KOANGA

the 1935 production ofFrederick Delius's opera

in the context of its performance history

documentation and sources

by

Lewis Foreman

The Delius Society1994

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSAcknowledgements and thanks are first due to the many libraries andarchives that have been consulted, including the Delius Tiust Archive; BBCwritten Archives, Caversham; Royal opera House covent GardenArchives: British Library Newspaper Collection at Colindale; Central MusicLibrary; the Herbert Thompson Collection at the Brotherton Library(University of Leeds); public libraries in Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol,Glasgow, Ipswich, Leeds. Leicester, Liverpool. Nottingham, Sheffield andYork. Particular thanks to Dr Eric Fenby for his three expositions on Deliusand Koanga at the time of the 1935 production.

Tianslations from the German have been specially prepared by JuliaChandler, Denis Crowder and Jtirgen Schaarwdchter. Lionel Carley andStephen Lloyd have been more than generous with their assistance anddocumentation. Not only has Stephen researched much of the data in thedocumentary sections of this study but in his editorial capacity he has actedas midwife in the realisation of the compiler's concept. To him a specialthank you, for without his enthusiasm and knowledge it would surely neverhave appeared.

The quality of the original cuttings varies considerably. In one or twocases they are so poor we have re-set the text. Generally, however, thecuttings are reproduced as facsmimiles of the originals. We apologise if thisresults in an uneven quali ty of print ing on some pages.

The photograph of Delius (p. l l ) is from the Delius Trust Archive, and theillustration from The Grandissimer (p.16) and the photograph of AndrewBlack (inside front cover) come from the collection of Lionel Carley. Thephotographs of the 1935 production (pp. 4. 44 and 56) are from the Royalopera House Archives. The sketches from Radio Times (pp. 32 and 33) andThe Listener (p.39) are reproduced with acknowledgement to the BBC. Allother i l lustrat ions are from the compiler 's col lect ion.

This publ icat ion has been issued to members of the Delius Society as thewinter 1994 (No ll3) issue of The Delius Society Journal. Copies are availableto non-members from the Editor, 85A Farlev Hill. Luton. Bedfordshire LUI5EG. price f7.50 post free.

This compilation and linking text copyright Lewis Foreman O 1994.

Copyright of individual contributions is of the contributors as identif iedin the text .

2

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSAcknowledgements and thanks are first due to the many libraries andarchives that have been consulted, including the Delius Trust Archive; BBCWritten Archives, Caversham; Royal Opera House Covent GardenArchives; British Library Newspaper Collection at Colindale; Central MusicLibrary; the Herbert Thompson Collection at the Brotherton Library(University of Leeds); public libraries in Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol,Glasgow, Ipswich, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Nottingham, Sheffield andYork. Particular thanks to Dr Eric Fenby for his three expositions on Deliusand Koanga at the time of the 1935 production.

Translations from the German have been specially prepared by JuliaChandler, Denis Crowder and Jiirgen Schaarwachter. Lionel Carley andStephen Lloyd have been more than generous with their assistance anddocumentation. Not only has Stephen researched much of the data in thedocumentary sections of this study but in his editorial capacity he has actedas midwife in the realisation of the compiler's concept. To him a specialthank you, for without his enthusiasm and knowledge it would surely neverhave appeared.

The quality of the original cuttings varies considerably. In one or twocases they are so poor we have re-set the text. Generally, however, thecuttings are reproduced as facsmimiles of the originals. We apologise if thisresults in an uneven quality of printing on some pages.

The photograph of Delius (p.ll) is from the Delius Trust Archive, and theillustration from The Grandissimes (p.16) and the photograph of AndrewBlack (inside front cover) come from the collection of Lionel Carley. Thephotographs of the 1935 production (pp. 4, 44 and 56) are from the RoyalOpera House Archives. The sketches from Radio Times (pp. 32 and 33) andThe Listener (p.39) are reproduced with acknowledgement to the BBC. Allother illustrations are from the compiler's collection.

This publication has been issued to members of the Delius Society as thewinter 1994 (No 113) issue of The Delius Society Journal. Copies are availableto non-members from the Editor, 85A Farley Hill, Luton, Bedfordshire LUI5EG. price £7.50 post free.

This compilation and linking text copyright Lewis Foreman (0 1994.

Copyright of individual contributions is of the contributors as identifiedin the text.

c

The Lure of Documentary Sources

Koanga; a performance chronology

CONTENTS

by Stephen Lloyd

5

6

9

l0

1 5

t 7

25

25

36

38

59

62

Koanga; history and background

1899 performance

History of the Libretto

1904 Production at Elberfeld ..............

Working towards the 1935 Production ...............

Jelka Delius to Edwin Evans

1935 Covent Garden Production ...............

The Young Delius by Eric Fenby

Covent Garden press cuttings

Broadcast Opera and Koanga by Prof F. H. Shera

Lambert and Delius

28

29

33

rsBN09s2323 l09

3

CONTENTSThe Lure of Documentary Sources 5

Koanga: a performance chronology by Stephen Lloyd 6

Koanga: history and background 9

1899 performance 10

History of the Libretto 15

1904 Production at Elberfeld 17

Working towards the 1935 Production 25

Jelka Delius to Edwin Evans 25

1935 Covent Garden Production 28

Koanga: a talk by Eric Fenby 29

The Story of Koanga by Eric Fenby 33

The Young Delius by Eric Fenby 36

Covent Garden press cuttings 38

Broadcast Opera and Koanga by Prof F. H. Shera 59

Lambert and Delius 62

ISBN 0 9523231 0 9

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5

THE LURE OF DOCUMENTARY SOURCESby kwis Foreman

We document first performances in order to place a work in (or sometimesoutside) the context of its time.

'Reception studies' are all the rage just now

in academic circles, and often by studying how a work was first received we mayilluminate the development of a composer's career, better understand anemerging trend, and place the music in its period and ours.

Yet contemporary accounts and assessments of music can be remarkablymisleading: a development. say, which we now take for granted may have oncebeen considered bizane; a work found to exemplify the spirit of the times in1890 may now be found just dull, and another therr thought to be wayward andeccentric may now be considered a masterwork. So, too, on the operatic stage.Sets that were once said to be quaint or exotic may now seem just amateurish orcrude. It may, of course, be that they were recognised as pretty poor at thetime, but there was nothing better to put in their place!

A case in point as far as these musings are concerned is Delius's operaKoanga. As all Delians will know, extracts were heard in London in Delius'sfamous concert of his music at St James's Hall in 1899. and it was firstproduced in Germany in 1904. Yet when Sir Thomas Beecham came to stage theopera at Covent Garden in 1935, and then took it north on an autumn tour, itwas for almost all its audiences a new work. although composed nearly 40 yearsbefore.

The press coverage Koanga received in 1935 was substantial. Even provincialpapers with no apparent interest in the doings of Covent Garden covered theLondon performances. Yet reading between the lines (or in one or two cases theactual accounts), if we could return to those performances from today we wouldalmost certainly find the d6cor and production stilted and old-fashioned, butwhat would undoubtedly remain would be Beecham's glorious vision ofDelius's lovely music (so far as is known no recording survives). However, theclosing scene, recorded by Beecham on 4 and 1l December 1934 for the firstDelius Society album, surely conveys the flavour.

To sift through the press cuttings and memorabilia of any stage performanceis a valuable process in understanding what happened, and although it resultsin innumerable repetitions of the same garbled story, it also produces avariety of facts and impressions on which a more formally constructed historycan be based. So what I am offering here is essentially a scrapbook of theBeecham 1935 performance of Koanga set in the context of a range of back-ground and history concerning the other performances the opera has received.At a time when the 1972 Sadler's Wells production has been issued on CD (onIntaglio. reviewed in Delius Society JournalNo l1l; Summer 1993), new atten-t ion has been turned on Delius's opera which has been out of the l imelight formany years. What we have is not a world-shaking masterpiece, but anatmospheric and rewarding score with too many of Delius's high-points for itnot to be seen again on stage. I hope this short study may provide a contextfor the forthcoming Leeds Youth Opera production (see p.64).

5

THE LURE OF DOCUMENTARY SOURCESby Lewis Foreman

We document first performances in order to place a work in (or sometimesoutside) the context of its time. 'Reception studies' are all the rage just nowin academic circles, and often by studying how a work was first received we mayilluminate the development of a composer's career, better understand anemerging trend, and place the music in its period and ours.

Yet contemporary accounts and assessments of music can be remarkablymisleading: a development, say, which we now take for granted may have oncebeen considered bizarre; a work found to exemplify the spirit of the times in1890 may now be found just dull, and another then thought to be wayward andeccentric may now be considered a masterwork. So, too, on the operatic stage.Sets that were once said to be quaint or exotic may now seem just amateurish orcrude. It may, of course, be that they were recognised as pretty poor at thetime, but there was nothing better to put in their place!

A case in point as far as these musings are concerned is Delius's operaKoanga. As all Delians will know, extracts were heard in London in Delius'sfamous concert of his music at St lames's Hall in 1899, and it was firstproduced in Germany in 1904. Yet when Sir Thomas Beecham came to stage theopera at Covent Garden in 1935, and then took it north on an autumn tour, itwas for almost all its audiences a new work, although composed nearly 40 yearshefore.

The press coverage Koanga received in 1935 was substantial. Even provincialpapers with no apparent interest in the doings of Covent Garden covered theLondon performances. Yet reading between the lines (or in one or two cases theactual accounts), if we could return to those performances from today we wouldalmost certainly find the decor and production stilted and old-fashioned, butwhat would undoubtedly remain would be Beecham's glorious vision ofDelius's lovely music (so far as is known no recording survives). However, theclosing scene, recorded by Beecham on 4 and 11 December 1934 for the firstDelius Society album, surely conveys the flavour.

To sift through the press cuttings and memorabilia of any stage performanceis a valuable process in understanding what happened, and although it resultsin innumerable repetitions of the same garbled story, it also produces avariety of facts and impressions on which a more formally constructed historycan be based. So what I am offering here is essentially a scrapbook of theBeecham 1935 performance of Koanga set in the context of a range of back­ground and history concerning the other performances the opera has received.At a time when the 1972 Sadler's Wells production has been issued on CD (onIntaglio, reviewed in Delius Society Journal No 11 L Summer 1993), new atten­tion has been turned on Delius's opera which has been out of the limelight formany years. What we have is not a world-shaking masterpiece, but anatmospheric and rewarding score with too many of Delius's high-points for itnot to be seen again on stage. I hope this short study may provide a contextfor the forthcoming Leeds Youth Opera production (see p.64).

6

KOAI,{GA: A PERFORMANCE CHRONOLOGYby Stephen Lloyd

1899 30 Mav St James's Hall, Londono Concertperformance of Prelude to Act I I I, Quintet and Finale Act I, andAct I I completeAndrew Black (Koanga), Ella Russell (Palmyra), Tilly Koenen (Clotilda),G AVanderbeeck (Simon Perez), William Llewellyn (Don Jos6 Martinez)o Conductor: Alfred Hertzr Further reference: Carley, Delius: A Ltk in Letters Vol I pp.l42-154passim; Cover and inside of programme, and brief Manchester Couierreview 31.5.99 in Carley & Threlfall, Delius: A Life in Hctures pp.4l -3

1904 30 March and two otherperformances Stadttheater. ElberfeldClarence Whitehill (Koanga), Rose Kaiser (Palmyra), Georg Fcirster (SimonPerez),Max Birkholz (Don Jos6 Martinez), Charlotte Lengenberg (Clotilda)o Conductor: Fritz Cassirer; Producer: Jacques Goldberg

1935 23 (b/cast) &27 Septemberand 3 October CoventGarden, London12 October (Act I I I b/cast) Birminghaml8&2l October(Acts 1& ll b/cast,2l) Liverpool28 October and 2 November (matinde) ManchesterI I November Bradford23 November LeedsJohn Brownlee (Koanga), Oda Slobodskaya (Palmyra), Leyland White(Don Jos6 Martinez), Frank Sale (Simon Perez), Reginald Thurgood(Rangwan), Leslie Horsman (Uncle Joe), Constance Willis (Clotilda); EnidJames, Elisabeth Aveling, Barbara Lane, Patricia Guest, Dorothy Donald-son, Pauline Gray, Vanwy Davies, Esme Webb (Planters'daughters)London Philharmonic Orchestrao Conductor: SirThomas Beecham; Stage Director: Charles Moor; AssistantDirector: Percy Heming; Dance Arranger: Antony Tudoro Alterations: La Calinda was used as an introduction to Act Two. Beechamalso insertedthelrme/in Prelude in the last act at [20].

1946 8 November Delius Festival Royal Albert Hall, Londono Concert perlbrmance ofAct I I I and EpilogueRoderick Jones (Koanga), Victoria Sladen (Palmyra), Tievor Anthony(Rangwan and UncleJoe), Bruce Black(DonJos6 Martinez), LeslieJones(Simon Perez)Croydon Phiharmonic Society, Stock Exchange Male Voice ChoirRoyal Phil harmonic Orchestrao Conductor: Richard Austin

6

KOANGA: A PERFORMANCE CHRONOLOGYby Stephen Lloyd

1899 30 May St James's Hall, London• Concertperformance ofPrelude to Act Ill, Quintet and Finale Act 1, andAct 11 completeAndrew Black (Koanga), Ella Russell (Palmyra), Tilly Koenen (Clotilda),G A Vanderbeeck (Simon Perez), William Llewellyn (Don Jose Martinez)• Conductor: Alfred Hertz• Further reference: Carley, De/ius: A Life in Letters Vol 1 pp.142-154passim; Cover and inside of programme, and brief Manchester Courierreview 31.5.99 in Carley & Threlfall, Delius:A Life in Pictures pp.41-3

1904 30 March and two other performances Stadttheater, ElberfeldClarence Whitehill (Koanga), Rose Kaiser (Palmyra), Georg F6rster (SimonPerez), Max Birkholz (Don Jose Martinez), Charlotte Lengenberg (Clotilda)• Conductor: Fritz Cassirer; Producer: Jacques Goldberg

1935 23 (b/cast) & 27 September and 3 October Covent Garden, London12 October (Act III b/cast) Birmingham18 & 21 October (Acts I & 11 b/cast, 21) Liverpool28 October and 2 November (matinee) Manchester11 November Bradford23 November LeedsJohn Brownlee (Koanga), Oda Slobodskaya (Palmyra), Leyland White(Don Jose Martinez), Frank Sale (Simon Perez), Reginald Thurgood(Rangwan), Leslie Horsman (UncleJoe), ConstanceWillis (Clotilda); EnidJames, Elisabeth Aveling, Barbara Lane, Patricia Guest, Dorothy Donald­son, Pauline Gray, Vanwy Davies, Esme Webb (Planters' daughters)London Philharmonic Orchestra• Conductor: Sir Thomas Beecham; Stage Director: Charles Moor; AssistantDirector: Percy Heming; Dance Arranger: Antony Tudor• Alterations: La Calinda was used as an introduction to Act Two. Beechamalso inserted the Irmelin Prelude in the last act at [20].

1946 8 November Delius Festival Royal Albert Hall, London• Concert performance ofAct III and EpilogueRoderick Jones (Koanga), Victoria Sladen (Palmyra), Trevor Anthony(Rangwan and Uncle Joe), Bruce Black (Don Jose Martinez), LeslieJones(Simon Perez)Croydon Phiharmonic Society, Stock Exchange Male Voice ChoirRoyal Philharmonic Orchestra• Conductor: Richard Austin

1958 I & 2 February BBC Third Programme

-I

BBC broadcastsLawrence Winters (Koanga), Lenore Lafayette (Palmyra), Ronald Lewis(Don Jos6 Martinez), Monica Sinclair (Clotilda), Robert Thomas (Simon

Perez), Stanley Clarkson (Rangwan and Uncle Joe); Ellen Dales, Ann Dow-

dall, Betty Hutchings, Joyce Eyre, Joan Cairns, Irene Brightman, Kathleen

Newart, Beatrice Andrews (Planters' daughters)

BBC Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestrao Conductor: Stanford Robinsono Alterations and cuts: Act ll: La Calinda was used as an introduction; 20

bars cutat 4after [9]; Act 1l 1: l0bars from4beforel22luntil4before [23]; 13

bars at l25l: Il bars from 4 before [28] until ft u vivo before [30]; last 6 bars of

Palmyra's farewell between [37] and [40] with some adjustment to final bar(1935 VS does not showcue numbers 38 and 39)o Further reference: Stanford Robinson,'A Deliu s Opera on the Ai r', Music

and Musicians February 1958, p. 19

1970 18,20 &21December 1970 Lisner Auditorium, Washington DCEugene Holmes (Koanga, l8 & 20), Claudia Lindsey (Palmyra), Edward

Pierson (Uncle Joe and Rangwan, 1 8 & 20; Koanga, 21 ), Isaiah Lurry (Uncle

Joe, 2 1), William McDonald (Simon Perez), Will Roy (Don Jos6 Martinez),

Joyce Gerber (Clotilda), Michael Malovic (Rangwan.2l); Judith Benson,

Sandra Blake, Dolores Brown, Yvonne Easter, Adreana Hardy, Janet

Kenney, Monica Ortiz,Martha Randall (Planters' daughters)

Opera Society ofWashington Orchestra and Choruso Conductor: Paul Callaway; director: Frank Corsaro; Scenery and Film

Designer: Ronald Chaseo Alterations and cuts: Act 11: La Calinda was used as an introduction: 20

bars cut at 4 after [9]; Act l l l :9 bars from 4 before [22] unti l 5

before I23l: l l bars from l25l:2t bars from [28]to I before [301o Further reference, reviews, etc.: Washington Post 10.70 [plans for

staging of Koangal (see Delius Society Newsletter 29 pp.ll-12); Evening

,S/cr, Washington 19.12.70, Washington Post 19.12.70, New York Times

20.12.70, Washington Post 20.12.10, Washington Daily News 21.12.70,

Chicago Tiibune 21.12.70 (see Delius Society Newsletter 30 pp.5-14);

Chistian Science Monitor 23.12.70, New York Times 27.12.70 (Carman

Moore and Harold C Schonberg). The Plain Dealer (Cleveland) 27.12.70.

