Customer Reviews

Delius: On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring [Orchestral Works]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

David Lloyds Jones leads the Royal Scottish Chamber Orchestra in some of the finest performances of Delius ever. This disc deserves to be ranked alongside the interpretations of Beecham and (a personal favourite) Vernon Handley. Here we have an original interpretation of the composer which may be the most satisfying yet. Quite simply David Lloyd Jones allows the music to speak for itself and its celebration of nature is allowed to be heard for its own sake. To borrow a metaphor from painting, this approach works not only on the broad canvas but in the detailed brush strokes with beautiful phrasing of the individual instrumental lines. Speeds are on the relaxed side as the music is allowed to take its own pace, but it never sounds slow, instead the impression is of natural rythms being observed.

The choice of pieces mixes the frequently recorded with some welcome rarities: The third of the three small tone poems Spring Morning, the American Rhapsody and the Fantastic Dance. American Rhapsody is the rarest and deserves special mention, it is a highly attractive piece which prefigures the American Pastoralism of Aaron Copland. The only disappointment is that Naxos didn't fill the disc up, with performances this good you will be wishing that there was a full 75 minutes plus here. As it is there is 64 minutes of pure pleasure. This would be a bargain at full price, at actual bargain price it is simply unmissable.

Delius - a 'green' composer, way before the invention of the term - responded passionately to the seasons and times eg. 'Summer Evening', 'Winter Night' and 'Spring Morning' also, 'On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring', 'Summer Night on the River' and 'A Song before Sunrise'. The Royal Scottish National Orchestra joyfully captures the emotional responsiveness in this music and recreates the sense of place in 'The Walk to the Paradise Garden' and 'American Rhapsody' with its allusions to 'Dixie' and 'Yankee Doodle' and an old Negro work song. In particular the woodwind solos throughout this recording are beautifully evocative. Growing up in Yorkshire, developing in Virginia, climbing in Norway and settling in France, Delius gives fresh importance to the moment and the natural world. These performances are nicely judged and I particularly value the chronological arrangement of these works, making sense of his development as a composer. I did not know the Fantastic dance, - the last ever piece he wrote and it makes an excellent conclusion to this CD. I think you will enjoy this music.

This music is wonderfully relaxing, I am not a fanatic or expert on classical music, I just know what I like in all forms of music from heavy metal to this. I love it.

Many of these were well-known pieces eg the Walk to the Paradise Garden and On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring, but they didn't do anything for me. Maybe familiarity breeds content or I wasn't in the right mood.