Delius wrote no more poignant a piece than ‘Sea Drift’ – a Walt Whitman setting of lost love as seen through the eyes of a little boy. His African-American-inspired ‘Appalachia’, a magnificent set of variations on a Slavic song is the other major work on this recording and two miniatures conducted by Marriner complete it. The release is one in a series with cover images by Australian artists – in this case the dramatic ‘Atlantis Rising’ by Sydney artist, Peter Mannix.
FREDERICK DELIUS
A Song before Sunrise
La Calinda from Koanga
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Neville Marriner
Sea Drift
Appalachia
John Shirley-Quirk, baritone
London Symphony Chorus
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Richard Hickox
‘…an early example of [Hickox’s] natural affinity with Delius…fresh and dedicated performances…the trusty Marriner items are always good to hear, and the sound throught this generous CD is superb’ *** Penguin Guide