The National Observer 28.12.70. Time 4.1.71, Opera News 30.1.71 (see

Delius Society Newsletter 3l pp.8-19); ,4 Postscript to the Washington

Performances of Koange (John White) (see Delius Society Newsletter 32

pp.9-la)o Acomposite recording derived from the dress rehearsal on l7 December

and the performances of l8 and 20 December with some orchestral

interludes from 21 December was issued in a2-LP set on IGS081-2

7

1958 1 & 2 February BBC Third Programme BBC broadcastsLawrence Winters (Koanga), Lenore Lafayette (Pa1myra), Ronald Lewis(Don Jose Martinez), Monica Sinelair (Clotilda), Robert Thomas (SimonPerez), StanleyC1arkson (Rangwan and VneleJoe); Ellen Dales,Ann Dow­dall, Betty Hutchings, Joyce Eyre, Joan Cairns, Irene Brightman, KathleenNewart, Beatrice Andrews (Planters' daughters)BBC Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra• Conductor: Stanford Robinson• Alterations and cuts: Act 11: La Calinda was used as an introduction; 20bars cutat4 after [9]; Act 111: lObarsfrom4before [22] unti14 before [23]; 13bars at [25]; 17 bars from 4 before [28] until Piu vivo before [30]; last 6bars ofPalmyra's farewell between [37] and [40] with some adjustmentto final bar(1935 VS does not show cue numbers 38 and 39)• Further reference: Stanford Robinson, 'ADelius Opera on the Air',MusicandMusicians February 1958, p.19

1970 18,20&21 December 1970 Lisner Auditorium, Washington DCEugene Holmes (Koanga, 18 & 20), Claudia Lindsey (Palmyra), EdwardPierson (Vnele Joe and Rangwan, 18 &20; Koanga, 21), Isaiah Lurry (VneleJoe, 21), William McDonald (Simon Perez), Will Roy (Don Jose Martinez),Joyce Gerber (Clotilda), Michael Malovic (Rangwan, 21); Judith Benson,Sandra Blake, Dolores Brown, Yvonne Easter, Adreana Hardy, JanetKenney, Monica Ortiz, Martha Randall (Planters' daughters)Opera Society ofWashington Orchestra and Chorus• Conductor: Paul Callaway; director: Frank Corsaro; Scenery and FilmDesigner: Ronald Chase• Alterations and cuts: Act 11: La Calinda was used as an introduction; 20bars cut at 4 after [9]; Act Ill: 9 bars from 4 before [22] until 5before [23]; 13 bars from [25]; 21 bars from [28] to 1before [30]• Further reference, reviews, etc.: Washington Post 10.70 [plans forstaging of Koanga] (see Delius Society Newsletter 29 pp.11-l2); EveningStar, Washington 19.12.70, Washington Post 19.12.70, New York Times20.12.70, Washington Post 20.12.70, Washington Daily News 21.12.70,Chicago Tribune 21.12.70 (see Delius Society Newsletter 30 pp.5-l4);Christian Science Monitor 23.12.70, New York Times 27.12.70 (CarmanMoore and Harold C Schonberg), The Plain Dealer (Cleveland) 27.12.70,The National Observer 28.12.70, Time 4.1.71, Opera News 30.1.71 (seeDelius Society Newsletter 31 pp.8-19); A Postscript to the WashingtonPeiformances of Koange (John White) (see Delius Society Newsletter 32pp.9-l4)• A composite recording derived from the dress rehearsal on 17 Decemberand the performances of 18 and 20 December with some orchestralinterludes from 21 December was issued in a 2-LP set on IGS081-2

8

1972 17, 19 & 20 May Sadler's Wells Theatre, LondonEugene Holmes (Koanga), Claudia Lindsey (Palmyra), Gordon Wilcock(Simon Perez), Powell Harrison (Don Jos Martinez), Anthony Raffell (Uncle

Joe and Rangwan), Wendy Pollock (Rene), Caroline Kimball (H6ldne), Alice

Herbert (Jeanne), Elspeth Mack (Marie), Nuala Willis (Aurore), Joan

Newman-Price (Hortense), Avril Gray (Olive), Vivien Hallam (Paulette),

Jean Alli ster (C lotilda); D avi d H arri so n, Roger Bryson (Negroes)

Camden Festival Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra.o Conductor: Charles Groves; Producer: Charles Craig; Designer: Peter

Rice; Choreographer: Robert Solomono Forthisproductionthelibrettowas revisedby Douglas CraigandAndrew

Pageo Further reference, reviews, etc.: Financial Times 18.5.72, Evening News

18.5.72, The Times 18.5.72, Daily Tblegraph 18.5.72, The Guardian

18.5.72 (see Delius Society Newsletter 38 pp.9-10), The Observer Review

21.5.72, Sunday Times 21.5.72, Sunday Tblegraph 21.5.72, The Stage and

Tblevision Tbdoy 25.5.72, New Statesman 26.5.12 (see Delius Society

Newslener 38 pp.6-13).o The performance of 19 May was broadcast live by the BBC and has

subsequently been issued on Intaglio INCD7442(seeJournal lll pp.2a-1.

1973 19-26 September Kingsway Hall, London EMI recording SLS974

Eugene Holmes (Koanga), Claudia Lindsey (Palmyra), Raimund Herincx

(Don Jos6 Martinez). Keith Erwen (Simon Perez), Jean Allister (Clotilda),

Simon Estes (Rangwan &UncleJoe); Elaine Barry, Pamela Smith, Eleanor

Capp, Valerie Hill, Doreen Walker, Jean Temperley, Lesley Reid. Patricia

Hogan (Planters'daughters); John Dudley, William Mason (Negroes)

John Alldis Choir, London Symphony Orchestrar Conductor: Sir Charles Groves; Recording Producer: Christopher

Bishop; Balancing Engineer: Christopher Parkero Further reference, reviews, etc.: Sleeve-notes by Eric Fenby and

'An

IntroductoryNote to the Libretto by Douglas Craig andAndrewPage';The

Guardian 6.8.74 (see Delius Society Joumal 46 pp.25-7): Gramophone June

1974pp.r00 & 105

1980 25 &27 April Shreveport Civic Centre, Louisiana, USAEdward Pierson (Koanga), Claudia Lindsey (Palmyra)o Conductor: JohnShenaut: Director: Thomas Hollidavo Reviews. etc.: None received

8

1972 17, 19 & 20 May Sadler's Wells Theatre, LondonEugene Holmes (Koanga), Claudia Lindsey (Palmyra), Gordon Wilcock(Simon Perez), Powell Harrison (Don Jos Martinez), Anthony Raffell (UncleJoe and Rangwan), Wendy Pollock (Rene), Caroline Kimball (HeUme), AliceHerbert (Jeanne), Elspeth Mack (Marie), Nuala Willis (Aurore), JoanNewman-Price (Hortense), Avril Gray (Olive), Vivien Hallam (Paulette),Jean Al1ister (Clotilda); David Harrison, Roger Bryson (Negroes)Camden Festival Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra.• Conductor: Charles Groves; Producer: Charles Craig; Designer: PeterRice; Choreographer: Robert Solomon• Forthis production the librettowas revised by Douglas CraigandAndrewPage• Further reference, reviews, etc.: Financial Times 18.5.72, Evening News18.5.72, The Times 18.5.72, Daily Telegraph 18.5.72, The Guardian18.5.72 (see Delius Society Newsletter 38 pp.9-1O), The Observer Review21.5.72, Sunday Times 21.5.72, Sunday Telegraph 21.5.72, The Stage andTelevision Today 25.5.72, New Statesman 26.5.72 (see Delius SocietyNewsletter 38 pp.6-13).• The performance of 19 May was broadcast live by the BBC and hassubsequently been issued on Intaglio INCD7442 (see Journal 111 pp.24-5).

1973 19-26 September Kingsway Hall, London EMI recording SLS974Eugene Holmes (Koanga), Claudia Lindsey (Palmyra), Raimund Herincx(Don Jose Martinez), Keith Erwen (Simon Perez), Jean Al1ister (Clotilda),Simon Estes (Rangwan & Uncle Joe); Elaine Barry, Pamela Smith, EleanorCapp, Valerie Hill, Doreen Walker, Jean Temperley, Lesley Reid, PatriciaHogan (Planters' daughters); John Dudley, William Mason (Negroes)John Alldis Choir, London Symphony Orchestra• Conductor: Sir Charles Groves; Recording Producer: ChristopherBishop; Balancing Engineer: Christopher Parker• Further reference, reviews, etc.: Sleeve-notes by Eric Fenby and 'AnIntroductory Note to the Libretto by Douglas Craig and Andrew Page'; TheGuardian 6.8.74 (see Delius Society Journal 46 pp.25-7); Gramophone June1974 pp. 100 & 105

1980 25 & 27 April Shreveport Civic Centre, Louisiana, USAEdward Pierson (Koanga), Claudia Lindsey(Palmyra)• Conductor: John Shenaut; Director: Thomas Holliday• Reviews, etc.: None received

KOANGA: History and Background

byLewis Foreman

Much of the background to the composition and performance of Koanga is

documented in the accounts by Eric Fenby and others reproduced elsewhere in

this study. As Robert Threlfall has pointed out, Koanga was the third opera by

Delius to be completed - in 1897 - but was the first from which music was heard- in 1899. It was also the first to be produced, in l90/..t Once his reputation

was secured by the music written after, say, 1899, it was also the first of his

earlierworks to achieve publication, in 1935.

The celebrated all-Delius programme which took place in London's St James's

Hall (between Piccadilly and Regent Street on the site of the present

Piccadilly Hotel) on 30 May 1899, devoted its second half to extended extracts

fromKoanga:

Prelude toActII I

Quintet and Finale ofAct I

ActII (complete)

The programme book for this concert is now very rare but a copy which survives

in the USA has revealed that it contained the libretto for Act II in its

original form. By the time Delius came to produce the work in Elberfeld in

1904, he was already changing the libretto - and thus in consequence the music.

One of the principal charactenstics of the history of Koanga is thus

established at the outset: constant revision to the libretto" which has

differed - until very recently - every time the opera has been produced.

Imagine what the press and audience reception might be today for a totally

unknown British composer in his thirties who suddenly turns up from France with

a three-hour programme of new music. My guess would be a large corporate yawn,

apathy, and an almost empty hall, with little or no press coverage. It saysmuch for Delius's music therefore that he had a reception that was remarkably

cordial and was given considerable coverage by the press. Heseltine quoted

extensively from the press cuttings in his Delius.2 A collection of some 25

cuttings relating to this concert are to be found in the Library of Congress,received from one Richard Muller of South Carolina in 1950. Before continuingwith the story of Delius's Koanga, we need to get the flavour of the receptionof Koango in 1899, and the following selection of contemporary cuttings is

taken from copies of the Library of Congress collection in the Delius Trust

Archive. None duplicate texts quoted by Heseltine.

1. Threlfall. Robert:'The Early History of Koanga', Tbm po I 10, September 197 4,pp.8- I 12. Warlock.Peter(PhilipHeseltine):FrederickDelius,reprintedwithadditions,annotations

and comments by Hubert Foss. Bodley Head, 1952, pp.58-61

9

KOANGA: History and Background

byLewis Foreman

Much of the background to the composition and performance of Koanga isdocumented in the accounts by Eric Fenby and others reproduced elsewhere inthis study. As Robert Threlfall has pointed out, Koanga was the third opera byDelius to be completed - in 1897 - but was the first from which music was heard- in 1899. It was also the first to be produced, in 1904.1 Once his reputationwas secured by the music written after, say, 1899, it was also the first of hisearlier works to achieve publication, in 1935.

The celebrated all-Delius programme which took place in London's StJames'sHall (between Piccadilly and Regent Street on the site of the presentPiccadilly Hotel) on 30 May 1899, devoted its second half to extended extractsfrom Koanga:

Prelude to Act IIIQuintet and Finale ofAct 1Act 11 (complete)

The programme book for this concert is now very rare but a copy which survivesin the USA has revealed that it contained the libretto for Act 11 in itsoriginal form. By the time Delius came to produce the work in Elberfeld in1904, he was already changing the libretto - and thus in consequence the music.One of the principal characteristics of the history of Koanga is thusestablished at the outset: constant revision to the libretto, which hasdiffered - until very recently - every time the opera has been produced.

Imagine what the press and audience reception might be today for a totallyunknown British composerin his thirties who suddenlyturnsup from Francewitha three-hour programme ofnew music. My guess would be a large corporateyawn,apathy, and an almost empty hall, with little or no press coverage. It saysmuch for Delius's mus~c therefore that he had a reception that was remarkablycordial and was given considerable coverage by the press. Heseltine quotedextensively from the press cuttings in his Delius.2 A collection of some 25cuttings relating to this concert are to be found in the Library of Congress,received from one Richard Muller of South Carolina in 1950. Before continuingwith the story of Delius's Koanga, we need to get the flavour of the receptionof Koanga in 1899, and the following selection of contemporary cuttings istaken from copies of the Library of Congress collection in the Delius TrustArchive. None duplicate texts quoted by Heseltine.

1. Thre1fall, Robert: 'The Early History ofKoanga', Tempo 110, September 1974, pp.8-112. Warlock, Peter(Philip Heseltine): Frederick Delius, reprinted with additions, annotations

and comments by Hubert Foss, Bod1ey Head, 1952, pp.58-61

l 0

A NEWOPERA COMPOSER

,KOANGA'

Opera, in Three Acts, by Fritz DeliusKoanga ... MrAndrew BlackClotilde .. Miss Tilly KoenenPalmyre Madame Ella Russel lDonJos6 Mart inez MrWm. Llewellvn

Mr Fritz Delius. who gave an orchestral concert at St James's Hall onTuesday, is, it appears, a native of Yorkshire, but his training ha.s beenacquired at Paris and Leipsig. The libretto of his opera Koanga is byMr C F Keary, and is founded on a tale by George Cable, a popular novelistof the Southern States of America. The story of the opera relates to slavelife and Negro superstitions, the result being a curious mixture ofWagner, Tschaikowsky, and Nigger melodies, the opera opening with aplantation chorus -

Nowonce in a way.Be it but for a day,

We lay down our shovels and our hoes, &c.

Exciting, melodramatic incidents, contrasted with Creole dances and Voodooreligious rites. afford the composer ample scope for startling and noveleffects, but it is hardly possible to judge of the artistic qualities ofthe work apart from the stage. Koanga, the hero, is leader of a party ofescaped Negroes, and a love story connects the main incidents, and endstragically. The original tale by George w Cable gives an interestingpicture of Negro life on the Southern plantations and the wind [sic]religious ceremonies of the superstitious blacks and their Voodoo worship.How far the subject may prove attractive upon the stage remains to beseen, but the composer has evidently treated the story with much ingenuityand with faith in i ts capabil i t ies. Let us hope we may have an opportunityof seeing it performed.

(The Era.8 June 1899)

'Every bar of Mr Delius's music shows high musicianship. an astonishing

mastery of notes, and a degree of vital energy quite as astonishing.'(Saturday Review, I 0 June I 899)

'Mr Delius is a musician of his own day. and not of the past. So much isclear on every page of his scores. He stands forward as an embodiment ofthe modern spirit Alike in orchestral works. in song. and inoperatic scenes this composer strikes one as really having something totell us in a masterful fashion. which will not be denied.'

(The Dailyklegraph.l June 1899)

10

A NEW OPERA COMPOSER

'KOANGA'Opera, in Three Acts, by Fritz Delius

Koanga Mr Andrew BlackClotilde Miss Tilly KoenenPalmyre Madame Ella RussellDonJose Martinez MrWm. Llewellyn

Mr Fritz Delius, who gave an orchestral concert at St James's Hall onTuesday, is, it appears, a native of Yorkshire, but his training hp.s beenacquired at Paris and Leipsig. The libretto of his opera Koanga is byMr C F Keary, and is founded on a tale by George Cable, a popular novelistof the Southern States of America. The story of the opera relates to slavelife and Negro superstitions, the result being a curious mixture ofWagner, Tschaikowsky, and Nigger melodies, the opera opening with aplantation chorus -

Now once in a way.Be it but for a day,

We lay down our shovels and our hoes, &c.

Exciting, melodramatic incidents, contrasted with Creole dances and Voodooreligious rites, afford the composer ample scope for startling and noveleffects, but it is hardly possible to judge of the artistic qualities ofthe work apart from the stage. Koanga, the hero, is leader of a party ofescaped Negroes, and a love story connects the main incidents, and endstragically. The original tale by George W Cable gives an interestingpicture of Negro life on the Southern plantations and the wind [sic]religious ceremonies of the superstitious blacks and their Voodoo worship.How far the subject may prove attractive upon the stage remains to beseen, but the composer has evidently treated the story with much ingenuityand with faith in its capabilities. Let us hope we may have an opportunityofseeing it performed.

(The Era, 8June 1899)

'Every bar of Mr Delius's music shows high musicianship, an astonishingmastery of notes, and a degree ofvital energy quite as astonishing.'

(Saturday Review, 10 June 1899)

'Mr Delius is a musician of his own day, and not of the past. So much isclear on every page of his scores. He stands forward as an embodiment ofthe modern spirit . . . Alike in orchestral works, in song, and inoperatic scenes this composer strikes one as really having something totell us in a masterful fashion, which will not be denied.'

(The Daily Telegraph, I June 1899)

Delius in 1899 by courtesy of the Delius Trust.

11

12

. we recognise in Mr Delius a composer of strong originalify. Hismusic is sure to be warmly discussed, which is a proof of its

unconventionality. For our part we own to having been deeply impressed,

and we gladly welcome the advent of a composer who has something new to

say, and is not afraid of saying it.'(The Moming Post,3l May, the first of trvo notices)

. we were brought face to face with a new composer who has something

to say and knows how to say it in his own way. such vivid vitality

of colour as in theKoanga music . . .'(The Morning Leader, 3 June)

'The unexpected always happens. Last night I went to the concert given at

St James's Hall by Mr Delius of his own compositions, prepared forantrthing rather than the revelation of real genius which actually awaited

one. . . The second part of the concert was given up to extracts from

the opera Koonga, founded on Mr Cable's novel The Grondissimes. It is, of

course, difficult to judge operatic music under such conditions; but it

appeared to be the best of all. The use made of the banjo in the orchestrais highly effective, and to its appearance in a musical illustration of anegro festival would be the height of pedantry. The negro choruses and

dances are quite beautiful, and full of character, and the orchestra is in

many places brilliantly ingenious. But the gem of the evening was the

baritone solo, 'Far,

far away, Palmyre', in which Mr Andrew Black sang

with an amount of fervour and power which cannot be overpraised.'(TheStar,3l May)

'But the real and genuine triumph which Mr Delius scored was in the second

act of his opera Koanga [in which] the opportunity is given forintense dramatic writing and for music of a highly descriptive character.

and Mr Delius avails himself of that opportunity with vital quickness.. We were struck by the great, the almost lavish, power aglow

with strong feeling, tremendously sincere, and at times broadening.

especially in Koanga's (Mr Andrew Black) music, into big, swinging phrases

of massive significance. . .'(Pall Mall Gazette.3l May)

. but in St James's Hallludicrously incongruous to mefromTiistan ... '

I must own that the banjoes seemedafter long quotations, or reminiscences,

( Saturday Review.9 June)

12

. . . we recognise in Mr Delius a composer of strong originality. Hismusic is sure to be warmly discussed, which is a proof of itsunconventionality. For our part we own to having been deeply impressed,and we gladly welcome the advent of a composer who has something new tosay, and is not afraid ofsaying it.'

