Delius was inspired to compose the Double Concerto after attending a December 1914 performance of the Hallé Orchestra under conductor Thomas Beecham in Manchester. The concert featured Johannes Brahms's Double Concerto in A minor performed by sisters May and Beatrice Harrison, to whom Delius was introduced after the concert by music critic Samuel Langford. Though his opinion of Brahms's Double Concerto was never recorded, Delius agreed to write a concerto for the Harrison sisters and began work on the composition by April 1915, frequently consulting the sisters during its creation.[1]
The piece was completed in June 1915 during a relatively dry creative period for Delius (the only other composition he'd finished in a year's time was Air and Dance for string orchestra). After its completion, Delius, in ailing health, and his wife Jelka returned to Grez-sur-Loing, France. Delius later described any time spent away from his work in Watford as "an unpleasant dream."[1]
CompositionEdit
A performance of the Double Concerto lasts approximately twenty minutes and, similar to his subsequent violin and cello concertos, the work is composed in one continuous movement.[1][2]
Andrew Clements of The Guardian wrote of the Double Concerto, along with Delius's violin and cello concertos, saying, "...they all sound as if they were carved out of the same creative block, in which conventional concerto dialogues are replaced by less confrontational rhapsodising with soloists, and orchestra combining to unfold Delius's long-limbed melodies."[3] Anthony Burton of BBC Music Magazine similarly opined, "Unusually for [Delius], they have no acknowledged starting point in narrative or landscape: their lyrical flow seems to stem rather from the very nature of the solo instruments. But all three round off their coherent single-movement forms with codas suffused by Delius’s characteristic sunset glow of nostalgia."[4] Music critic Michael Cookson said of the piece, "The double concerto displays much of the composer’s individuality, comprising many differing melodic ideas presented in a rather agitated manner, yet the work has an appealing robustness and remains one of my favourite Delius works."[5]
^Service, Tom (5 December 2011). "Delius's string concertos may be unfashionable – but I love them". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
^Clements, Andrew (27 October 2011). "Delius: Double Concerto; Violin Concerto; Cello Concerto: Little/Watkins/BBC SO/Davis: review". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
^Burton, Anthony (20 January 2012). "Delius: Double Concerto; Violin Concerto; Cello Concerto". BBC Music Magazine. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
^Cookson, Michael (2 December 2002). "Frederick DELIUS (1862-1934) Paris - Song of a Great City, for orchestra..." MusicWeb International. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
August 25, 2023
double, concerto, delius, double, concerto, violin, cello, orchestra, frederick, delius, double, concerto, violin, cello, orchestra, minor, composed, between, april, june, 1915, while, delius, lived, watford, england, work, dedicated, sister, violinist, harris. The Double Concerto for Violin Cello and Orchestra by Frederick Delius is a double concerto for violin cello and orchestra in C minor composed between April and June 1915 while Delius lived in Watford England The work is dedicated to the sister duo of violinist May Harrison and cellist Beatrice Harrison who premiered the piece under conductor Henry Wood on February 21 1920 in Queen s Hall London 1 Contents 1 Background 2 Composition 2 1 Instrumentation 3 Reception 4 See also 5 ReferencesBackground EditDelius was inspired to compose the Double Concerto after attending a December 1914 performance of the Halle Orchestra under conductor Thomas Beecham in Manchester The concert featured Johannes Brahms s Double Concerto in A minor performed by sisters May and Beatrice Harrison to whom Delius was introduced after the concert by music critic Samuel Langford Though his opinion of Brahms s Double Concerto was never recorded Delius agreed to write a concerto for the Harrison sisters and began work on the composition by April 1915 frequently consulting the sisters during its creation 1 The piece was completed in June 1915 during a relatively dry creative period for Delius the only other composition he d finished in a year s time was Air and Dance for string orchestra After its completion Delius in ailing health and his wife Jelka returned to Grez sur Loing France Delius later described any time spent away from his work in Watford as an unpleasant dream 1 Composition EditA performance of the Double Concerto lasts approximately twenty minutes and similar to his subsequent violin and cello concertos the work is composed in one continuous movement 1 2 Instrumentation Edit The work is scored for solo violin and cello accompanied by an orchestra comprising two flutes oboe two clarinets English horn two bassoons four French horns two trumpets three trombones tuba timpani harp and strings Reception EditAndrew Clements of The Guardian wrote of the Double Concerto along with Delius s violin and cello concertos saying they all sound as if they were carved out of the same creative block in which conventional concerto dialogues are replaced by less confrontational rhapsodising with soloists and orchestra combining to unfold Delius s long limbed melodies 3 Anthony Burton of BBC Music Magazine similarly opined Unusually for Delius they have no acknowledged starting point in narrative or landscape their lyrical flow seems to stem rather from the very nature of the solo instruments But all three round off their coherent single movement forms with codas suffused by Delius s characteristic sunset glow of nostalgia 4 Music critic Michael Cookson said of the piece The double concerto displays much of the composer s individuality comprising many differing melodic ideas presented in a rather agitated manner yet the work has an appealing robustness and remains one of my favourite Delius works 5 See also EditList of compositions by Frederick Delius List of double concertos for violin and celloReferences Edit a b c d Lee Browne Martin Guinery Paul 2014 Delius and His Music Boydell amp Brewer published 1 October 2014 pp 352 260 ISBN 978 1843839590 Service Tom 5 December 2011 Delius s string concertos may be unfashionable but I love them The Guardian Retrieved 18 April 2015 Clements Andrew 27 October 2011 Delius Double Concerto Violin Concerto Cello Concerto Little Watkins BBC SO Davis review The Guardian Retrieved 18 April 2015 Burton Anthony 20 January 2012 Delius Double Concerto Violin Concerto Cello Concerto BBC Music Magazine Retrieved 18 April 2015 Cookson Michael 2 December 2002 Frederick DELIUS 1862 1934 Paris Song of a Great City for orchestra MusicWeb International Retrieved 18 April 2015 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Double Concerto Delius amp oldid 1119079159, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
