While Spring and Summer Sang: Thomas Beecham and the Music of Frederick Delius - Hardcover

Jenkins, Lyndon

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0754607216 ISBN 13: 9780754607212

Publisher: Routledge, 2005

Synopsis

Sir Thomas Beecham is often described as having 'championed' the music of Frederick Delius, and this is no exaggeration. From the moment he heard Delius's music as a young man, Beecham was captivated by its strange, romantic beauty, and its hold on him remained firm. During the next 50 years, he promoted Delius's music through a series of unrivalled performances, unearthing early pieces, arranging others and recording most of them, sometimes more than once. Lyndon Jenkins provides the first in-depth study of this extraordinary creative relationship. Starting with the first meeting of the composer and conductor in 1907, Jenkins charts Beecham's gradual introduction of Delius's compositions to British and foreign audiences, the operatic premières and revivals, the Delius festivals that he organized in 1929 and 1946, and the formation of the Delius Trust upon the composer's death in 1934. Also described is Beecham's continuing crusade for Delius's music up to his own death in 1961, which included a model edition of the scores, a biography and an internationally celebrated recorded legacy. The book includes a critical discography. Lyndon Jenkins provides a vivid account of an achievement that remains without parallel in the history of British music.

About this title

About the Author

Lyndon Jenkins is a writer, lecturer and broadcaster on music. From 1972-1987 he wrote on music for The Birmingham Post before becoming a regular contributor to BBC Radio 3, BBC World Service and the Independent Radio Network specialising in British music, British artists, and British musical history through documentary programmes on Beecham, Sargent, Maggie Teyte, Eric Fenby, E.J. Moeran, Glyndebourne and many others. He lectures widely on these and a range of other subjects, and has written hundreds of articles on musical subjects for specialist magazines. He gave the first Adrian Boult Lecture in Birmingham in 1986 and was chairman of The Delius Society from 1994-2000. Outside the UK he is especially interested in Scandinavian composers and has broadcast on Finish and Danish radio about Sibelius and Nielsen. He writes CD booklets for EMI, Philips, Naxos, and the Testament and Dutton labels. He is presently Special Projects Manager at Symphony Hall Birmingham, where he assists with the programming, introduces concerts, interviews artists and arranges special events. Publications: Sir Adrian Boult’s Birmingham Years; The Birmingham 78s; The Recorded Works of William Walton; The Music of Arthur Bliss on Record.

Edition details

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0754607216
• ISBN 13: 9780754607212
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 220