(The Morning Post, 31 May, the first of two notices)

... we were brought face to face with a new composer who has somethingto say and knows how to say it in his own way. . . . such vivid vitalityofcolour as in the Koanga music .. .'

(The Morning Leader, 3June)

'The unexpected always happens. Last night I went to the concert given atSt James's Hall by Mr Delius of his own compositions, prepared foranything rather than the revelation of real genius which actually awaitedone. . . . The second part of the concert was given up to extracts fromthe opera Koanga, founded on Mr Cable's novel The Grandissimes. It is, ofcourse, difficult to judge operatic music under such conditions; but itappeared to be the best of all. The use made of the banjo in the orchestrais highly effective, and to its appearance in a musical illustration of anegro festival would be the height of pedantry. The negro choruses anddances are quite beautiful, and full of character, and the orchestra is inmany places brilliantly ingenious. But the gem of the evening was thebaritone solo, 'Far, far away, Palmyre', in which Mr Andrew Black sangwith an amount offervour and power which cannot be overpraised.'

(The Star, 31 May)

'But the real and genuine triumph which Mr Delius scored was in the secondact of his opera Koanga . . . [in which] the opportunity is given forintense dramatic writing and for music of a highly descriptive character,and Mr Delius avails himself of that opportunity with vital quickness.. . . We were struck by the great, the almost lavish, power . . . aglowwith strong feeling, tremendously sincere, and at times broadening,especially in Koanga's (Mr Andrew Black) music, into big, swinging phrasesofmassive significance...'

(Pall Mall Gazette, 31 May)

'. . . but in St James's Hall I must own that the banjoes seemedludicrously incongruous to me after long quotations, or reminiscences,from Tristan ...'

(Saturday Review. 9June)

l 3

. . . The harmonic progressions are almost always bizarre and sometimesagreeable; but the exceedingly unmelodious character of much of the musicand its prevailing gloom mark it out for the admiration of the few whoprofess a preference for ugly music The musical accentuation of thewords [of Koanga] was decidedly peculiar, and the work, so far as can bejudged by this extract, contains little that is dramatic in any truesense, or remarkable in any way. The very ungrateful solo parts were takenby Mme Ella Russell . . . and Andrew Black. The local colour is suppliedby choruses of negro slaves, in the accompaniment of whose remarks thebanjo plays a prominent and far from agreeable part.'

(TheTimes,3l May)

. . . the excerpts from his opera Koanga, which formed the second part,showed that Mr Delius has a strong dramatic gift, both for orchestral andvocal expression; the two scenes allotted to the baritone, Mr AndrewBlack, being particularly strong and forcible, and well for the composerwas it that he had an artist of the calibre of the Scottish baritone torepresent him in such an important role.'

(Th e M o rn i n g Adv ert i s er. 3 | May)

'Another German conductor won the highest acclaim yesterday evening withthe orchestral works of Fritz Delius. He is Mr Alfred Hertz, newlyappointed at the Breslau Municipal Theatre, who until now was working atthe Elberfeld Municipal Theatre. Through the efforts of this fine artistFritz Delius, I have come to know a well-known, or one can almost say afamous, man at one go. Hertz had to assemble an orchestra of more than ahundred persons, a men's and a women's choir, not to mention the numeroussoloists. for the performance of Delius's works. In a comparatively shorttime he rehearsed this diffrcult music of the young composer with theseorchestral and choral masses in such a way that it revealed a vivid,colourful image of his abilities.

'Nobody will deny Delius a thorough knowledge of the technique, a

complete control of orchestral effects as well as an inventiveness thatcharms as long as the composer does not desperately bring to it a totallyurrnecessary originality. In his songs and the extracts from his negro-opera Koanga the stream of his inventiveness flows unrestricted; thereforethey evoked the largest applause. His song lrmelin Rose is a pearl, and inhis opera melancholy and embers of love, joyful life and revengeful achecombine in the most natural way. The melodic choruses are treated withparticular skill; of the younger composers only d'Erlanger would be able toequal that. One can agree less with the symphonic music. But it would bepresumptuous to pass a final judgement after only one hearing. . .'

(A German review by Otto Brandes in an unidentifred Germannewspaper. This translation by Jtirgen Schaarwdchter)

13

... The harmonic progressions are almost always bizarre and sometimesagreeable; but the exceedingly unmelodious character of much of the musicand its prevailing gloom mark it out for the admiration of the few whoprofess a preference for ugly music . . . The musical accentuation of thewords [of Koanga] was decidedly peculiar, and the work, so far as can bejudged by this extract, contains little that is dramatic in any truesense, or remarkable in any way. The very ungrateful solo parts were takenby Mme Ella Russell ... and Andrew Black. The local colour is suppliedby choruses of negro slaves, in the accompaniment of whose remarks thebanjo plays a prominent and far from agreeable part.'

(The Times, 31 May)

. . . the excerpts from his opera Koanga, which formed the second part,showed that Mr Delius has a strong dramatic gift, both for orchestral andvocal expression; the two scenes allotted to the baritone, Mr AndrewBlack, being particularly strong and forcible, and well for the composerwas it that he had an artist of the calibre of the Scottish baritone torepresent him in such an important role.'

(TheMomingAdvertiser, 31 May)

'Another German conductor won the highest acclaim yesterday evening withthe orchestral works of Fritz Delius. He is Mr Alfred Hertz, newlyappointed at the Breslau Municipal Theatre, who until now was working atthe Elberfeld Municipal Theatre. Through the efforts of this fine artistFritz Delius, I have come to know a well-known, or one can almost say afamous, man at one go. Hertz had to assemble an orchestra of more than ahundred persons, a men's and a women's choir, not to mention the numeroussoloists, for the performance of Delius's works. In a comparatively shorttime he rehearsed this difficult music of the young composer with theseorchestral and choral masses in such a way that it revealed a vivid,colourful image ofhis abilities.

'Nobody will deny Delius a thorough knowledge of the technique, acomplete control of orchestral effects as well as an inventiveness thatcharms as long as the composer does not desperately bring to it a totallyunnecessary originality. In his songs and the extracts from his negro­opera Koanga the stream of his inventiveness flows unrestricted; thereforethey evoked the largest applause. His song Irmelin Rose is a pearl, and inhis opera melancholy and embers of love, joyful life and revengeful achecombine in the most natural way. The melodic choruses are treated withparticular skill; of the younger composers only d'Erlanger would be able toequal that. One can agree less with the symphonic music. But it would bepresumptuous to pass a final judgement after only one hearing.. .'

(A German review by Otto Brandes in an unidentified Germannewspaper. This translation by Jiirgen Schaarwachter)

t4

The parallel betweenfore. was also drawn.

Elgar and Delius. both composers suddenlY to the

Che fiazette(f 899)

fwo . . r l ( c r l t r o r c t t l l yhavr t t t ln. l?r l r f) | | ln l t tG||

t l on . ( 1111 11 '13 l n t ho S t .

l r r ne r ' r l l r l l , I ' l c ca r l l l l y , . r r

M ; r y 3O th i n q ' h i , h . f t , ' r r r

ha l t pc . t e i q l r t un l i l ne r r l v

m i , l n i g l r t , t l t e n t r t r i e o f a

r n a n o f t h i r t v r i r , l ; r e t l c r i , k

f)el iu< b1' nrnre anrl tr .rrt t in

Yo rk th i i e . k , ; 1 ' t ; 1n r t i cn t i r c

l u r l i ence l t : r l f p l e l r e r l r r t r l

ha l f p r r zz l r l . Thc o th l r

conc r r t r v r s l n t l r l sa r r r "

l l a l l . an , l r vds n t n i v t l

l l n r ' l r t q r l r l r r . t l ; r l r l r r t t t t , l r t

t h e h e t , ' r r , r f l l i . h l e r . r r r , l

con t : r i nc , l t l r r l i r s l l " ' tf onnn t t , . r ' [ 1 sc l r . t f t l t i . r

t i o n < b y l : , l s l r r l I l g ; r r , t l r o

" En ig r r r r "

I t l s l r r r e t h a t U r . l : l c r r

l f f o r l y l r r 0 . ; r n ' l n t c l r l t

t h i r t y i i r l l r . l l r ' l i r r q r " , " r l , l

bn rons i r l r r l l o l , l c r l y l n , l n t

u t t e y , . r i , k " t i r r t c l r , l , r .

Du l r o h r r r , l l r l h l r t r r r g r l l ,

l o r r ee , re r r i l i , ' n i 1s l nn l r t r t

E ,ng land , a l r q : r r l v on l l t , '

t h r c .ho l , t n f l he l ven l i r t l t

c e n l r t r y , l l r r l a l r n r r s l l n l o r r l

t t n r l t r s i r l l ' i c . on< i ( l t r r r l i

nc$Ton r r r , y , ' r t t t g e t r r l , 1 r t .hep* , p r< ' t r t i < i ng .

I ho r , r i t i , ' n o f t hc r c t q ' o

I t r ) l t n l m .n r l l l f cn n re le r l 'i l ly. Mr. l i lgar lr bY frr the

bc l l e r l nown : l he t l s t o

l l , l y , h . l . 611 rn t l t o l y t t n .h r r r r s t t I n l h . $ ' r t l ( r r r n t l y ,

t r r r l h l r f v rn l r en pc r( , r r r nc r l i n t he l l r l t c r i os l l r

I l e l i t t t l r , " v . vo r l r . , ' 111a -

t l r i r r l r l u i t r r l e r v , h rg r l l '

l v . , i u c e h e r e s i , l e r n l x o r d ,

a r r . l I n , l c t , l h a r i n r l r r , l , ' r l l n

I r i r c r ree r l hn n r : r n lBe tn r t t to f i l r ; r t r n r r : l { o r i c i t r n

o r r n g e ) ) ; ' l a n l e t i o t t i n

l i l r r r i r l e .

. l h e | a r i r l l n r r r l n F r l( ) r i g i na l l l r e t t t c r r t ns i< l r ' l a

t o i e r r r l l t ' r r r r I ' r e , ' , 1 ' , t I ' v

t h e l r t i l i n l s o r t t l r k n r r t t . q ' r f

v r r l o u r ( r i , n ' l s o l l t l r . l i l q r r .

S , ' r r r r n l l l r r . r r r l e n ^ l e r l r i r t : -

end vral forccs lot llr.| )elirrr's concert, llcltrc,tn,lrrctcd. comin6 oveth'rn Rrrslau, rhih thclcarler of the orchrslre crmcovnr from Norrry. Thcwlvrlo rccond pari of tbecorrcert wat 3iven ovct loet.frplr llrnn thc o;tcrr'Konqa. end ellhon6h thel i l ' re t to for rnd l i t l lc hvotr .sorrrr ol the mrrric, erJtlcidlYthc orrhestrel daoce ol "'l}lcCal inde," h l i le ly to hrvo

l - 'menent rFpcd. Erot lcir srrrclv the rord frr fr.| )r liur : rutrlecl -lho trtrlnya pllnlrllon. C,rtndrctorrrr,l lcr.lcr-4ctmtn laxl|.lorrvc;len. Hr, l)cllur hlm'rc l l . Inrn In Yorkrh j re d l( i r rnr in t r t recf lon, ror l r r lin I lorirla. liver ln Ferlr I ltrlr, 'rrkl not bc r mrtter ol<rrrlr ire 1[11 thl3 lrotcb'

Jv, te l r grve! r r : r t ren;e hrr -irr"rrix rnd ori6inal melo-,lie r. trsr tcrnrcd rndexr- r iencer l then Ht . E l tnr ,t l r f r corng,ser r iU bc ' l r t r trs rvorlh frttnre hcerinir.

N'nr AJrprlntmenlrn . " t t tmunlef , i ion l rom

llrr \Vrt (Xfrce. dntrd l)ec-nrr l 'c r l0 lh , nnmcr F i r l t l -l lar.lrrl l.ord Rob.rti f,r( .ornrn l r rdcr- in 'CNr l o f l lerl t l r icc ly ' r forcet In the lh ldiu i ' " ih Al r icr , wi th Gen-cra l t -ord Kl tchener u h i r( h i r l n l S t e f l .

Mr. Winrtm ChwchillCnl* Town, flecrmhcr

22rrrl. l8l|0. Dlr. Wlrtston( .lrrrr clrll l, rho hrd bc'cnt rk.n nrlsm?t mer Colenrrnrr,t r.rit to Prctor{r, ctcrf.d.rn,l rfter much brrdrhlPreer lred flelegtr BeY ln<a fety ,

' I 'rvo l) r'onr isi rrg- - - r t

EI'(;/R cn(l DIi;LIUS

c Dnlglnn tt I 'nrlnllons nrril s Konnlln "

rlcr l h t t rnour , l r In t l t . t l l l .o l " Nlmtx l " ; lven 111 nvrr le f lon of qr r lc t k l r t )Rnt the l , lcnt i ty n l lh , '

ttrronn:d lhrtr hirl ' l, rr i '' o t t h c l r u c E n l S n e , r f l l r '

muslc : for in l tanc" , $e nrrvI t l c ? " N l m r r x l " l l t t o r t g l tthe * 'n t r l " l l r rn lcr " lo lheCcrmrn " Jee6cr " n t l , l ' ' t

b e c h t o r d c a t l v t n l n , ' l

muslcr l edv lsct o l l t l r .E lg: t r ' r publ i rhrn. I l r ' 'E ,n ig lnr r r th t r t r i r t r in lh^nrr r r i rn l r ; r thet lhrn l l r rpet ron: t l r i r le o l l l tn l l r r r r r " .* l r lch l . s t r lyxcr l l r r l t r . , 'l n o t h r r . w h i c h l o e r s i l h i tcontr r lnrntn l lY, i lv r r rgh i t i 'never p la; 'ed. I 'er l t r ln lh ' 'm r r : i c a l ; r r h l i e , s h i ' h ' ' l

l iker prrzr le p i r l t t to< ar l lm u s i e n l i t e m r u i t h t i l l ' ' .mrc prtdis;n<erl ln lr t ""ro l i l r . E l f r t r v t r i r l i . r t rbc lor t l ler r Rl rh i r r 1 ' l ' l ' ' l

u p h i s h e f o n f o r l h e l i r < l

l i r lormrnce, but l l i , l r l ' rh inrsel l is merkcdl l ' er r l l r r rlrrtlc, elrnoat i-t mttch s,r r'I t l t hrd bccn wr l t ten h1 ' aGctnren I

Allred llertz, not ro qell

lng*r u Rlchtcr. but rncnthul lmt lc rnd er ;nr l -circed conductor of opra ittBrerhu. Srthcrcd cchmltal

I 'oturg ll[clr

c

14

The parallel between Elgar and Delius, both composers suddenly to thefore, was also drawn.

1\MUSIr. l£Ar~IIF.R

T~...i"1l AidSllrr'rmrnt

rwMi.~,ti A""f:'-;tn. "rOl.,

p..'Dnf;lKItt'" I'....ll~.(","<10", w.e.•.

Cb~ 6az~tt~(1899)

Mr. WillStOll ChllrthilfClll~ Town, o.-c.-mtlf!r

21",1. I!lOO. p,fr, Wln.,tonI.h",rhill. "h" had ~nt"ken p,!!.onl'r near Colen.O(>.'lfl.~nt to f'ntorfa.etC&~,

,,'''I after much bard"'lprrad."" ~ta«oa Bay In<~I~ly,

Wnr AflrolnlmCnl1'J!I rnlf\munk1\lion from

'hr Will Offl.e, dllted lll'c­,,,,h,,, Hllh. nl\l11C!1 Fi~l<I·

~bl.lnl Lord Rob<-rt. Il.(IlIllll\andcr-in·rhlr.f 01 Hr.rM,'jr.ly·. forc~ In Ihe f/loldin ~'lllth Africa. wilh r.en­~",I I.nrd Kilchener u hiA! hid ,..f !'llIff.

and \'ocAI lorce! lo( Mr,\lrlill~'~ ~ncert, Herb."n,lnrtl'd. comin,; overfrom nrl'!llllU, whilfo theIr~(ler 01 Ihe orche'llra cameovrr f,om Nor.....y. Thewholr. ,,«ond put 01 the("" ..rrt ..... riven over tnCHNrl' from the operll,/(0""(11, and ...lIholl«h theI;hldlo lo"nd little 'a'lOUr,""nr 01 Ih~ mnllic,l"Ipr.<:iallyIh~ mfhC!'trtll dMcpol"lntl("lin<1.," I. likej, to have

1;'<~;r~~n~h:r~rd ,;"~~~')rli\l~:- ,,,hIed-the far

::~.r f~:~~~~~':t"":~!'lOI\\'l'lItilln. Mr. f)e1lu, him.•..11. horn In York.hlre rift; ... m.\Il e"'fllcllon, work~in II"rid", liveoln rari. I It.1,"nh' not tlf! a mlltter of''''1'' i.c that thl, hotcb­p"lrh Ri\'~ '" ~Ira,,«e h:u­,nflni~ .nd ori(inaJ mf'lo­,lir.. I~ lL,"U"", andr","'ril'n.r" thlln Mr. F.'(I::lf,,t". {n'"p'~er "m ~ ·I\\...t'" wmlh I"Iure helldnlt'".

