 94 | Songs (7) from the Norwegian, for voice & piano, RT v/9 | 14:43 min | Vocal Music | 1890 |
| 95 | Suite of 3 characteristic pieces, for orchestra, RT vi/6a | Orchestral | 1890 | |
| 96 | Chanson de Fortunio, song for voice & piano, RT v/8 | 2:31 min | Vocal Music | 1889 |
| 97 | Idylle de printemps, for orchestra, RT vi/5 | 9:10 min | Orchestral | 1889 |
| 98 | Romance, for violin & piano, RT viii/2 | 5:20 min | Chamber Music | 1889 |
| 99 | Sakuntala, for tenor & orchestra, RT iii/2 | Vocal Music | 1889 | |
| 100 | Hiawatha, tone poem for orchestra, RT vi/2 | 17:27 min | Orchestral | 1888 |
| 101 | Hochgebirgsleben, song for voice & piano, RT v/6 | 3:18 min | Vocal Music | 1888 |
| 102 | O schneller mein Ross, song for voice & piano, RT v/7 | 1:43 min | Vocal Music | 1888 |
| 103 | Paa Vidderne (On the Heights), melodrama for reciter & orchestra, RT iii/1 | 40:20 min | Vocal Music | 1888 |
| 104 | Songs (5) from the Norwegian, for voice & piano, RT v/5 | 17:26 min | Vocal Music | 1888 |
| 105 | String Quartet, RT viii/1 (incomplete; first movement lost) | 25:52 min | Chamber Music | 1888 |
| 106 | Suite, for violin and orchestra, RT vii/1 | 18:30 min | Orchestral | 1888 |
| 107 | Florida, suite for orchestra, RT vi/1 | 37:12 min | Orchestral | 1887 |
| 108 | Norwegian Sleigh Ride, RT ix/3 | 6:01 min | Keyboard | 1887 |
| 109 | Der Fichtenbaum, song for voice & piano, RT v/4 | 1:17 min | Vocal Music | 1886 |
| 110 | Over the Mountains High, song for voice & piano, RT v/2 | 2:52 min | Vocal Music | 1885 |
| 111 | Partsongs (6), for chorus, RT iv/1 | 11:19 min | Choral | 1885 |
| 112 | Pensées mélodieuses, for piano, RT ix/2 | Keyboard | 1885 | |
| 113 | Two Brown Eyes, song for voice & piano, RT v/3 | 0:50 min | Vocal Music | 1885 |
| 114 | Zum Carnival Polka, for piano, RT ix/1 | 2:20 min | Keyboard | 1885 |
| 115 | Irmelin Suite, for orchestra (arr. Beecham) | 17:09 min | Orchestral | - |
| 116 | La Calinda, for orchestra (arrangement by Fenby of the dance from Act 2 of Koanga) | 4:09 min | Orchestral | - |
| 117 | Late Swallows, for strings (arr. by Fenby from the 3rd movement of String Quartet No. 2) | 10:21 min | Orchestral | - |
| 118 | Sonata for strings (arr. by Fenby from String Quartet No. 2) | 28:54 min | Chamber Music | - |
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