On that third LP, “Never for Ever”, the second track was a curiously titled song called “Delius”. As is typical for me, I never gave much thought to what the song was about, lyrically. The music was so interesting I didn’t worry about the subject matter, except that it struck me as pretty obscure whatever it was. I’d learned not to worry too much about whatever Kate Bush’s lyrics were about since so many of her songs seemed fairly esoteric and well, who cares anyway? I still have that kind of reaction to music in general. Unless they’re memorable, interesting or insightful (or obnoxious) I really don’t pay much attention to words of songs. Or maybe not as much as most folks. As it is, the lyrics themselves have a minimalist aesthetic:
DELIUS:
Delius, he's a moody old man
Delius, song of summer in his hand
Delius, he's a moody old man
Delius, in, in, in his hand
Delius, in his hand
Delius
Ta, ta-ta
Hmm
Ta, ta-ta
Delius
Delius amat
Syphilus, Deus
Genius
Delius, to be sung of a summer
Delius, night on the water
Delius, on the water
Delius
Ta, ta-ta
In B, Fenby
Delius
Delius amat
Syphilus, Deus
Genius
To be sung of a summer
Night on the water
On the water
On the water
Hmm….what the blinking hell is that all about? Well, it certainly makes for more interesting mouth noises than “Sussudio” perhaps, but still. Remember, this was all way before the internet so you’d really have to dig deep to glean any kind of information and even then you’d wonder if the story you heard was accurate. This was still the era of the great rock and roll myth machine. In any case, Kate Bush had other bizarre song lyrics so this was not out of the ordinary. I hadn’t heard “Delius” in a long time until I recently played the whole record again……….in case you’ve never heard this particular track:
None of this would have ever mattered a whit to American audiences who basically still don’t know Kate Bush from Frederick Delius then or now. Kate Bush essentially held to her artistic and moral values by refusing to “sell out” or elevate her image above her music. Delius, for a variety of reasons, never quite managed to fit in with composers of his era – Sibelius, Mahler, Shostakovich, Ravel, Debussy – all of these are well known today. Delius was groundbreaking – one of the first serious composers to integrate the harmonies of African-American blues (field-hollers) and folk forms into his pieces long before Gershwin. This influence in particular comes from time the composer spent in Florida, sort of overseeing a family orange grove plantation (mostly he was preoccupied with music and, well, sowing his oats as it were).
From this formative experience sprung his now famous “Florida Suite”. This piece was decisive since it served as the ice-breaker between young Delius and his mentor Edvard Grieg. The elder Norwegian composer took Delius under his wing, resulting in Delius devoting his attention to composing full-time. Prior to this he was under the weight of his overbearing father’s wrath. It is no surprise that the young Delius, though British by birth, escapes Britain any chance he gets. Florida was first, France – Paris in particular – would be second. When one considers the variety of influences Delius brings to the table – born into a German family in England, spending time in America, befriending Norwegian composer Grieg and ultimately settling in France at the peak of the influence of the impressionist age – it’s no wonder that the resulting music from Delius’s mind explodes with originality.
For a very in-depth view into the life, work and legacy of this fascinating man, here is a link to a documentary done by the BBC in recent years.
http://youtu.be/uTVhBhPzPQA
Although it is extremely well done and informative, I hesitate to post the actual film here, mainly due to a bit of extra skin in one part that renders it perhaps family unfriendly. For those of less puritanical tastes, it really is quite innocent (although those depicted were decidedly NOT). Of course, the cautionary tale is that Delius’s fascination with the carnal endeavors would prove his own undoing – culminating in his contracting syphilus at 33 in an age where no cure existed. His final days of blindness and paralysis were evidently portrayed well in the Fenby-inspired film above.
What both films also display is the reality, in many cases, that composers can be cantankerous, narcissistic creepos of the highest order. And those who dedicate themselves to bringing that art into being – as Fenby did – do so at the risk of their own sanity. Fenby was not the first, nor last, to tread such a perilous path in the name of art. Total madness, if you ask me. But such can be the price of great music. I doubt it has to be that way. Genius can be a real pain the butt – an excuse for outlandish behavior that ultimately fails to convince (at least for me).
My own exposure to the music of Delius has been limited to four albums I managed to rescue from thrift stores. In some ways the music reminds me of a cross between Debussy and Charles Ives – particularly with the influence of American motifs, as can be heard clearly in the Appalachia piece. Note how all but one of these albums feature the conducting of Sir Thomas Beecham – for many years the sole champion of Delius’s music. Later on Sir John Barbirolli would also help to get Delius’s compositions before the public. If there is any one common aesthetic to every piece I’ve heard (which admittedly is not that many) it sounds to me like freedom or a yearning for freedom.
What I like so much about lesser known composers like Delius is how they can provide for fresh listening experiences, away from the main repertoire. I have to admit, although I am not fully conversant with what has come to be known as that main “rep” – a process I’m still working on (and quite happily) – I do consciously seek out material from the fringes and / or the more “modern” aesthetic. Along with the Delius albums I’ve managed to drag home music by composers such as Nielsen, Rubbra and others whose music I have only just begun to hear. Sometimes even offbeat records can yield surprising favorites.
For example, I’ve been fascinated by those bizarre Westminster Gold releases from the early 70s with the wacky covers. I recently picked up this generic looking thing featuring music from a variety of lesser-known composers – names like Lavry, Voss and Bax. The latter I’d heard of before, but not the others. Well, this funky looking record is pretty awesome! A pleasant surprise, especially when I wasn’t expecting much. Not all “modern” music has to be abrasive and this record is a good example.
For some slightly abrasive modern sounds I decided to pick up this album by Elliot Carter.
The music isn’t overly obnoxious, but it does require a bit of getting one’s ear attuned to the proceedings. Elliot Carter recently left the planet at a rather advanced age. This LP is my first step towards rectifying my total ignorance about his musical output. So far so good!
When one considers how much off-beat music did manage to get released in the “LP-era” it must be remembered that the recording industry as a whole was able to sustain a fair amount of un-commercial music product due to the massive units of Elton John and Fleetwood Mac albums that were sold. The business was large enough to warrant some experimental releases without chipping away too much at the profit margin. As long as the major companies could count on the big sellers, taking a risk at a handful of esoteric releases was not such a big deal. This logic worked even for Kate Bush who never promoted her music in quite the way I’m sure her American record label would have liked her to. The originality of her work was enough to carry her career across decades. In some ways, she and Delius were very much alike in their respective uncompromising stance to their art.
What draws me to this kind of music is also the understanding that music of this nature is quickly receding – not only from the marketplace, but from the very fabric of modern culture. Strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, choruses creating lengthy tone-poems and symphonic expressions have never been at such odds with the majority of musical sounds in the general modern environs. Radio, tv, movies – all of the major sound outlets now depend on digital, electronic / computer based sounds and compositions. Hearing large string sections with orchestral instruments for long stretches is such a radical departure from the everyday sonic norm of the current times – it’s downright radical. To me, a worthy antidote to an already overly-mechanized, technology-dependent, so-called “modern” society. There are other vibrations to consider on the journey, indeed! Keep seeking and listening!