Ilnllllll"Our••1 In tit.. """p( .. ,..Im,od" IIlvr.n ,,, 1\

vllliatlon 01 '1"1..1 l>e""')'nllt Ihe '.Ientity ..I 11\,­per.onIlR~ Ihn~ hi,',I,·" i<not the I",e Enlgrn:l 01 "tem".ic: lor in,llInce. we nl.1\,tra.e .. Nimrod" Ihro"f:hthe worrt " Jlllnlrr " 10 'h..Gt"rm~n Of JRegrr" 11.1111 c.q

bll.k to a dear Iv \'"hlf'"mllslral luhl!\('r o( MrElgar'. r"hll~hr",. llll'EnilPnl ralher rxi.l~ in then1l1~lrlll r"lhrr tlnn Ih ..l'e"~,,n,,1 .j,11' 01 Ihrl h.."",.whkh I. ,,,t'P',,,~,1 I" h.".,anothrr. wh,.h Ror. with it{onlrlll'lInll\t1y. IlvlII!!" it j.

ne\'~r r'.p'd, Pr, h.~, ... Il",mn,irnt ptlhHr, \\'hkh o::.f}

likl'~ plll1.lc pidulr. ~",l

mll~irlll item, with lill, <.

....re predispo<l'" In ,''\',,,,of Mr. Rill"" va,;"'i",,.~Iole lI~rT Rkhlr.r I·I'~'·,I

ur hi, halon Inr Ihr lil<l

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l 5

A brief history of the libretto of Koanga will be appropriate at this point.Over 20 years ago, William Randel published a detailed consideration of thetangled path which led from George W Cable's novel The Grandissimes to thefinal version of Delius's opera as represented in the available performingmaterials today.3 Randel and Carlet' are my sources for much of what follows.

Cable's novel first appeared in instalments in the journal Scibner's Monthlybetween November I 879 and October I 880, though whetherCable wrote the novel,Dickens-like, while it was being published is not known. Almost immediatelyserialisation was completed, the book was published, and has been reissued onseveral occasions since (the British Library Catalogue lists three editionsbetween 1880 and 1899).

Delius first trod American soil in 1884, when Cable's novel must have beeneasily available, but there is no evidence that he actirally read it at thetime. It seems more likely that Delius's experience of the magic of the sightsand sounds of the country around his plantation at Solana Grove and theSt Johns River were focused by the background of Cable's book which laterreminded him of them.

It is already difficult to remember when Delius's first two operas The MagicFountain and lrmelir? were outside the experience of most Delians, yet this wasin fact remarkably recently. Neither was produced in Delius's lifetime, whichgave their successor, Koanga, a considerable status.

It was the libretti of his early operas that caused Delius so much trouble. At firsthe reported that he was writing the

'words and music' of Koanga'at the same

time', but Delius was quick to admit that'my literature is not on a level with mymusic'.S In his search for a librettist for his opera based on an episode fromCable's novel, Delius turned to Charles Francis Keary(1848-1917), a graduate ofTiinity College, Cambridge. Randel suggests that Delius may have been dazzledby Keary's superficial trappings of successful author.

'His third novel, Herbert

Vanlennert, had just been published: The Outlines of Primitive Belief (1882) gavehim standing as an authority on myth; his Norway and the Nomvegians (1892)expressed a deep love for that country that Delius could share; andA Wanderer,f irst publ ished in 1888 and reissued in 1895, had a subtle romanticism that musthave been irresistible to Delius. Some reviewers had been critical, chargingKeary with writing too fast, inadequate revising, and never rising above thecommonplace. If these judgements were valid, we have one reason for the grossweakness of the Koanga libretto. A second and more substantial reason is thatKeary was unfamiliar with American literature and Negro speech. A thirdreason, overarching the other two, is conjectural: that Delius was so impressed bythe list of Keary's books that he accepted without question his radical modifica-tions of Cable's language. Keary was out of his element, but neither he nor Deliusseemed aware of the fact.'6

3. Randel, William: 'Koanga and its Libretto', Music & Laters April 1971, pp.14l-1564. Carley, Lionel: Delius - A Life in Letters'.I 1862-1908. Scolar Press, 19835. Delius to Jutta Bell, 25 Feb 1896; Carley op cit p.996. Randel, op cit p.143

15

A brief history of the libretto of Koanga will be appropriate at this point.Over 20 years ago, William Randel published a detailed consideration of thetangled path which led from George W Cable's novel The Grandissimes to thefinal version of Delius's opera as represented in the available performingmaterials today.3 Randel and Carley4 are my sources for much of what follows.Cable's novel first appeared in instalments in the journal Scribner's MonthlybetweenNovember 1879andOctober 1880, though whetherCable wrote the novel,Dickens-like, while it was being published is not known. Almost immediatelyserialisation was completed, the book was published, and has been reissued onseveral occasions since (the British Library Catalogue lists three editionsbetween 1880 and 1899).

Delius first trod American soil in 1884, when Cable's novel must have beeneasily available, but there is no evidence that he actually read it at thetime. It seems more likely that Delius's experience of the magic of the sightsand sounds of the country around his plantation at Solana Grove and theSt Johns River were focused by the background of Cable's book which laterreminded him of them.

It is already difficult to remember when Delius's first two operas The MagicFountain and Irmelin were outside the experience of most Delians, yet this wasin fact remarkably recently. Neither was produced in Delius's lifetime, whichgave their successor, Koanga, a considerable status.

Itwas the libretti ofhis early operas that caused Delius so much trouble. At firsthe reported that he was writing the 'words and music' of Koanga 'at the sametime', but Delius was quick to admit that 'my literature is not on a level with mymusic'.5 In his search for a librettist for his opera based on an episode fromCable's novel, Delius turned to Charles Francis Keary (1848-1917), a graduate ofTrinity College, Cambridge. Randel suggests that Delius may have been dazzledby Keary's superficial trappings of successful author. 'His third novel, HerbertVanlennert, had just been published; The Outlines ofPrimitive Belief (1 882) gavehim standing as an authority on myth; his Norway and the Norwegians (1892)expressed a deep love for that country that Delius could share; andA Wanderer,first published in 1888 and reissued in 1895, had a subtle romanticism that musthave been irresistible to Delius. Some reviewers had been critical, chargingKeary with writing too fast, inadequate revising, and never rising above thecommonplace. If these judgements were valid, we have one reason for the grossweakness of the Koanga libretto. A second and more substantial reason is thatKeary was unfamiliar with American literature and Negro speech. A thirdreason, overarching the other two, is conjectural: that Delius was so impressed bythe list of Keary's books that he accepted without question his radical modifica­tions ofCable's language. Keary was out ofhis element, but neither he nor Deliusseemed aware of the fact.'6

3. Randel, William: 'Koanga and its Libretto', Music & Letters April 1971, pp.l41-1564. Carley, Lionel: Delius - A Life in Letters: I 1862-1908. Scalar Press, 19835. Delius to Jutta Bell. 25 Feb 1896; Carley op cit p.996. RandeL op cit p.143

16

•

Herter's illustration of Bras-Coupe (Koanga) in The Grandissimes, andCable's signature on the fly-leaf of a copy of his novel [colI. L. CarleyJ

t ]

THE I9O4 PRODUCTION AT ELBERFELI)When Koanga came to London in the 1930s, its successor, the far more familiarA Village Romeo and Juliet, had also been fairly recently heard (BBC 1932 andRCM 1934) and was fresh in commentators'minds, and they tended to take it as abenchmark. This comparison was also made by Fritz Cassirer. the conductor ofDelius's first produced opera, when Koanga was seen at the Stadttheater,Elberfeld, starting on 30 March 1904. Cassirer did not take the later view thatKoanga was but a step on the roadtoA Wllage Romeo andJuliet:hewrote to Deliuson l3 May: 'If I have to make one reservation [of A Village Romeol.then it is to theeffect that the romantic nature of the subject has not allowed your musicallanguage to remain on the absolutelyoriginal level ofKoanga.I am so spoiled byKoanga that I would not permit anything of that kind to you. of all people.' 7

Delius's sister Clare was living in Bonn in 1904, whence she had taken herchi ldren inorderthatthey mightlearn German(anessential accomplishment formany in 1904). She left us this vivid account of the background to the firststage presentation of Koanga.s

'While I was there I had a letter from Fred asking me to come toElberfeld. where his opera Koanga was to be produced at the Opera Housefor the first time. It was a very interesting and exciting experience forme. On my arrival I was met by my sister-in-law. whose acquaintance I hadnot made until then. She told me that Fred was very busy with therehearsal. and that we were to go straight to the theatre. It was my firstexperience of anything of the kind. and it was all the more intriguingbecause of what I may call the family atmosphere. Part of the scenery hadbeen designed by my sister-in-law, and was extraordinarily effective. Isaw Fred, then, in quite a new light. He was conducting the rehearsal inperson, and I detected dist inct traits of our father's mart inet methods inthe way in which he treated the cast. His wife and I were the onlyspectators. and for several hours I was absorbed in the production.

'The title role was taken by Clarence Whitehill. an American, who

afterwards sang at Covent Garden. The performance was under the directionof Fritz Cassirer, znd other members of the cast were Rose Kaiser. whotook the part of Palmyra. and Charlotte Lengenberg. who played the part ofClothi lde. On the evening of the rehearsal Whitehi l l came to our hotel inrather a bad state of nerves. He was concerned as to how the audiencewould accept his costume. or rather lack of i t . for he had to appear withhisbodycompletelyblacked and wearingonly a leopard skin.In those daysnudism was not the feature of the stage that i t is to-day [935]. Therewas a r isk, in 1904. that the audience might disapprove, in which case theopera might be doomed. There was another anxiety. too. Rose Kaiser wasdissatisf ied with her costume, and showed a dangerous incl ination todevelop a temperamental sore throat in consequence.

Carley.op cit.p.24ODelius. Clare.Memoies of my brother.Ivor Nicholson & Watson. 1935. pp.l45 -l &153-4

17

THE 1904 PRODUCTION AT ELBERFELDWhen Koanga came to London in the 1930s, its successor, the far more familiarA Village Romeo and Juliet, had also been fairly recently heard (BBC 1932 andRCM 1934) and was fresh in commentators' minds, and they tended to take it as abenchmark. This comparison was also made by Fritz Cassirer, the conductor ofDelius's first produced opera, when Koanga was seen at the Stadttheater,Elberfeld, starting on 30 March 1904. Cassirer did not take the later view thatKoanga was but a step on the road toA Village Romeo andJuliet; he wrote to Deliuson 13 May: 'If! have to make one reservation [ofA Village Romeo], then it is to theeffect that the romantic nature of the subject has not allowed your musicallanguage to remain on the absolutely original level ofKoanga. I am so spoiled byKoanga that I would not permit anything ofthat kind to you, of all people.' 7

Delius's sister Clare was living in Bonn in 1904, whence she had taken herchildren inorderthatthey might learn German (an essential accomplishment formany in 1904). She left us this vivid account of the background to the firststage presentation ofKoanga.8

'While I was there I had a letter from Fred asking me to come toElberfeld, where his opera Koanga was to be produced at the Opera Housefor the first time. It was a very interesting and exciting experience forme. On my arrival I was met by my sister-in-law, whose acquaintance I hadnot made until then. She told me that Fred was very busy with therehearsal, and that we were to go straight to the theatre. It was my firstexperience of anything of the kind, and it was all the more intriguingbecause of what I may call the family atmosphere. Part of the scenery hadbeen designed by my sister-in-law, and was extraordinarily effective. Isaw Fred, then, in quite a new light. He was conducting the rehearsal inperson, and I detected distinct traits of our father's martinet methods inthe way in which he treated the cast. His wife and I were the onlyspectators, and for several hours I was absorbed in the production.

The title role was taken by Clarence Whitehill, an American, whoafterwards sang at Covent Garden. The performance was under the directionof Fritz Cassirer, -and other members of the cast were Rose Kaiser, whotook the part ofPalmyra, and Charlotte Lengenberg, who played the part ofClothilde. On the evening of the rehearsal Whitehill came to our hotel inrather a bad state of nerves. He was concerned as to how the audiencewould accept his costume, or rather lack of it, for he had to appear withhis body completely blacked and wearing only a leopard skin. In those daysnudism was not the feature of the stage that it is to-day [1935]. Therewas a risk, in 1904, that the audience might disapprove, in which case theopera might be doomed. There was another anxiety, too. Rose Kaiser wasdissatisfied with her costume, and showed a dangerous inclination todevelop a temperamental sore throat in consequence.

7. Carley.op cit. p.2408. Delius. Clare, Memories ofmy brother. Ivor Nicholson & Watson. 1935. pp.145-7 & 153-4

1 8

Itoongo.

0)per in brei 2lften

rnit einem l)or' unb einem lTodipiel

(S5enen uus ,)ctn lTcgcrlebent

$reberid Delius.

6c5t corr C. . \ . 1{ e .r r 1' .

Libretto of Koanga for the 1904 production

'I suppose all first performances are liable to these stresses andstrains but as I was new to the experience I make mention of them here. Mysister-in-law inspected Palmyra's costume. suggested various alterations,and by her tact and sweetness tided over the difficulty. But Whitehill'scase was almost beyond human aid. He had to be black, and he had to wearonly a leopard skin.

'On the great night itself we repaired in good time to the theatre,where my sister-in-law, leaving nothing to chance, took me to Palmyra'sdressing-room. There she suggested still more alterations in the disputedcostume. which were charmingly effective. I may mention that Palmyra wassupposed to be a very beautiful Quadroon, and that the tragic story ofPalmyra and Koanga is one ofAmerica's favourite legends.

18

[ Koanga. ]

Q)pcr in (lrei 2lften

mtt einem Vor: l1nb einem nacl7fpiel

POll

Sr~bericf l>~lius.

['eft 0011 ~. <~. l{ ~ u r y.

Drucf 0011 ]. 11. ~O r 11, <.Elberfcltl.

Libretto of Koanga for the 1904 production

'I suppose all first performances are liable to these stresses andstrains but as I was new to the experience I make mention of them here. Mysister-in-law inspected Palmyra's costume, suggested various alterations,and by her tact and sweetness tided over the difficulty. But Whitehill'scase was almost beyond human aid. He had to be black, and he had to wearonly a leopard skin.

'On the great night itself we repaired in good time to the theatre,where my sister-in-law, leaving nothing to chance, took me to Palmyra'sdressing-room. There she suggested still more alterations in the disputedcostume, which were charmingly effective. I may mention that Palmyra wassupposed to be a very beautiful Quadroon, and that the tragic story ofPalmyra and Koanga is one ofAmerica's favourite legends.

o

19

'When it was almost time for the curtain to go up, Fred, my sister-in-

law and I repaired to our box. I do not know in what state were the nerves

of my companions. but as they were more immediately interested, I expect

they were even more ju-py than mine. Our qualms with regard to Clarence

Whitehill 's costume were almost immediately set at rest. When he appeared

upon the stage, his imposing and magnificent figure drew a round of

applause from the audience, and we could breathe again. There was no doubt

about the success of the opera. The enthusiasm was wonderful, and Fred was

called before the curtain again and again. I remember, as I witnessed this

tribute to his art. getting a picture of the Fred who used to come into

the schoolroom at home and play to us and tell us of his ambitions, which

then only figured as dreams, impossible of realisation. And there he was,

in the heart of musical Germany, "arrived"!'As far as I know there was only one complaint about Koanga, which was

received with great appreciation by the critics, and that came from

Whitehill. He visited us at our hotel the next morning to talk over the

great evening. He told Fred that he loved his art and enjoyed every note

of it, but added, "Next time you write an opera do make me a white fellow;

you have no idea the difficulty I have in cleaning myself white again."

* * : 1 .

"'A Fellow Student", writing in 1907 e - he had been at the Leipzig

Conservatorium with Fred - relates how the complete performance of Koanga

came to take place:

'It is rather amusing to think that had it not been for the appointment

of Mr Cassirer as conductor of the opera at Elberfeld, this work might

still be lying, a happy hunting ground for flies, upon the musty shelves

of the theatre library. For three years the full score had remainedthere and had been inspected by several successive conductors, every one

of whom declared his inability to read the notes, so large was the paper

used and so small the handwriting. Such a comparative trifle, however,did not deter Mr Cassirer, who quickly detected in it music out of the

common. But even he has confessed that he was unable to study the scoreby night, since if he held the lamp up in order to read the flute andother high instrumental parts, those of the bass instruments were all in

total darkness, while the opposite was the case if the lamp were placed

upon the table. In the cast of Koanga was Mr Clarence Whitehill, whose

Wotan was so much admired in Der Ringat Covent Garden last summer; andgreat was the amusement when he appeared as a Negro slave garbed in acostume similar to that so frequently seen when Miss May Yohel0 played

in London. The first performance came near to falling through from the"illness" of the prima donna, who being diagnosed, proved to be due tonothing more dangerous than the want of sufliciently becomingcostume . . .'

9. Robin Legge, The Daily Tblegraph, Saturday 16 November 1907

19

'When it was almost time for the curtain to go up, Fred, my sister-in­law and I repaired to our box. I do not know in what state were the nervesof my companions, but as they were more immediately interested, I expectthey were even more jumpy than mine. Our qualms with regard to ClarenceWhitehill's costume were almost immediately set at rest. When he appearedupon the stage, his imposing and magnificent figure drew a round ofapplause from the audience, and we could breathe again. There was no doubtabout the success of the opera. The enthusiasm was wonderful, and Fred wascalled before the curtain again and again. I remember, as I witnessed thistribute to his art, getting a picture of the Fred who used to come intothe schoolroom at home and play to us and tell us of his ambitions, whichthen only figured as dreams, impossible of realisation. And there he was,in the heart ofmusical Germany, "arrived"!

'As far as I know there was only one complaint about Koanga, which wasreceived with great appreciation by the critics, and that came fromWhitehill. He visited us at our hotel the next morning to talk over thegreat evening. He told Fred that he loved his art and enjoyed every noteof it, but added, "Next time you write an opera do make me a white fellow;you have no idea the difficulty I have in cleaning myself white again."

***'''A Fellow Student", wntmg in 1907 9 - he had been at the LeipzigConservatorium with Fred - relates how the complete performance of Koangacame to take place:

'It is rather amusing to think that had it not been for the appointmentof Mr Cassirer as conductor of the opera at Elberfeld, this work mightstill be lying, a happy hunting ground for flies, upon the musty shelvesof the theatre library. For three years the full score had remainedthere and had been inspected by several successive conductors, every oneof whom declared his inability to read the notes, so large was the paperused and so small the handwriting. Such a comparative trifle, however,did not deter Mr Cassirer, who quickly detected in it music out of thecommon. But even he has confessed that he was unable to study the scoreby night, since if he held the lamp up in order to read the flute andother high instrumental parts, those of the bass instruments were all intotal darkness, while the opposite was the case if the lamp were placedupon the table. In the cast of Koanga was Mr Clarence Whitehill, whoseWotan was so much admired in DerRing at Covent Garden last summer; andgreat was the amusement when he appeared as a Negro slave garbed in acostume similar to that so frequently seen when Miss May Yohe lO playedin London. The first performance came near to falling through from the"illness" of the prima donna, who being diagnosed, proved to be due tonothing more dangerous than the want of sufficiently becomingcostume ...'

