"Florida Suite" for Orchestra - Frederick Delius
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- Опубліковано 7 січ 2025
- Ulster Orchestra conducted by Vernon Handley.
I - Daybreak. Andante moderato - Pochissimo animato - Tempo primo - Dance. Allegretto - Tempo I - Andante: 0:00
II - By the River. Andantino: 11:16
III - Sunset. Moderato - Poco più animato - Molto più lento, tranquillo - Near the Plantation. Allegretto - Più animato - Molto agitato - Con fuoco - Molto tranquillo - Più lento: 17:59
IV - At Night. Andante moderato - Più tranquillo: 28:37
Delius' Florida Suite was composed between 1886-7, while he was studying in the Leipzig Conservatory. It was premiered on spring of 1888, performed by the musicians of the band at Bonorand's restaurant in the Rosenthal Park conducted by Hans Sitt. It was a private performance whose attendees were Edvard Grieg, Christian Sinding and Delius himself, who paid the musicians with a barrel of rum. It was not performed again until 1937, three years after his death, when Sir Thomas Beecham performed it with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
The work was inspired by the bright landscapes and balmy weather of Florida, which he experienced while spending time managing an orange grove between 1884-5 near Jacksonville, centred around the St. Johns River. This new setting, full of tropical beauty, sultry heat, and naturally vibrant colours and smells, jolted Delius into realizing his true calling: music. It was when he was sitting on the verandah of his splendid plantation house on a warm summer's night. Through the lush gloom of swamps and orange trees floated the richly harmonized voices of the black plantation workers, singing a traditional song.
The first movement is structured as a rhapsody. It begins with string tremoli and texture effects that represent the sun rising in the sky and light spilling onto the brilliant oranges and greens of the plantation. A lyrical theme is presented by the clarinet with voluptuosity, blossoming in a richly coloured passage of great beauty. The second section then begins, a dance titled "La Calinda". Delius liked this second part so much that he reused it as a dance in his opera "Koanga". The horn briefly recapitulates the lyrical theme, leading us to a calm coda.
The second movement is written in ternary form. It opens with undulating lines on the wood that represent the St. Johns River. A romantic and opulent main theme is then presented by strings, expressively unfolded. The central section begins with a lyrical second theme on the cellos, before the main theme is brightly recapitulated. The calmness and steady rhythm of this movement guides the music into a peaceful end.
The third movement is also rhapsodic in nature. It begins with a lyrical theme on cellos as the suns sets on the horizon. An exuberant climax is reached, after which a dance theme is introduced of Spanish origin, representing the black workers lively dancing in the plantation. It is calmly recapitulated after an energetic climax, before the lyrical opening theme lusciously reappears, which leads us to a calm conclusion.
The fourth movement is a nocturne in two parts. It opens with strings tremoli, clarinet and horn quartet presenting a slow, contemplative theme in form of a spiritual. It is richly exposed with nocturnal colours. A second theme in form of a delicate love song is then presented by strings, fleshed out in a romantic and expressive manner. The horns recapitulate the opening spiritual, before a peaceful coda ends the work lyrically.
Picture: "Fort George Island" (1880) by the American painter Thomas Moran.
Musical analysis mostly written by myself. Sources: bit.ly/3mPPZd7 and bit.ly/3KDqYda
To check the score: bit.ly/3GK2P3h
With the heat crisis we have here down south, this could be a momentary solace. Thank you Delius.
YOO!!! Love my boy Delius, only composer to ever really write about my home state of Florida 😭😭
@jaxrblx -- Spent 40 years in Hallandale Beach.....BRAVO....and Cheers from Acapulco!
Я глубоко благодарен Интернету и персонально Серджио Кановасу за то, что открыли для меня ещё одного гения настоящей Музыки, британского композитора Фредерика Делиуса! Я прожил по сути целую жизнь, но никогда даже не слышал о таком композиторе, хотя с отличием окончил в СССР музыкальную школу. И теперь для меня этот гениальный композитор - второе открытие после Эдварда Элгара!
Музыка "Cюиты Флорида" просто волшебна! Каждая часть, из четырёх, характеризуется своей прекрасной мелодией, которые настолько красивы, что, невольно, утверждают в мысли, что настоящего композитора, прежде всего, отличает талант находить свою, особую мелодию, которая поражает своей красотой преданного слушателя, обогащая его и делая счастливее. Как меня, в этот вечер!
Особо хочу отметить, что эта Музыка, кроме мелодий, отличается и богатой оркестровкой, создавая поистине
широкую и эпическую картину происходящего! Волшебная Музыка!
Браво Ольстерскому оркестру! Безукоризненное исполнение настоящих мастеров! Браво маэстро Вернону Хендли!
Юрий Тригубенко. Архитектор из Харькова. Украина. 15.04.2024 г.
Such beautiful work. Delius' sets himself apart from many of the other English pastoral composers in the wonderful sensuality of his music, much in evidence here.
Reminds me of ..Brideshead ....bbc tv series....
I would like to hear his violin and cello ctos and his double cto.
Perhaps for the next occasion
Did Delius also write symphonies?
Unfortunately not
@@SergioCánovasCM Thank you 🙂 This is really unfortunate, because his music is most interesting.
If it serves as a consolation, this work is probably the closest he ever got to write one.