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Frederick Delius

Requiem

DCW 75
RT II/8
DCE 12b

Composer: Frederick Delius
Dedicatee: 'To the memory of all young Artists fallen in the war'

The autograph score of Delius's Requiem bears the date 1914, yet according to letters from the composer to Ernest Newman and Philip Heseltine, it was begun in 1913 and not completed until 1916 (RT.1986, 41). Like his 'Mass', the Requiem is thoroughly non-liturgical. Though the original German words, translated into English by Heseltine, were attributed to Heinrich Simon, no mention is made of this in MS or printed copies. In Threlfall's opinion, the true sources are the Old Testament (Ecclesiastes) and Nietzsche (RT, 70).

Composition: Between 1913 and 1916.

Instrumentation:

Orchestra : 2 fl., picc.fl., 2 ob., cor.ingl., 3 cl., cl.b., 3 fg., sarr. in C, 6 cor., 3 tr., 3 trb., tb., timp., trgl., s.dr., cym., gr.c., glsp., cel., arp., str.

Choir SSAATTBB: S., A., T., B.

Soloists: S., Bar.

Sources

Libretto

[Classification: text, manuscript, copy]

A libretto in the hand of Jelka Delius.

Delius Trust, London.

Sketch material

[Classification: notated music, manuscript, autograph, sketch]

Sketches contained in a sketch-book for various works composed 1914-17.

AUS-PVgm (Grainger Museum, Melbourne) MG C2/DELI-23-2.

Sketch material

[Classification: notated music, manuscript, autograph, sketch]

A single melody appearing in the Requiem, among other sketch material

GB-Lbl (British Library, London) MS Mus. 1745/2/9. Link to external resource

British Library source record

Sketch material

[Classification: notated music, manuscript, autograph, short score, sketch]

Short score sketches for the Requiem.

GB-Lbl (British Library, London) MS Mus. 1745/1/39. Link to external resource

British Library source record

Sketches and drafts

[Classification: notated music, manuscript, autograph, draft]

Extensive sketch and draft material. As Threlfall writes: 'Much of this material, though at the draft full score stage, exhibits considerable differences from the finished work; at times the words appeared in a different sequence over music later used elsewhere in the work' (RT.1986, 215-6).

GB-Lbl (British Library, London) MS Mus. 1745/2/13/5. Link to external resource

British Library source record

Autograph score

[Classification: notated music, manuscript, autograph, score, engraver's copy, complete]

Autograph full score, partly ink over pencil, dated 1914, German text but with English pencilled below. This was used as the publisher's Stichvorlage.

GB-Lbl (British Library, London) Music Loan 54.4. Link to external resource

British Library source record

Published score

[Classification: notated music, print, score, first edition, complete]

Universal Edition, Vienna 1922.

The full score, with German and English text, was preceded by the publication of chorus parts (1920) and a vocal score by Philip Heseltine (1921).

Thomas Beecham's copy

A photocopy, bearing Beecham's markings.

Delius Trust, London.

Collected Edition

[Classification: notated music, print, score, later edition, complete]

Boosey & Hawkes, London 1990.

Constituting vol. 12b of the Collected Edition, with German and English words.

Performances

Last changed 2020-10-26T14:17:12+00:00

23 March 1922	Queen's Hall, London (Royal Philharmonic Society; Philharmonic Choir; conductor: Albert Coates; performers: Amy Evans (soprano); Norman Williams (baritone)).
6 November 1950	Carnegie Hall, New York (National Orchestra Association; conductor: William Jonson; performers: Inez Manier (soprano); Paul Ukena (baritone)).
9 November 1965	Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool (Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra; conductor: Charles Groves; performers: Heather Harper (soprano); Thomas Hemsley (baritone)).