9. Robin Legge, The Daily Telegraph, Saturday 16 November 1907

20

10. Miss MayAugusta('May')Yohe from Pennsylvania. madeherLondond6butin 1893 inThe Magic Opal with music by Alb6niz.

'A vivacious little creature of partial Indian

extraction with a rough, untrained contralto of minimal range . . . succeeded in winningan important section of the public (principally male) to her cause by sheer personaleffect.'Laterthatsameyear, in Herv6'sMamselleNitouche.hertemperamentcametotheforewhen she stamped and shrieked and told theconductor. a young HenryWood,thathe'couldn'tconductfornuts'. f inallyterminatinghercontract. From all accounts MissYohedid nothavemuchofa voice. Shehad beentoParis to'studytheinfamous routinesof the Parisian Quadrille dancers' IKurt Gzinzl.The British Musical Theatre Vol I 1865-1914, Macmi l lan 19861.

We have very few press cuttings of this production. and I am grateful to LionelCarley for providing me with a copy of this unidentified review and to DenisCrowder for preparing this translation:

MUNICIPALTHEATRE

KOANGAOpera in Three Acts with Prologue and Epilogue

by Frederick Delius

First PerformanceElberfeld. 3l March 1904

'Frederick Delius, whose opera Ko anga was given its first performance here

yesterday, a benefit performance for our generally admired opera producerJacques Goldberg.is nostrangerhere: he is known as a "modern"composer

in our concert hal l through orchestral works performed under the baton ofthe principal conductor, Dr Haym; his most important work. Pais (anocturne), which is classif ied as programme music. received i ts f i rstperformance here in 1902. Koanga provided an opportunity to get to knowhim as a composer for the stage as well .

'While this opera's principal merit from the scenic point of view liesin the true-to-life portrayal of ordinary people, the scenes featuring theslaves, the negro milieu. from the musical point of view. at firsthearing, i t l ies in the orchestral colour. some of which is quitedist inct ive, and in the depict ion of mocld; in this respect the music has afair amount of admirable detai l to offer. For that matter Delius. l ike al lthe "moderns". puts the main emphasis on the orchestra. fol lowssfyl ist ical ly in the footsteps of Wagner and the Ital ian verist i . and withhis sensit ivi ty. as is the case with Le Borne in Mudarra.rr turns theirachievements to account. while at the same t ime. l ike Charpentier. alsogoing his own way: i t is not just a matter of fol lowing or imitat ing the

I l . Fernand Le Borne ( 1862-1929). Mudurrct {4 acts. 1899. Berl in)

20

10. Miss MayAugustaCMay')Yohefrom Pennsylvania,madeherLondondebutin 1893inThe Magic Opal with music by Albeniz. 'A vivacious little creature of partial Indianextraction with a rough, untrained contraltoofminimal range ... succeeded in winningan important section of the public (principally male) to her cause by sheer personaleffect.'Laterthatsameyear,inHerve'sMamselleNitouche,hertemperamentcametotheforewhenshestampedandshriekedandtoldtheconductor,ayoungHenryWood,thathe 'couldn'tconduct for nuts ',finally terminating hercontract. From all accounts MissYohedid nothavemuchofa voice. She had been to Paris to 'study the infamous routinesofthe Parisian Quadrille dancers' [Kurt GanzL The British Musical Theatre Vo111865­1914, Macmillan 1986].

We have very few press cuttings of this production, and I am grateful to LionelCarley for providing me with a copy of this unidentified review, and to DenisCrowder for preparing this translation:

MUNICIPAL THEATRE

KOANGAOpera in Three Acts with Prologue and Epilogue

by Frederick Delius

First PerformanceElberfeld, 31 March 1904

'Frederick Delius, whose opera Koanga was given its first performance hereyesterday, a benefit performance forour generally admired opera producerJacques Goldberg, is no stranger here: he is known as a "modern"composerin our concert hall through orchestral works performed under the baton ofthe principal conductor, Dr Haym; his most important work, Paris (anocturne), which is classified as programme music, received its firstperformance here in 1902. Koanga provided an opportunity to get to knowhim as a composer for the stage as well.

'While this opera's principal merit from the scenic point of view liesin the true-to-life portrayal of ordinary people, the scenes featuring theslaves, the negro milieu. from the musical point of view. at firsthearing, it lies in the orchestral colour. some of which is quitedistinctive, and in the depiction of mood; in this respect the music has afair amount of admirable detail to offer. For that matter Delius. like allthe "modems", puts the main emphasis on the orchestra. followsstylistically in the footsteps of Wagner and the Italian veristi, and withhis sensitivity. as is the case with Le Borne in Mudarra,11 turns theirachievements to account, while at the same time. like Charpentier, alsogoing his own way: it is not just a matter of following or imitating the

11. Fernand Le Borne (l862-1929).Mudurra (4 acts. 1899. Berlin)

•

2 l

style of Wagner. Moreover, while the composer's motifs may not appear new,

nevertheless because of his gift for combination he manages to give them

newexpression. With the "moderns". as with Delius, complete mastery of

technical resources is taken for granted, in the same way as dissonances,

hence the singers too can indulge in these, as yesterday - especially

given the secondary and instrumental treatment which vocal parts receive

in the work of our "moderns", and in Delius too. In Koanga what weparticularly feel the lack of is melodic writing for normally constructed

ears, as well as appropriate pauses and real climaxes. Then again there is

much that seems excessively lengthy and in need of cutting. The quintet at

the end of Act I bore witness to outstanding aptitude for fine musical

craftsmanship and effective heightening of tension; the wedding music(ballet and chorus) in Act II seemed original and full of merit; the death

scene also contains much that is appealing.'While at yesterday's performance the house was only moderately well

filled, for a benelit that was not surprising - especially in Holy Week -

in the light of experience with previous first performances of operashere; success has often been "contrived", regardless of whether theproduction in question may have brought the operatic art form intodisrepute with a good many reasonable people. That ultimately makes thepublic distrustful. For the success of this performance of Koanga special

credit was due to the producerJacques Goldberg, in whose honour on thisoccasion it was held and who displayed all his professional skill,presenting scenes full of brilliant colour, lively movement and plenty ofatmosphere, and to the conductor Fritz Cassirer, who had obviously devoted

a great deal of loving care to the work, directed the performance very

capably and in particular achieved a really excellent standard oforchestral playing. The changes of scene were admittedly too noisy andmuch too slow for the progress of the action, and the intervals were too

long. As for the two leading roles, Clarence Whitehill as Koanga gave a

splendid and quite outstanding performance: his resonant and powerful voice

was particularly well suited to the long-drawn-out melancholy notes of thepassionate "noble" slave. Rose Kaiser, too, in the extensive but not veryrewarding part of Palmyra, gave an excellent performance to the extentthat this was required. In minor roles Georg Foerster (Perez) and MaxBirkholz (Don Martinez) gave commendable performances.

'Devotees of the composer - who was present - gave the work a very

cordial reception and saw to it that there was no shortage of ovations. Ingeneral yesterday there were bouquets and laurel wreaths in abundanceand of all dimensions. After Act II there were repeated curtain calls for thelaurel-crowned composer. amid loud applause, and at the end of theperformance for the producer - the huppy recipient of flowers. laurels andother tributes on his benefit nisht - and for the conductor.'

style ofWagner. Moreover, while the composer's motifs may not appear new,nevertheless because of his gift for combination he manages to give themnew expression. With the "moderns", as with Delius, complete mastery oftechnical resources is taken for granted, in the same way as dissonances,hence the singers too can indulge in these, as yesterday - especiallygiven the secondary and instrumental treatment which vocal parts receivein the work of our "moderns", and in Delius too. In Koanga what weparticularly feel the lack of is melodic writing for normally constructedears, as well as appropriate pauses and real climaxes. Then again there ismuch that seems excessively lengthy and in need ofcutting. The quintet atthe end of Act I bore witness to outstanding aptitude for fine musicalcraftsmanship and effective heightening of tension; the wedding music(ballet and chorus) in Act 11 seemed original and full of merit; the deathscene also contains much that is appealing.

'While at yesterday's performance the house was only moderately wellfilled, for a benefit that was not surprising - especially in Holy Week ­in the light of experience with previous first performances of operashere; success has often been "contrived", regardless of whether theproduction in question may have brought the operatic art form intodisrepute with a good many reasonable people. That ultimately makes thepublic distrustful. For the success of this performance of Koanga specialcredit was due to the producer Jacques Goldberg, in whose honour on thisoccasion it was held and who displayed all his professional skill,presenting scenes full of brilliant colour, lively movement and plenty ofatmosphere, and to the conductor Fritz Cassirer, who had obviously devoteda great deal of loving care to the work, directed the performance verycapably and in particular achieved a really excellent standard oforchestral playing. The changes of scene were admittedly too noisy andmuch too slow for the progress of the action, and the intervals were toolong. As for the two leading roles, Clarence Whitehill as Koanga gave asplendid and quite outstanding performance: his resonant and powerful voicewas particularly well suited to the long-drawn-out melancholy notes ofthepassionate "noble" slave. Rose Kaiser, too, in the extensive but not veryrewarding part of Palmyra, gave an excellent performance to the extentthat this was required. In minor roles Georg Foerster (Perez) and MaxBirkholz (Don Martinez) gave commendable performances.

'Devotees of the composer - who was present - gave the work a verycordial reception and saw to it that there was no shortage of ovations. Ingeneral yesterday there were bouquets and laurel wreaths in abundanceand of all dimensions. After Act 11 there were repeated curtain calls for thelaurel-crowned composer, amid loud applause, and at the end of theperformance for the producer - the happy recipient of flowers, laurels andother tributes on his benefit night - and for the conductor.'

21

22

The fi rst extended accounts of Deliu s and hi s music were published in German byMax Chop, both in his contribution to the second volume of the publisher

C F Kahnt'sMonographien ModernerMusiker series in 1907 and in the'Harmonie'series'Moderne Musiker'to which he contributed a 58-page monograph. Chopclearly heard the early German performances of Delius's music, including the

Elberfeld production of Koanga, about which he writes with the vividness offi rst-hand experience I 2 :

'The musical drama Koanga (first performed in the town theatre ofElberfeld on 30 March 1904) with its scenes of Negro life is Delius's

first attempt as a painter of middle-American land and people scapes. Heportrays with ease all the impressions gained during his stay on theFlorida orange plantation. In this area, Nature in all her tropicalluxuriance surrounds the life and activities of the Negro. Delius lovedit. Even (today) much later he retained fond memories of the time he was

brought into daily contact with the blacks, and the wonderful eveningswhen their four-part unique improvised singing filled the still air aroundthe ranch, while fireflies hummed through the long palm fronds and the

breeze rustled the magnolias. These are mood pictures th at stem ab solutelyfrom the powerof his expression.

'The colourful scenery was of course intimately bound up with the plot.

The writer C F Keary used the novel by the American author G W Cable andplaced at the centre of the whole thing the situation of slavery in thesouthern states of the USA at the turn of the century. The divisionbetween blacks and whites forms the conflict of the drama. The hatred heldby the coloured people towards those with pale faces is deep rooted; the

differences between the two races are furthered by the half-castes. whoonly slightly belie their roots by their appearance. Marriage betweenblacks and whites is held to be impossible and any descendants aredespised by the whites and excluded from any part of their business. Thebasic themes become obvious from the summary of the plot that follows.

'In the introduction a number of young girls, daughters of rich

Louisiana plantation owners, are dancing one beautiful spring evening.They soon tire and search for alternative entertainment. The Negroes withtheir exuberant imaginations are good story-tellers, so old "Uncle Joe"with his stories of slavery and the desire for freedom is called. He

begins the story of Koanga, a prince and voodoo priest, and Palmyra. Duskfalls and dark clouds form on the horizon as the tale becomes realitybefore the eyes of the spectators. Voodoo is the God of the African Negro,and belief remained strong amongst all Negroes; even those who outwardlysubscribed to Christianity held to the old ways with all the tenacity oftheir people. This explains why the curse that Koanga puts on the wholeplantation at the end of the second act is fullilled: the strength ofhypnosis and autosuggestion.

12. Chop. Max: 'Frederick Delius in Monographien Moderner Musiker Band II, pp.84-97

22

The first extended accounts ofDelius and his music were published in German byMax Chop, both in his contribution to the second volume of the publisherC F KahnfsMonographien ModernerMusiker series in 1907 and in the 'Harmonie'series 'Moderne Musiker' to which he contributed a 58-page monograph. Chopclearly heard the early German performances of Delius's music, including theElberfeld production of Koanga, about which he writes with the vividness offirst-hand experience12 :

'The musical drama Koanga (first performed in the town theatre ofElberfeld on 30 March 1904) with its scenes of Negro life is Delius'sfirst attempt as a painter of middle-American land and people scapes. Heportrays with ease all the impressions gained during his stay on theFlorida orange plantation. In this area, Nature in all her tropicalluxuriance surrounds the life and activities of the Negro. Delius lovedit. Even (today) much later he retained fond memories of the time he wasbrought into daily contact with the blacks, and the wonderful eveningswhen their four-part unique improvised singing filled the still air aroundthe ranch, while fireflies hummed through the long palm fronds and thebreeze rustled the magnolias. These are mood pictures that stem absolutelyfrom the powerofhis expression.

'The colourful scenery was of course intimately bound up with the plot.The writerC FKearyused the novel bytheAmericanauthorGWCable andplaced at the centre of the whole thing the situation of slavery in thesouthern states of the USA at the turn of the century. The divisionbetween blacks and whites forms the conflict ofthe drama. The hatred heldby the coloured people towards those with pale faces is deep rooted; thedifferences between the two races are furthered by the half-castes, whoonly slightly belie their roots by their appearance. Marriage betweenblacks and whites is held to be impossible and any descendants aredespised by the whites and excluded from any part of their business. Thebasic themes become obvious from the summary ofthe plot that follows.

'In the introduction a number of young girls, daughters of richLouisiana plantation owners, are dancing one beautiful spring evening.They soon tire and search for alternative entertainment. The Negroes withtheir exuberant imaginations are good story-tellers, so old "Uncle Joe"with his stories of slavery and the desire for freedom is called. Hebegins the story ofKoanga, a prince and voodoo priest, and Palmyra. Duskfalls and dark clouds form on the horizon as the tale becomes realitybefore the eyes of the spectators. Voodoo is the God of the African Negro,and beliefremained strong amongst all Negroes; even those who outwardlysubscribed to Christianity held to the old ways with all the tenacity oftheir people. This explains why the curse that Koanga puts on the wholeplantation at the end of the second act is fulfilled: the strength ofhypnosis and autosuggestion.

12. Chop. Max: 'Frederick Del ius in Monographien Moderner Musiker Band n. pp.84-97

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23

'The first act begins on the plantation of the rich Don Jos6 Martinez at

daybreak. Male and female slaves are working in the sugar cane and indigofields under the whiphand of Perezthe overseer: a half-breed. We are alsointroduced to Palmyra, a beautiful mulatto who owes her special positionin the household to the fact that she is half-sister of Martinez' wife.She is pursued by the attentions of Perez. A new slave is brought in inchains: Koanga. Descended from the aristocratic Sudanese people, he doesnot want to work and cannot be brought to heel by the whip. Martinez hasthe idea of using Palmyra's beauty to work on his stubbornness. Koanga,sunk in memories of his homeland, recognises in Palmyra a shared ancestryand, deeply moved by the encounter, promises obedience if she will becomehis wife. Martinez grants this demand and thus arouses not only the angerof Perez, who loves Palmyra, but also the protest of his own wife,Clothilde, who sees the marriage of a Negro to a Christian mulatto as adegradation to her half-sister. As Martinez reaches his decision, Koangaand Palmyra realise they are in love.

'The second act begins with the wedding festivities characterised by an

atmosphere typical of southern lands. Clothilde and Perez scheme tofrustrate the hated union. Perez decides that he will use violence ifpeaceful methods are not successful. He approaches Palmyra but hisadvances are once again rejected, so in revenge he has the girl draggedaway by white servants before Koanga's eyes. His feelings doubled by theeffects of wine, Koanga demands satisfaction from Martinez who is outragedat the proud tone of his slave and declares he should be flogged. Koangathen kills his master with one blow. Before fleeing into the jungle. heplaces the most powerful voodoo curse on the plantation.

'The third act begins in a clearing in the jungle where Negroes are

dancing wildly around a sacrificial bonfire. Koanga is the lord of thesepoor escaped slaves and has promised them freedom and a return to theirhomeland. During a prayer to Voodoo, he has a vision of Palmyra, ill withdesire and longing for him, and nothing can then stop him returning toher. The scene returns to Martinez'plantation. The voodoo curse has hadeffect: fever has mown down the Negro population. Hard-hearted Perez triesin vain to force them to work, ignoring the sickly requests of the dyingthat he reconcile himself with Koanga and thus raise the curse. He forms aposse to hunt the escapee and again approaches the weak and feeblePalmyra and attempts to force his attentions on her. Koanga reappearsarmed with a spear and strikes Percz down, onlyto have himself caughtbythe whites and whipped to death. Dying, he is broughtbefore Palmyra; witha wish for his homeland and a curse for his tormentors, his life ends.Palmyra, too, yields to death. Clouds sink on the scene and we notice"fJncle Joe" in the foreground and the circle of deeply moved girls.

'Delius has written a score to this story with its richly diverse

elements which leaves such a lasting effect. It is a tapestry ofindividual pictures each with a compelling strength that deepens themeaning and intensity of each situation. One can sense that he puts hiswhole soul into the work and it is not without an effect on him. The

'The first act begins on the plantation of the rich Don Jose Martinez atdaybreak. Male and female slaves are working in the sugar cane and indigofields under the whiphand ofPerez the overseer: a half-breed. We are alsointroduced to Palmyra, a beautiful mulatto who owes her special positionin the household to the fact that she is half-sister of Martinez' wife.She is pursued by the attentions of Perez. A new slave is brought in inchains: Koanga. Descended from the aristocratic Sudanese people, he doesnot want to work and cannot be brought to heel by the whip. Martinez hasthe idea of using Palmyra's beauty to work on his stubbornness. Koanga,sunk in memories ofhis homeland, recognises in Palmyra a shared ancestryand, deeply moved bythe encounter, promises obedience ifshe will becomehis wife. Martinez grants this demand and thus arouses not only the angerof Perez, who loves Palmyra, but also the protest of his own wife,Clothilde, who sees the marriage of a Negro to a Christian mulatto as adegradation to her half-sister. As Martinez reaches his decision, Koangaand Palmyra realise they are in love.

