Delius: Paris, Florida Suite, Brigg Fair

Frederick Delius’ music has weathered the storms of changing opinion, but the English composer, born in Bradford in 1862, has retained a loyal following throughout. The late conductor Richard Hickox was a great champion of his music and here brings out the best in the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. This album contains three key Delius orchestral works, each rooted in a different country: France, the US and England. Paris: The Song of a Great City, a rich evocation of the French capital, is painted in a glorious swirl of sound. Hickox cultivates a luminous glow from the orchestra, and coaxes impressive levels of detail in the Florida Suite a work inspired by the composer’s time as a manager of an orange grove. “Sunset” is particularly lovely. The evocatively orchestrated Brigg Fair, subtitled ‘An English Rhapsody’, shows both Delius’ fondness and respect for the English folksong tradition.