Delius: Orchestral Works, Vol. 3 (Beecham) (1928, 1938)

Winner of the Prix Albert de Sutter 2000

"There always was a unique alchemy between the art of Sir Thomas Beecham and the music of Frederick Delius, and you can detect it in every bar of this remarkable January 1938 recording of Appalachia. It is, quite simply, a performance to cherish, its beaming dedication, wistful heartache and rapt wonder leaving the listener in no doubt Sir Thomas' boundless love for a work that served as his introduction to the composer. David Lennick's transfers have been admirably managed, Appalachia now sounding rather more open and full-bodied than on a rival Dutton compilation."
- Gramophone (Andrew Achenbach) April 2001

"More vintage Beecham/Delius recorded between 1928 and 1938. The big work on this disc (Vol.3) is Appalachia, evocative variations on a slave song; the work made Beecham a Delius champion."
- The Sunday Telegraph (Michael Kennedy), August 6, 2000

"Delians who have clung on to their old LP versions [of these recordings] will find the Naxos re-issue a revelation: the sound has been greatly improved and surface noise reduced, without any loss of detail or overall character.

"The link between all three CDs is Beecham's ability to let the music breathe without it becoming flabby. He's not ashamed of the sultry, swoony side of Delius, and is completely in tune with the quiet, lyrical rapture of music like the Koanga closing scene: this performance with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and London Select Choir comes from a music never-never land.

"Thanks to Naxos, Beecham's early Delius is now easier to track down that his postwar recordings of North Country Sketches and A Mass of Life."
- The Financial Times (Andrew Clark), June 10, 2000