'The second act begins with the wedding festivities characterised by anatmosphere typical of southern lands. Clothilde and Perez scheme tofrustrate the hated union. Perez decides that he will use violence ifpeaceful methods are not successful. He approaches Palmyra but hisadvances are once again rejected, so in revenge he has the girl draggedaway by white servants before Koanga's eyes. His feelings doubled by theeffects ofwine, Koanga demands satisfaction from Martinez who is outragedat the proud tone of his slave and declares he should be flogged. Koangathen kills his master with one blow. Before fleeing into the jungle, heplaces the most powerful voodoo curse on the plantation.

'The third act begins in a clearing in the jungle where Negroes aredancing wildly around a sacrificial bonfire. Koanga is the lord of thesepoor escaped slaves and has promised them freedom and a return to theirhomeland. During a prayer to Voodoo, he has a vision ofPalmyra, ill withdesire and longing for him, and nothing can then stop him returning toher. The scene returns to Martinez' plantation. The voodoo curse has hadeffect: fever has mown down the Negro population. Hard-hearted Perez triesin vain to force them to work, ignoring the sickly requests of the dyingthat he reconcile himselfwith Koanga and thus raise the curse. He forms aposse to hunt the escapee and again approaches the weak and feeblePalmyra and attempts to force his attentions on her. Koanga reappearsarmed with a spear and strikes Perez down, only to have himselfcaught bythe whites and whipped to death. Dying, he is brought before Palmyra; witha wish for his homeland and a curse for his tormentors, his life ends.Palmyra, too, yields to death. Clouds sink on the scene and we notice"Uncle Joe" in the foreground and the circle ofdeeply moved girls.

'Delius has written a score to this story with its richly diverseelements which leaves such a lasting effect. It is a tapestry ofindividual pictures each with a compelling strength that deepens themeaning and intensity of each situation. One can sense that he puts hiswhole soul into the work and it is not without an effect on him. The

23-

24

musical colours are masterly from the first sounds of the dawn with thenotes of cowhorns and chorus behind the scenes. Also at the entrance ofthe melancholy Koanga, thinking of his far-off homeland, and Palmyra,remembering herchildhood, sympathy is aroused towards the singers. Theaction leads then to a climax with the quintet as opinions clash: simply amasterpiece in the whole drama. Wonderfully moving passages stand bysharply defined shapes but all sit together musically. The beginning ofthe second act contrasts the joyful wedding sounds in the background withthe sinister weavings of intrigue in the foreground. The violent seductionof Palmyra and the tragic fight between Koanga and Martinez lead to thegripping climax of the voodoo curse. That the later jungle atmosphere withthe fantastic negro dancing is masterfully portrayed goes without saying.Throughout all theluxuriant andresonant style ofthe composition. Deliusis careful to keep the substance of the plot in mind and restrain anytendency to ramble. The musical construction of the end of the second actis an excellent example of this.

'Such judgements were shared by the critics after the premiere. PaulHiller-Kciln wrote the following: "It almost seems as though the strong,colourful elements of the blooming tropics have borne fruit in the musicalnature created by Delius. He emerges as an excellent colourisr and usesall the opportunities: milieu, customs, symbolic songs and joyful dances,including a semi-mystical sacrificial dance of fleeing Negroes, to paint

musically. That is one of his strengths; another is his strong sense ofthe dramatic. The tragedy of the couple creates an arresting impression,yet it stands firmly on modern ground, familiar with all means offered bytoday's orchestral apparatus, creating beautifully lyrical songs andimposing ensembles." Seldom is a composer greeted with such a reception onhis hrstventure as a dramatist.'

(translated by Julia Chandler)

A Village Romeo andJuliet was produced in Berlin under Cassirer's baton on2lFebruary 1907, and Beecham reported in his book on the composer how both hadwon either the admiration or aroused the interest of many of the leading Germanmusicians of the day, such as Strauss, Humperdinck, Schillings and Mottl. Wasthe entrance door to opportunity and recognition to be barred against himhere? . . . The most obvious choice was -4 Village Romeo and Juliet whosematurity of style would make it preferable to the earlier Koango . . .' t3

After this. Koanga was largely forgotten. at least in performance, untilBeecham recorded the closing scene in December 1934, put it into a concert atthe Hastings Festival on 23 February 1935, and this presumably confirmed hisintention to promote a stage production which followed at Covent Gardenimmediately after the summer, the first performance being on23 September, thefirst of three. With Beecham conducting Der Freischiltz and the Delius, thecompany then took an extensive repertoire to Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester,Bradford and Leeds.

13. Beecham. Sir Thomas: Frederick Delias. Hutchinson. 1959. p.156

a

I

24

musical colours are masterly from the first sounds of the dawn with thenotes of cowhorns and chorus behind the scenes. Also at the entrance ofthe melancholy Koanga, thinking of his far-off homeland, and Palmyra,remembering herchildhood, sympathy is aroused towards the singers. Theaction leads then to a climax with the quintet as opinions clash: simply amasterpiece in the whole drama. Wonderfully moving passages stand bysharply defined shapes but all sit together musically. The beginning ofthe second act contrasts the joyful wedding sounds in the background withthe sinister weavings of intrigue in the foreground. The violent seductionofPalmyra and the tragic fight between Koanga and Martinez lead to thegripping climax ofthe voodoo curse. That the later jungle atmosphere withthe fantastic negro dancing is masterfully portrayed goes without saying.Throughout all the luxuriant and resonant style ofthe composition, Deliusis careful to keep the substance of the plot in mind and restrain anytendency to ramble. The musical construction ofthe end ofthe second actis an excellent example of this.

'Such judgements were shared by the critics after the premiere. PaulHiller-K61n wrote the following: "It almost seems as though the strong,colourful elements of the blooming tropics have borne fruit in the musicalnature created by Delius. He emerges as an excellent colourist and usesall the opportunities: milieu, customs, symbolic songs and joyful dances,including a semi-mystical sacrificial dance of fleeing Negroes, to paintmusically. That is one of his strengths; another is his strong sense ofthe dramatic. The tragedy of the couple creates an arresting impression,yet it stands firmly on modern ground, familiar with all means offered bytoday's orchestral apparatus, creating beautifully lyrical songs andimposing ensembles." Seldom is a composer greeted with such a reception onhis first venture as a dramatist.'

(translated by Julia Chandler)

A Village Romeo and Juliet was produced in Berlin under Cassirer's baton on 21February 1907, and Beecham reported in his book on the composerhow both hadwon either the admiration or aroused the interest ofmany ofthe leading Germanmusicians of the day, such as Strauss, Humperdinck, Schillings and Mottl. Wasthe entrance door to opportunity and recognition to be barred against himhere? . . . The most obvious choice was A Village Romeo and Juliet whosematurity ofstyle would make it preferable to the earlier Koanga .. .' 13

After this, Koanga was largely forgotten, at least in performance, untilBeecham recorded the closing scene in December 1934, put it into a concert atthe Hastings Festival on 23 February 1935, and this presumably confirmed hisintention to promote a stage production which followed at Covent Gardenimmediately after the summer, the first performance being on 23 September, thefirst of three. With Beecham conducting Der Freischutz and the Delius, thecompany then took an extensive repertoire to Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester,Bradford and Leeds.

13. Beecham. Sir Thomas: Frederick Delius. Hutchinson.1959. p.156

25

WORKING TOWARDS THE 1935 PRODUCTIONThe full score and parts of the music of Koanga were lost for many years, duringwhich time performances were not possible. Subsequently the score was trackeddown by the composer Patrick Hadley, who recounted, in a letter to ChristopherPalmer, how he traced it:

'There is not much to tell about my running to earth the score of Koanga.

I had been staying at Grez where I managed to elicit all the remembereddata about when & where it was last seen et cetera.I forget most of thedetails but I do remember putting fwo & two together and putting thechances fairly high that it might be amongst the extensive stock of theGoodwin &Thbb Hire Library.I happened tobe inconstanttouch with thisFirm & its personnel so on return to London I hastened to 34 Percy StreetWC1, their then premises, and expatiated the situation. They wouldn't letme search in person but they put 2 or 3 men onto it who laid their handson it after a weekend's hunt. I post-hasted over by that night's boat anddelivered it the following mid-day.' to

Palmer's discussion of the opera, touching interestingly on the cuttings whichfollow here, highlights the opera's problems for a late 20th century audience.Delius was unaware of Cable's social conscience and used Cable's episode toprovide a picturesque atmospheric drama. 'With

a new libretto, restoringCable's intent, Koanga might have just the effect that Delius in 1894 thoughtopera capable of - workingby means of music upon people who are tired ofbeingpreached to.' l5

In November 1932, the critic Edwin Evans wrote to Delius asking about thebackground to Koanga, and the reply which Jelka Delius wrote gives us a fairview of the opera as Delius remembered it at the end of his life. I am gratefulto Lionel Carley for providing a transcript of the text established by EvelinGerhardi in 1991:

Dear M r Evans, My husb and asked me to give you the required informationabout Koanga. I have jotted downjusr anyhow all that I could tell you onthe subject after questioning Delius about it.

I only hope you will be able to use it. I found it quite impossible totell the drama in detail;I hope the indications I gave will suffice.

If there is anything else you want, I shall be glad to answer morequestions.

Delius is fairly well and sends you his kind regards.Yrs sincerelv

Jelka Delius

Palmer. Christopher: 'Delius and Percy Grainger', Music & Letters, Oct. 1971, p.153

ibid.14.15.

25

WORKING TOWARDS THE 1935 PRODUCTIONThe full score and parts of the music ofKoanga were lost for many years, duringwhich time performances were not possible. Subsequently the score was trackeddown by the composer Patrick Hadley, who recounted, in a letter to ChristopherPalmer, how he traced it:

'There is not much to tell about my running to earth the score ofKoanga.I had been staying at Grez where I managed to elicit all the remembereddata about when & where it was last seen et cetera. I forget most of thedetails but I do remember putting two & two together and putting thechances fairly high that it might be amongst the extensive stock of theGoodwin & Tabb Hire Library. I happened to be in constanttouch with thisFirm & its personnel so on return to London I hastened to 34 Percy StreetWC 1, their then premises, and expatiated the situation. They wouldn't letme search in person but they put 2 or 3 men onto it who laid their handson it after a weekend's hunt. I post-hasted over by that night's boat anddelivered it the following mid-day.' 14

Palmer's discussion of the opera, touching interestingly on the cuttings whichfollow here, highlights the opera's problems for a late 20th century audience.Delius was unaware of Cable's social conscience and used Cable's episode toprovide a picturesque atmospheric drama. 'With a new libretto, restoringCable's intent, Koanga might have just the effect that Delius in 1894 thoughtopera capable of- working by means ofmusic upon people who are tired ofbeingpreached to.' 15

In November 1932, the critic Edwin Evans wrote to Delius asking about thebackground to Koanga, and the reply which Jelka Delius wrote gives us a fairview of the opera as Delius remembered it at the end of his life. I am gratefulto Lionel Carley for providing a transcript of the text established by EvelinGerhardi in 1991:

DearMrEvans,Myhusbandaskedmetogiveyoutherequiredinformationabout Koanga. I have jotted down just anyhow all that I could tell you onthe subject after questioning Delius about it.

I only hope you will be able to use it. I found it quite impossible totell the drama in detail; I hope the indications I gave will suffice.

If there is anything else you want, I shall be glad to answer morequestions.

Delius is fairly well and sends you his kind regards.Yrs sincerely

Jelka Delius

14. Pa1mer. Christopher: 'Delius and Percy Grainger', Music & Letters, Oct. 1971, p.l5315. ibid.

26

'The Opera Koanga was composed 1895-1897. The Scenario is by Delius

himself; it is taken from Cable's Grandissimes. The words are by C. F.Keary.

'The story is the tragedy of an African Negro-prince brought to a

Louisianian plantation as a slave. It forms the 3 acts. But there is aprologue and an epilogue on the Verandah of a southern plantation,long

after slaves were abolished. The young girls have played and danced tillthey are tired and then they ask an old Negro "Uncle Joe" to tell them atale. He tells them the story of Koanga, a Voodoo prince captured inAfrica with other slaves. who refuses to work as a slave. The slave ownergets the beautiful mulatto girl. his natural daughter. but thro' hermotherofKoanga's tribe, to tempt him to submission. The slave-ownerevenpromises her to him as his wife. if he will work. Negroes go in and outworking and singing. real old slave-life.

'The 2d Act. The wedding feast. dancing and merry feasting. Palmyre is

greatly attracted to Koanga. but the Slave-owner's wife will not hear ofsuch a marriage and Palmyre is spirited away. Koanga claims his bride andwhen he sees that they have cheated him he pronounces a terrible curse onthe plantation and escapes into the wild swamps.

'3d Act. Incantations to Voodoo at night in the swamps. Koanga and run-away Negroes. His love for Palmyre makes him return finally to fetch heraway from the feverstricken plantation. He is captured and killed andPalmyre stabs herself and dies with him.

'Then comes the Epilogue, or closing scene. which is to be given in the

concert. We return to the modern plantat ion[.] The gir ls are st i l l si t t inground Uncle Joe, they are saddened by the sad story he has told them. Itis dawn now and a beauti ful may morning and the chorus of charming younggir ls ful l of sympathy ends the opera[.]

'The subject attracted Delius after his lonely life on his own orangegrove in Florida, where he occupied negro-workers who's [sic] harmoniousimprovised singing in the evenings made a great impression on him.Appalachia also dates from those impressions.

'Koanga was performed at the Opera house at Elberfeld in 1904, whereGregor was director then. who afterwards was for years director of theVienna Opera. Fri tz Cassirer was conductor. The Production was sosuccessful that Gregor who had just acquired the "Komische Oper" in Berl intook the young Cassirer with him to Berl in. where he presently brought outThe Vil lage Romeo Jul iet [sic]. intending to mount Koanga afterwards[.]But unfortunately he went bankrupt and his theatre was closed.

' In Elberfeld Clarence Whitehi l l sang Koanga. and very well indeed. I twas a very vivid and colourful production altogether and was played anumber of t imes unti l the season closed. and with i t Gregor's stay atElberfeld.

'The Score and parts of Koanga were brought over to London at the

beginning of the war and were lost for years. After endless vainsearchings Phil ip Heselt ine rediscovered at least the orchestral parts in

1929 and the Orchestral score was f inal lv found in the Cellars of a Music

o

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26

'The Opera Koanga was composed 1895-1897. The Scenario is by Deliushimself; it is taken from Cable's Grandissimes. The words are by C. F.Keary.

'The story is the tragedy of an African Negro-prince brought to aLouisianian plantation as a slave. It forms the 3 acts. But there is aprologue and an epilogue on the Verandah of a southern plantation, longafter slaves were abolished. The young girls have played and danced tillthey are tired and then they ask an old Negro "Uncle loe" to tell them atale. He tells them the story of Koanga, a Voodoo prince captured inAfrica with other slaves, who refuses to work as a slave. The slave ownergets the beautiful mulatto girl, his natural daughter, but thro' hermotherofKoanga's tribe, to tempt him to submission. The slave-ownerevenpromises her to him as his wife, if he will work. Negroes go in and outworking and singing, real old slave-life.

'The 2d Act. The wedding feast, dancing and merry feasting. Palmyre isgreatly attracted to Koanga, but the Slave-owner's wife will not hear ofsuch a marriage and Palmyre is spirited away. Koanga claims his bride andwhen he sees that they have cheated him he pronounces a terrible curse onthe plantation and escapes into the wild swamps.

'3d Act. Incantations to Voodoo at nightin the swamps. Koanga and run­away Negroes. His love for Palmyre makes him return finally to fetch heraway from the feverstricken plantation. He is captured and killed andPalmyre stabs herselfand dies with him.

'Then comes the Epilogue, or closing scene, which is to be given in theconcert. We return to the modern plantation[.] The girls are still sittinground Uncle loe, they are saddened by the sad story he has told them. Itis dawn now and a beautiful may morning and the chorus of charming younggirls full ofsympathy ends the opera[.]

The subject attracted Delius after his lonely life on his own orangegrove in Florida, where he occupied negro-workers who's [sic] harmoniousimprovised singing in the evenings made a great impression on him.Appalachia also dates from those impressions.

'Koanga was performed at the Opera house at Elberfeld in 1904, whereGregor was director then, who afterwards was for years director of theVienna Opera. Fritz Cassirer was conductor. The Production was sosuccessful that Gregor who had just acquired the "Komische Oper" in Berlintook the young Cassirer with him to Berlin, where he presently brought outThe Village Romeo luliet [sic], intending to mount Koanga afterwards[.]But unfortunately he went bankrupt and his theatre was closed.

'In Elberfeld Clarence Whitehill sang Koanga, and very well indeed. Itwas a very vivid and colourful production altogether and was played anumber of times until the season closed, and with it Gregor's stay atElberfeld.

'The Score and parts of Koanga were brought over to London at thebeginning of the war and were lost for years. After endless vainsearchings Philip Heseltine rediscovered at least the orchestral parts in1929 and the Orchestral score was finally found in the Cellars of a Music

•

27

publishing house in London by Patrick Hadley. who brought it safely backto Grez afterendless trouble. Delius then entirely revised the work.

'When Delius gave his first London Concert in 1899 the whole second actand part of Act I were given. The conductor then was Alfred Hertz.It wasthro'this concert that Hertz got his engagement to the Metropolitan OperaN.Y., where he stayed manyyears.

'Koanga is, of course, a youthful work and the Drama is a real opera

subject. But the charming Prologue and Epilogue was a most happy idea inplacing the drama definitely in the romantic past. It is also interestingin view of the present hectic and hysterical negro-craze to return to preJazz times and to have the true old Negro colour in the music, as hehimself had come to know it and love it in the old Florida (before theboom.)

