DELIUS: ORCHESTRAL & CHORAL WORKS - BEECHAM (7 CDs)

Delius: Orchestral & Choral Works

Jean Pougnet (violin), Betty Beecham (piano), Dora Labbette (soprano) & Sir Thomas Beecham (piano & conductor)

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & London Philharmonic Orchestra

Delius: A Mass of Life
Delius: A Song before sunrise
Delius: A Song of the High Hills
Delius: A Village Romeo and Juliet
Delius: Appalachia (Variations on an old slave song)
Delius: Brigg Fair
Delius: Dance Rhapsody No. 1
Delius: Dance Rhapsody No. 2
Delius: Eventyr (once upon a time)
Delius: Fennimore and Gerda: Intermezzo
Delius: Florida Suite
Delius: In a Summer Garden
Delius: Irmelin Prelude
Delius: Koanga: four excerpts
Delius: Marche Caprice
Delius: On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring
Delius: On the mountains
Delius: Over the hills and far away
Delius: Paris - Song of a Great City
Delius: Piano Concerto in C minor
Delius: Sea Drift
Delius: Selected songs
Delius: Sleigh Ride
Delius: Songs of Sunset
Delius: Summer Evening
Delius: Summer night on the river
Delius: Violin Concerto

No conductor has yet surpassed him in conjuring up to sheer perfection the hidden beauties of Delius's scripts. Those were the words of Eric Fenby, Delius's aide and amanuensis, on Sir Thomas Beecham, a tireless and eloquent champion of the composer's music. This wide-reaching collection extends from much-loved works closely identified with Beecham to more rarely-heard pieces that he only recorded once.