'Scenically the contrast between the muslin clad pretty plantationdaughters. the old Negro sitting among them - and the real drama with thefierce Negro Prince. the harsh slave owner, the submissive Negroworkers[,] the beautiful girl Palmyre and the planter[']s wife[,] theircabins, the little negro-children, the more Spanish dancing atthe weddingfeast in front of a great tent and banquet, then the curse, thunder anddarkness - the weird wild swamps at night, the fireflies. weird Voodooceremonies, then the final tragedy and the return to the closing scene atdawn on the Verandah - is really most attractive.

'The 3d Act and closing scene of Koanga was the first thing Delius

wrote in Grez.' ,< * *

When the first volume of the Delius Sociefy records appeared just afterChristmas 1934, including the closing scene from Koanga. the reception in theGramophonewas an exploration of terra incognita.

In his excel lent 'Foreword' MrA K Holland speaks of Delius's romanticismas

'English, mystical and nature-loving'. I am not wholly in agreement

with this definit ion and the word 'mystical ' needs a great deal of

qual i l icat ion. I t has always been a trap. Perhaps Mr Holland wil l expandhis definition some day. I will add to his full and accomplished notesonly a fewgeneral remarks abouteach work.

Koanga.Closing Scene.There is a most appealing melodic freshness in this music. which f inds a

culminating point in the haunting tune (Ex.2 in the Foreword) first heardon the

'cel los and later encircl ing the brief gir ls ' chorus: sung in

rather a woolly way and without sufficient definition.To appreciate Delius's harmonic subtlety, even in these early days, i t is

only necessary to compare. without prejudice. the tune opening on thesecond side (Ex.3) with the well-known tune in the same key from the slowmovement of Dvorak's'NewWorld'Symphony. (On this record and everyother t ime he is heard Leon Goossens'oboe-playing is almost unbearablybeauti ful.)

(Alec Robertson . G ro m o p hone. Feb ru ary I 93 5. p. 3 50)

27

publishing house in London by Patrick Hadley, who brought it safely backto Grez after endless trouble. Delius then entirely revised the work.

'When Delius gave his first London Concert in 1899 the whole second actand part ofAct 1were given. The conductor then was Alfred Hertz. It wasthro' this concert that Hertz got his engagement to the Metropolitan OperaN.Y., where he stayed many years.

'Koanga is, of course, a youthful work and the Drama is a real operasubject. But the charming Prologue and Epilogue was a most happy idea inplacing the drama definitely in the romantic past. It is also interestingin view of the present hectic and hysterical negro-craze to return to preJazz times and to have the true old Negro colour in the music, as hehimself had come to know it and love it in the old Florida (before theboom.)

'Scenically the contrast between the muslin clad pretty plantationdaughters, the old Negro sitting among them - and the real drama with thefierce Negro Prince, the harsh slave owner, the submissive Negroworkers[,] the beautiful girl Palmyre and the planter[']s wife[,] theircabins, the little negro-children, the more Spanish dancing at the weddingfeast in front of a great tent and banquet, then the curse, thunder anddarkness - the weird wild swamps at night. the fireflies, weird Voodooceremonies, then the final tragedy and the return to the closing scene atdawn on the Verandah - is really most attractive.

'The 3d Act and closing scene of Koanga was the first thing Deliuswrote in Grez.'

***When the first volume of the Delius Society records appeared just afterChristmas 1934, including the closing scene from Koanga, the reception in theGramophone was an exploration ofterra incognita.

In his excellent 'Foreword' MrA K Holland speaks ofDelius's romanticismas 'English, mystical and nature-loving'. I am not wholly in agreementwith this definition and the word 'mystical' needs a great deal ofqualification. It has always been a trap. Perhaps Mr Holland will expandhis definition some day. I will add to his full and accomplished notesonly a few general remarks about each work.

Koanga. Closing Scene.There is a most appealing melodic freshness in this music, which finds a

culminating point in the haunting tune (Ex.2 in the Foreword) first heardon the 'cellos and later encircling the brief girls' chorus: sung inrather a woolly way and without sufficient definition.

To appreciate Delius's harmonic subtlety. even in these early days, it isonly necessary to compare, without prejudice, the tune opening on thesecond side (Ex.3) with the well-known tune in the same key from the slowmovement of Dvorak's 'New World' Symphony. (On this record and everyother time he is heard Leon Goossens' oboe-playing is almost unbearablybeautiful.)

(Alee Robertson. Gramophone. February 1935, p.350)

28

Hitherto I have never been able to consider myself a devotee of Delius,and thosewho love and admire his music love itsopassionatelyand admireit so uncritically that anything which savours to them of the leastdenigration has an almost infuriating effect. Consequently when I say thatthe publication in recorded form of works both from Delius's earlier andlater phases has only strengthened my conviction hat he is not the great

composer his devotees believe him to be, I know that I have let myself infor a more argumentative mail than ever. The first disc consists of theclosing scene from Koangc which was Delius's third opera written in the'nineties

and first produced in 1904. The setting is a Louisianaplantation, the drama one of negro slave-life. It happened that when Ifirst played over this disc I could not find the booklet withMr A K Holland's exegesis, and I was left to speculate with what kind ofpeople and what part of the world the opera was concerned. I finallydecided it must be an opera about the South Seas, my guess being

determined more by the name than by the music. It is a pleasant enoughexercise in gentle melancholy, but I cannot discover in it the remotestexpression of slave-life in Louisiana, though. to be sure, it might havepuzzledanycomposerto attach the expressionof anythingto such words asthese:

Nowonce more both fields and farmHis rays with gold adorning,

For all lost lovers let us truly pray,

This soft May morning.If the sins of the librettist were to be charged against the composer,

not a composer would escape condemnation, but it is difficult to resist

the suspicion that Delius's whole treatment of this closing scene wascoloured by that

'soft May morning'. By succumbing to the peculiar

temptation, it seems to me that Delius sacrificed his opera, as in myopinion he sacrificed all his music, to his own emotional self-indulgence.

( C o m p to n M a c ke n z i e. G r a m o p h o n e, Ap r1l 19 3 5, p.423)

THE 1935 COVENT GARDEN PRODUCTIONAt the time of the revival of Koanga. Eric Fenby was still working on his bookDelius as I knew him,which appeared the following year. The accounts of Deliusand his music that he wrote to introduce the opera were therefore bothpioneering and authentic as far as their audience was concerned. For thebroadcast he wrote an introductory piece for the Radio Times, gave the intervaltalk during the broadcast, and a few weeks later contributed an article to theDaily klegraph on Delius's early music, interest in which had been stimulatedby Koanga. They are all reproduced here. As was their custom, the Radio Timesillustrated both Fenby's article and their billing for the opera, and these arealso reproduced here.

I

o

28

Hitherto I have never been able to consider myself a devotee of Delius,and those who love and admire his music love it so passionately and admireit so uncritically that anything which savours to them of the leastdenigration has an almost infuriating effect. Consequently when I say thatthe publication in recorded form of works both from Delius's earlier andlater phases has only strengthened my conviction hat he is not the greatcomposer his devotees believe him to be, I know that I have let myself infor a more argumentative mail than ever. The first disc consists of theclosing scene from Koanga which was Delius's third opera written in the'nineties and first produced in 1904. The setting is a Louisianaplantation, the drama one of negro slave-life. It happened that when Ifirst played over this disc I could not find the booklet withMr A K Holland's exegesis, and I was left to speculate with what kind ofpeople and what part of the world the opera was concerned. I finallydecided it must be an opera about the South Seas, my guess beingdetermined more by the name than by the music. It is a pleasant enoughexercise in gentle melancholy, but I cannot discover in it the remotestexpression of slave-life in Louisiana, though, to be sure, it might havepuzzled anycomposer to attach the expression ofanything to such words asthese:

Nowonce more both fields and farmHis rays with gold adorning,

For all lost lovers let us truly pray,This soft May morning.

If the sins of the librettist were to be charged against the composer,not a composer would escape condemnation, but it is difficult to resistthe suspicion that Delius's whole treatment of this closing scene wascoloured by that 'soft May morning'. By succumbing to the peculiartemptation, it seems to me that Delius sacrificed his opera, as in myopinion he sacrificed all his music, to his own emotional self-indulgence.

(Compton Mackenzie, Gramophone, April 1935, p.423)

THE 1935 COVENT GARDEN PRODUCTIONAt the time of the revival of Koanga, Eric Fenby was still working on his bookDelius as I knew him, which appeared the following year. The accounts of Deliusand his music that he wrote to introduce the opera were therefore bothpioneering and authentic as far as their audience was concerned. For thebroadcast he wrote an introductory piece for the Radio Times, gave the intervaltalk during the broadcast, and a few weeks later contributed an article to theDaily Telegraph on Delius's early music, interest in which had been stimulatedby Koanga. They are all reproduced here. As was their custom, the Radio Timesillustrated both Fenby's article and their billing for the opera, and these arealso reproduced here.

o

29

KOAITGAA Talkby Mr Eric Fenby

National Programme Monday23 September 1935

I hope it will interest you on this occasion to hear something aboutFrederick Delius and the circumstances under which he composed his operaKoanga. The Frederick Delius that I should like to talk to you about for afew minutes is not the tragic figure and relic of a man most of you havecome to know by the au{ul photographs taken of him during the last yearsof his life, nor the Delius some of you saw in the flesh when he came overto attend the festival of his music given in his honour by Sir ThomasBeecham in 1929; - no, I want you to forget all this, and allow me to giveyou some idea of the sort of man he was at the time of the composition ofKoanga - I mean the Delius of the late nineties.

Judging by one or two unpublished photographs taken about this time,and by chance remarks made by the composer to me when I caught him inreminiscent mood, I am able to piece together a picture of him in thosedays, a necessarily imperfect picture, of course, but a picture by which Ishould prefer you to remember him; for the picture by which he is mostlikely to be remembered is but the shadow of the man. Now Delius must havebeen a tall, handsome young fellow, aristocratic in bearing, meticulous indress, fond of sports - he was a very keen cricketer, a good change bowlerand useful

'bat'and often played for an English XI in Paris.

He had done what I too had done as a small boy; gone to the ScarboroughCricket Festival, and sat on the cheap benches with his sandwiches and hisbottle of

'pop', and even in his old age his interest in the game did not

wane. When he used to be brought downstairs before lunch he would sendfor me to read the latest scores and to wheel him round the garden in hischair and discuss the prospects of the various teams, particularly at TestMatch times. He must have been a very wilful, restless, self-centred youngman; very sure of himself - a man who knew all there is to be known aboutfood, aboutwine, and, to complete the delectable trinity - the fair sex!

A prodigious reader, a stimulating and entertaining talker with a drywit curiously his own, often, I am sure, a very trying companion - inshort, a most unusual young man.

I have mentioned his restlessness. The moment he had hnished his workhe would rush off for a long walk, or a long cycle ride, or a strenuousholiday climbing mountains in Norway, and thirty years later withblindness and paralysis fast creeping upon him, he insisted on beingcarried up a high mountain in Norway to see the marvellous sunset on thegreat hills in the distance. Percy Grainger helped by Mrs Delius and twoservants bore the brunt of that seven hours' ascent, and then as theyneared the summit it all seemed in vain. for clouds obscured the view. Butat the great moment, the clouds dispersed, Delius revelled in his sunset.and, within a few minutes, a dense mist settled over the scene, and theybegan the perilous descent.

29

KOANGAA Talk by Mr Eric Fenby

National Programme Monday 23 September 1935

I hope it will interest you on this occasion to hear something aboutFrederick Delius and the circumstances under which he composed his operaKoanga. The Frederick Delius that I should like to talk to you about for afew minutes is not the tragic figure and relic of a man most of you havecome to know by the awful photographs taken of him during the last yearsof his life, nor the Delius some of you saw in the flesh when he came overto attend the festival of his music given in his honour by Sir ThomasBeecham in 1929; - no, I want you to forget all this, and allow me to giveyou some idea of the sort of man he was at the time of the composition ofKoanga - I mean the Delius of the late nineties.

Judging by one or two unpublished photographs taken about this time,and by chance remarks made by the composer to me when I caught him inreminiscent mood, I am able to piece together a picture of him in thosedays, a necessarily imperfect picture, of course, but a picture by which Ishould prefer you to remember him; for the picture by which he is mostlikely to be remembered is but the shadow of the man. Now Delius must havebeen a tall, handsome young fellow, aristocratic in bearing, meticulous indress, fond of sports - he was a very keen cricketer, a good change bowlerand useful 'bat' and often played for an English XI in Paris.

He had done what I too had done as a small boy; gone to the ScarboroughCricket Festival, and sat on the cheap benches with his sandwiches and hisbottle of 'pop', and even in his old age his interest in the game did notwane. When he used to be brought downstairs before lunch he would sendfor me to read the latest scores and to wheel him round the garden in hischair and discuss the prospects of the various teams, particularly at TestMatch times. He must have been a very wilful, restless, self-centred youngman; very sure of himself - a man who knew all there is to be known aboutfood, about wine, and, to complete the delectable trinity - the fair sex!

A prodigious reader, a stimulating and entertaining talker with a drywit curiously his own, often, I am sure, a very trying companion - inshort, a most unusual young man.

I have mentioned his restlessness. The moment he had finished his workhe would rush off for a long walk, or a long cycle ride, or a strenuousholiday climbing mountains in Norway, and thirty years later withblindness and paralysis fast creeping upon him, he insisted on beingcarried up a high mountain in Norway to see the marvellous sunset on thegreat hills in the distance. Percy Grainger helped by Mrs Delius and twoservants bore the brunt of that seven hours' ascent, and then as theyneared the summit it all seemed in vain, for clouds obscured the view. Butat the great moment, the clouds dispersed, Delius revelled in his sunset,and, within a few minutes, a dense mist settled over the scene, and theybegan the perilous descent.

30

This little incident will also reveal something of the youthful grip onlife which was manifest so often in his old age. But we are concerned withthe young Delius, the young composer who set to work on the score ofKoanga. He had contemplated the idea of writing a Negro opera for someconsiderable time and even tried to make his own libretto. It will beremembered that his previous attempts in this direction had failed, andthat consequently he had wasted a good deal of beautiful music,particularly in the case of lrmelin, his first opera, in which much of themusic has an unmistakable charm and freshness about it. I shall refer toIrmelin for a moment later on. Delius realised by now that he had neitherthe time nor the necessary literary gift for such thankless tasks. Whatwas more natural than that he should commission his friend Keary, withwhom he shared a flat in Paris, to make a libretto for him?

Keary, already at work on it, had gone down to the country, and wasstaying at a little village near Fontainebleau called Bourron, abouttwenty minutes' walk over the fields from Grez, the village where Deliuswas to settle down for life the following year. When the

'book' for the

first act was completed, Keary sent for Delius, who was then in Paris,asking him to come to Bourron on the next day to read it through. Tiivialthough it may seem this incident influenced the whole course of thecomposer's life.

It must be explained that shortly before this. Delius had met a youngpainter. Jelka Rosen, at the home of a mutual friend in Paris where theyoung woman had come to study painting. Miss Rosen appeared to be veryenthusiastic about Delius's music and not a little solicitous for hisfuture well-being. Delius had confided in her that as his father hadrefused to make him a small allowance on which to live, and thus devotehimself entirely to composition, he would have to earn his living byteaching. All his creative inspirations would come to nought! However hewas able to jog along for the time being thanks to the generosity of anuncle in Paris. Miss Rosen was now in Grez staying with her girl friendIda Gerhardi, another young painter, at the Hotel Chevillon, then a greatrendezvous for artists, and hearing that Delius was at Bourron with Keary,she invited him over to lunch. It was a lovely summer's day, and those ofyou who have not seen Grez on such a day can hardly realise anything ofthe beauty of the old church, the light on the lines of poplars, the plain

edged by a distant stretch of the wood. Robert Louis Stevenson hasdescribed it beautifully somewhere in his writings, but I am away from mybooks and cannot remember the passage.l6 The young couple took a boat fromthe hotel landing-stage, and going under the bridge landed and walked upwhat appeared to be an overgrown garden. Skirting the pond they eventuallyfound themselves in the courtyard of a rambling house looking onto thestreet. The young woman, with astonishing intuition, decided that thiswas the very place for Delius to work in. There he could concentrate

16. 'Forestnotes'chapterin EssaysofTravel,London, 1905. See alsoChristopherRedwood'sarticle 'Grez before Delius', D elius Society Newslener 42.

Pt-t

0

30

This little incident will also reveal something of the youthful grip onlife which was manifest so often in his old age. But we are concerned withthe young Delius, the young composer who set to work on the score ofKoanga. He had contemplated the idea of writing a Negro opera for someconsiderable time and even tried to make his own libretto. It will beremembered that his previous attempts in this direction had failed, andthat consequently he had wasted a good deal of beautiful music,particularly in the case of Innelin, his first opera, in which much of themusic has an unmistakable charm and freshness about it. I shall refer toInnelin for a moment later on. Delius realised by now that he had neitherthe time nor the necessary literary gift for such thankless tasks. Whatwas more natural than that he should commission his friend Keary, withwhom he shared a flat in Paris, to make a libretto for him?

Keary, already at work on it, had gone down to the country, and wasstaying at a little village near Fontainebleau called BouITon, abouttwenty minutes' walk over the fields from Grez, the village where Deliuswas to settle down for life the following year. When the 'book' for thefirst act was completed, Keary sent for Delius, who was then in Paris,asking him to come to BouITon on the next day to read it through. Trivialthough it may seem this incident influenced the whole course of thecomposer's life.

It must be explained that shortly before this, Delius had met a youngpainter, Jelka Rosen, at the home of a mutual friend in Paris where theyoung woman had come to study painting. Miss Rosen appeared to be veryenthusiastic about Delius's music and not a little solicitous for hisfuture well-being. Delius had confided in her that as his father hadrefused to make him a small allowance on which to live, and thus devotehimself entirely to composition, he would have to earn his living byteaching. All his creative inspirations would come to nought! However hewas able to jog along for the time being thanks to the generosity of anuncle in Paris. Miss Rosen was now in Grez staying with her girl friendIda Gerhardi, another young painter, at the Hotel Chevillon, then a greatrendezvous for artists, and hearing that Delius was at Bourron with Keary,she invited him over to lunch. It was a lovely summer's day, and those ofyou who have not seen Grez on such a day can hardly realise anything ofthe beauty of the old church, the light on the lines of poplars, the plainedged by a distant stretch of the wood. Robert Louis Stevenson hasdescribed it beautifully somewhere in his writings, but I am away from mybooks and cannot remember the passage. 16 The young couple took a boat fromthe hotel landing-stage, and going under the bridge landed and walked upwhat appeared to be an overgrown garden. Skirting the pond they eventuallyfound themselves in the courtyard of a rambling house looking onto thestreet. The young woman, with astonishing intuition, decided that thiswas the very place for Delius to work in. There he could concentrate

16. 'Forest notes'chapterinEssaysojTravel,London, 1905. See alsoChristopherRedwood'sarticle 'Grez before De1ius', Delius Society Newsletter 42.

1.A,

3 l

undisturbed to his heart's content, and from that moment she resolved thatby hook or by crook she would buy that property.rT Meanwhile Deliusreturned to Paris and worked hard on the first act of Koanga. It was hishabit in those days to work through the night and sleep during the day. Heused to tell me that he smoked incessantly as he worked, that a bottle ofred wine was never far out of elbow's reach, and how sometimes he wouldleave his work in the middle of the night and steal out for a chat at somecaf6 table with his painter friends. Much interesting correspondencepassed between Delius and Keary on the subject of the libretto, Delius allthe while complaining that Keary's words were too

'high-flown'. The music

for Act l1 was finished by the end of that year. 1896, and in the NewYearDelius decided to return to Florida for a few months to put his orange-grove in order. Keary, having completed the libretto, handed over the lastact to the composer who wrote the greater part of the music for it on thatsecond visit to Florida. Miss Rosen. in Delius's absence and unknown tohim, had persuaded her mother to buy the proper$ at Grez. She was nowinstalled there, but had had little or no news of Delius. However, the dayafter he returned to Paris from Florida she received a postcard announcinghis intention of coming down for the week-end! From that week-end Grezbecame his home and it was here that Koanga was completed and all hisfinest music conceived.

As you have been told, Sir Thomas Beecham is performing the opera intwo instead of three acts. That is to say Act 1l becomes Scene I I ofAct l , and Act l l l becomes Act l l . For the purposes of this production SirThomas has found it necessary to interpolate two little unpublishedpieces. The first you will hear before this next act. It is an extractfrom a suite Florida written in 1889 from which Delius borrowed the themefor the merry-making scene at the wedding feast of Koanga and Palmyra.Perhaps you will be able to catch the words?

Dansons Ia Calinda, Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.

Now the second piece will be played in the last act, after the visionof Don Jos6's plantation fades away. and the scenery is changed. It is acharming little flight for small orchestra which Delius dictated to me andwhich he developed from a few musical ideas that particularly appealed tohim in his very early opera lrmelin. It therefore receives its firstperformance tonight. You will easily recognise it as it clears away thesomewhat depressing atmosphere created by the music for the long-drawn outscene at the beginning of the third act - a swamp in the heart of theforest where Koanga has established himself as chieftain of fugitiveslaves.

Now I will leave someone else to tell you somethins about the nextac t . . .

17. The reader is also referred to Jelka Delius's 'Memories of Frederick Delius'.Appendix VII in Lionel Carley's Delius: A Life in Letters Vol I .pp.408-415.

•

31

undisturbed to his heart's content, and from that moment she resolved thatby hook or by crook she would buy that property.17 Meanwhile Deliusreturned to Paris and worked hard on the first act of Koanga. It was hishabit in those days to work through the night and sleep during the day. Heused to tell me that he smoked incessantly as he worked, that a bottle ofred wine was never far out of elbow's reach, and how sometimes he wouldleave his work in the middle of the night and steal out for a chat at somecafe table with his painter friends. Much interesting correspondencepassed between Delius and Keary on the subject of the libretto, Delius allthe while complaining that Keary's words were too 'high-flown'. The musicfor Act 11 was finished by the end of that year, 1896, and in the New YearDelius decided to return to Florida for a few months to put his orange­grove in order. Keary, having completed the libretto, handed over the lastact to the composer who wrote the greater part of the music for it on thatsecond visit to Florida. Miss Rosen, in Delius's absence and unknown tohim, had persuaded her mother to buy the property at Grez. She was nowinstalled there, but had had little or no news of Delius. However, the dayafter he returned to Paris from Florida she received a postcard announcinghis intention of coming down for the week-end! From that week-end Grezbecame his home and it was here that Koanga was completed and all hisfinest music conceived.

As you have been told, Sir Thomas Beecham is performing the opera intwo instead of three acts. That is to say Act 11 becomes Scene 11 ofAct 1, and Act 111 becomes Act 11. For the purposes of this production SirThomas has found it necessary to interpolate two little unpublishedpieces. The first you will hear before this next act. It is an extractfrom a suite Flodda written in 1889 from which Delius borrowed the themefor the merry-making scene at the wedding feast of Koanga and Palmyra.Perhaps you will be able to catch the words?

Dansons la Calinda. Ha. ha. ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.

Now the second piece will be played in the last act, after the VISIOnof Don Jose's plantation fades away, and the scenery is changed. It is acharming little flight for small orchestra which Delius dictated to me andwhich he developed from a few musical ideas that particularly appealed tohim in his very early opera Irmelin. It therefore receives its firstperformance tonight. You will easily recognise it as it clears away thesomewhat depressing atmosphere created by the music for the long-drawn outscene at the beginning of the third act - a swamp in the heart of theforest where Koanga has established himself as chieftain of fugitiveslaves.

Now I will leave someone else to tell you something about the nextact. ..

17. The reader is also referred to Jelka Delius's 'Memories of Frederick Delius',Appendix VII in Lionel Carley's Delius: A Life in Letters Vol], ppA08-415.

32

National ProgrammeDROITWICH

200 kc/s 1,500 m.

First

LONDON1,149 kc/s 261.1 m.

WEST1,149 kc/s 261.1 m.

England of

,An Opera by Frederick Delius

Re1t~y('d .!l'olil the

Royal Opera llol!se, Cv'Vent Garden

Radio Times, 20 September 1935, p.28

a aJ J

THE,STORY OF KOAI\GArrfron ruh ich De l i r rs I ta .sed l t i s o f rc r l t , i . s l rc rc lo l r l l ' 1 ' I j r i< : l i l r t rL l , l rg tgorkcr l rg i t I f ) r l i r r r r rs 1 isc t r r . . r f f t e i l s i s d r r r i r r g t h e l a . s t y e t r s o l t l r c < ' t t r t r t r o s e r ' s I i l e .

' I h c f i t s t l ) d l f r ) r | | l ( . i l ( . e i r r l t r r g l r t n d o l

t K<ranga t ru i l l f rc rc la l ,c r l l ronr Coter r l ( j r r l r l c r r o r r I \ lo r r r l r ry .

T - l l t i n o v e l t y o f t h e s h o r t s e a s o l r ( ) [ ( ) l ) c t n t o a t x l t l r e h e g i n n i l g o f y e t a l t g f l r t : r d a y i ' t l r . l i l ' cr b e [ i v e n l l r i s a r r t u n r n a l ( ] o v e n t ( i a r t l r n o [ a s l a v e .

ar r r . l a f te i rvards i r r t l r c p t r rv i r rc t ' s i s I ) r ' l i r rs ' s Ac t ( ) r re . l )a l r r ry rR, the l renr r r i [ t r l t ra l f - . ' i r s tct l r i r < l ( ) J r c r a , K o o n g t r , n ' l r i c h i s t o t e c e i v c i t s l i t s t t r r a i r l o I C l o t i l < l a , u , i f c o f t l r c p l a r r t c r l ) o r r . f o s Cpcr fo r t r ta t rce i t ' l l ' )ng l i s l r . l t \ \ ' as co t t tp r ts t ' r l I \ ' l i u l i r rez , l r r r t rca l l y t l re nn t l r r ' . l l t lnught t ' r ' o l 'l r t : t rv t :c t r r895- r897, an t l a f tc r t r '1 r t ' i r t t : t l r ' l l i r r t s C lo t i k la 's fa t l re r , i s sad an t l lon t '11 ' 411,1 l r t : rt r l i r t l c res t peop le in i t s p rodr tc l ion in l ,on t lo r r , l l ro t rgh ts a rc i t t te l r t rp tec l by t l re t : l l l o I t l r t : t ,ou ' -l ) r : l i t r s rc t r t r l led honre to l ; rnn t ' t : , t l i s l r t ' a r t rnc t l l t r t r t t s t t t r r t t to r t i r rg t l rc a ln l ,g5 lo l l r c i r rvor l< , i l l t la r t ( l < l i sco t t rage<| , I {oaugd \vas ever r t r r l l l y l ry t l r c apPearar rcc o f S in ton l ' t : rez , t l r c t l c t t ' s t r . r lpc r fonr red in l , . lber fc l r l in rgo . t tu rc le r t l r c s lavc-d l i ve l rv l rose lepc l te t l n ( l var rces l r r i r l i c l rc rt l i r t : t : t ion o f l i ' r i t z Cass i re r , a r r r l \ vas grc r r t l y l i f c i r t to lc rn l r le , ' l ' he

s laves , l ra l f a : r l ccp , lp l )cnr 'c l r joye< l by the to rv r rs fo lk l l re re , espr t ' i i r l l y : r t t l r c l r r r t door , thc l r t zy o t rcs a rc ro r r : r t . r l u i t l rby t l re sn ta l l c l r i ld le r r rv l to ac tcc l i l s p i r : t ' a - l l r t : l v l r ip , t t t td soot t t l rey a re o l l ' to t t rc i l uor l< ,r r i r rn ics !

' I ' he on ly ss l io t rs ( : r i t i c i s rn carne s i r rg ing i t r r t t r i son as t l rey g ( ) : - -

f ro rn t l re i r paren ts , w l ro cor r rp la in r t l l r i t te r l y o f l ' on te o t r l , r r ig ,ge ts , con tc o t t ! t r t r r t l l l ra r tn t , i t r . r l t , r r r r ,the lravoc catrsed by black griase-pairrt orr i i rry 7' Irc ntoott l ight slralous ate.fult 'J nrtt l ! l t t : t l t t .r ' isgarnrer r ts , and on . una , r raoa l , ln l l re pcr fonr )ance , , , ! ' n ' ! ago i . t t , - .ivas trefcl,'up for a'bonsirterabte tir'e [,y

"";i;;;:

'''",:,,,!:;:1,',i::i,'g-bird is waking, goot niggets tt"it

tat ion of infuriated tnotl ' rers' so ((, , ,re ortce ,no/e and lmsten lo t lrc l iel t ls o. lDe l i t rs l rad wr i t ten h is o rvn l ih rc t t i fo r l r i s n tg i l t . -cer re .

f ir 'st trvo operas, Irmelin nrrd ' l 'he

A' logit 'l i oun la in , bu t , rea l i s ing by no \v t l ra t he l radne i t l re r the t ime nor thc l i te ra ry g i f ' t fo r su t ' l rt l ran l< lcss tasks , he commiss ione( l l r i s f r iu rc lC. I l . I (eary to make a l ib re t to f ronr Cub le 'sr t r rve f t r f Cr -eo le l i fe , 7 'he ( ] rond iss i t t tes -s r le t ' t in t l

t l re s to ry o f Koar rga as thc bas is o f l r i s opera .I t r l ' i l l he remembered t l ra t l ) t ' l i t r s l ra r l l i vc t l asln orarrge plarrter irr l rkrr icla l rorn r t l l t -1 trrl l l 86 , anc l to t l re enc l o I l r i s days hc r rs t ' t l tota lk l t rou t the rvonder fu l i r rs t i r rc t i t ' e fee l i r rg f , ' rl ra rnrony possessec l l l y t l re Negtoes , a r rc l l ro rv l rct ts t ' r l to s i t o r r h is veranr la l r l i r r i r r to t l rc n ig l r tsnrok i r rg c igar a f tc r c ig l r ' ns l rc l i s tc r re r l t ( ) t l r ( ' i rsub t lc im l r rov isa t ions in l r : r r t r to r rv . l r r t l ren tca t t t i r t te I )e l ius l ra r l re t t r r r re r l to l i t r lope tos t r r d y , u r r r l i t r v A s n o t r r n t i l J n r r r r n r ' y , l t l g 7 , t l r r r tl r c d c c i d r d t o g o o u t t o l i l o r i t l u l g a i r r , t l r i sl i t t r e t r n t l o s e e k s o l i t r r r l e , l r r r t t o p t r t l r i s c s t n t t :i r r o l c l c r ' , f o r t l t e N e g r o i n c l r a r g e o l ' i t l r r r t l g i t t sl i r r p o c k e t i n g I ) e l i t r s ' p r o f i l s t l r u t I a r o r r t s l r o n t :l l r l Negro 's excc lk : l r t g i f t fo r n t t rs ic . l t rv i rs o r rt l r i s secor rd v is i t t l ra t n r r rc l r o I t l r c n r t rs iu l i r rI{rxtt tgo was c()rnl)ose(|.

' l ' l re scc l re o f t l r c p ro log t r r . ' i s n 11 ,p i t ' i t l so t t l l r t ' r t t

( ) t a n g e g r ( ) v e . I t i s e v e n i r t g n n t l < l l r r r : i r r g i s g ' r i r r gr l r r in l l r c l ro r rse . I , '< l r r r your rg g i r ' l s , l { c r r ie , I l , i l i ' nc ,Ar r ro re , nn t i C) l i v t ' , t i r cd o f r la r r t ' i r rg l r r r l p l : r f i r rga l l c lay , beg Ur rc le Joc , an o ld Nt :g ro s l i t r t ' , l 'l c l l o r r e o I h i s s t o r i t : s .

' l ' l r r : y i r r e j o i r r c < l l r y

J c a r r r r c , l \ ' l a r i c , I l o r t e n s e , a n t l l ) a r r l c l t e , n n . l a l ls i t ro t i l r r l t l re o ld rnar r rvh i l s t l r t r t c l l s t l r t : t r t t l r t :s to ry o f l (oanga ar r t l I ' u ln ry ra . Cf lo r r r l s t l cs r : t , r r r ln r rd cover the Stage, a r r t l a f te r n b r i c t ' o rc l r t . s t r - i r li r r te l ' l r r r le t l r cy c lear nway gradua l ly a r r t l t l i s t h rs t :the garder r o f a p la r r ta t ion in Lo t r i s ia r rn , r r , i ths lavc l ru ts n r r ( l < l i s tan t f ie l t l s o f sugar ' - t : r rn t ' ,c r lged by a s t re tch o f the fo les t . l t i s t lu rv r r

33

THE STORY OF KOANGA"l'on wldelt Delills based Iti~ ol,C!"a, i,~ IH'n' tolcl "), Edc Ft "")'. who worked with /)dill~ (H lli.~

amalluensis during tlte 'ast yellr,~ of the COIII"oser's 'ifI'. Tile first I'crf"rllltlncc ill lill~lc"II' of• Koanga' 'Il,ill "I' n:la)'l'c/ frolll COI'l.'lIt ()IlI'l/t'l1 on ""OIl"CI)',

-

1"IIE novelty of the short season of Opera tnhe given this autumn al C'ovent (;al<len

llml afterwards in the provil1t'l's is lklills'sthinl Opera, Koallga, which is to receive its firstperformance in English. It was cOInposl'dbetween 1895-1897, and aftel' repealed ('II'nrlsto inlerest people in its productioll in I.olldon,Ddius returned home 10 Francc, disheallelll'dalld discouraged. ](oallga was ('\'l'nlllallyperformed in Elherfcld in T90,~ under theJiH~ction of Fritz Cassircr, a IIII was grc:lllyenjoyed hy the townsfolk there, especiallyby the small children who acted as picca­ninnies! The only serious criticism camefwm their parents, who complained bitterly nfthe havoc caused hy hlack grease-paint 011 tinygarments, and on. one occasion the performancewas held up for a considerable time by a depu­tation of infuriated mothers.

Delius had written his own lihrelti for hisfirst two operas, lnl/flil/ llnd The l\lngicFounlllin, hut, realising by now that he hadneither the time nor the literary gift for slIt'hthankless tasks, he commissioned his friendC. F, Keary to make A libretto from Cablc'snovel of Creole life, Thf Grm/(lissillles-!'e1ectin~

the story of KOllnga as thc has is of his opcra.It will he remembered that Delius had lived asan orange planter in Florida from I HH+ toIRM6, and to the end of his days he used totalk ahout the wonderful instinctive feelin~ forharmony possessed by the Negro('s, and how heUSl'<! to sit on his verandah far into the nights/lloking cigar after cigi'r a!' he listened to tlwir:subtle improvisations in harmony. In the/llcllntime Delius had returnt'd to Europe tostudy, and it was not \Illtil J:lI1Wlry, 1HI)7, thathc decided to go Ollt to Florida again, thistillle not to seek soli tilde, hilt to put his estatein order, for the Negro in charge of it had giftsfor pocketing Delius' profits that far outsllllnl:the Negro's excelll~nt gift for music. It was 011

this second visit thllt much of the music tor](ollflgn was composed.

The scene of the prologlle is a typical sOllthernorange grove, It is evening llnd dancing is going'un in the house. Four young girls, I~enre, Ilni'ill',Aurore, llnll Olin', t,rnl of dancing and playingall day, heg Uncle Joc, an old Negro sl<I\", 10

tdl onc of his stories. They are joined hy]cannc, l\'Iarie, I fortense, !lnd Palllclte, :111.1 ;111si t rmlnd the old man whilst he tells thelll thestory of I(oangll llnd l'almyra. Clouds descendand cover the stage, and after a hrief orche~tral

interlude tht,y clear llway gradually and disclosethe gllrden of a plantation in I,ollisi:ma, withslave huts Rnd distRnt field!' of sugllr-C:lIlt',edgt·d by a stretch of the forest. I t is da\\'n

and the heginning of yct another day in the lifeof a slave.

Act One. PalmYI'll, the beHutiflll ltalf-",lslemaid of Clotilda, wife of the planter I)oll .loseI""lartinez, hu~ really the natural daughter ofClotilda's father, is sad and 101l1'Iy and herthollght,s Rre interrllpted hy the call of the co\\'­horn s\1Il11ll0ning the slaves to their work, ;lndhy the appearance of Si,llOIl l'crez, the delestedslave-driver whosc repeated advances make herlife intolcl'llhle. The slaves, h;1lf a~;I('cp, appeflrat the hilt door, the I;lzy 0I1CS arc rOll,;ed withthl: whip, Itnd soon they arc otl' to thl'ir work,singing ill unison as they gn :--

('ollle (lilt, I/iggt'l'J, cO/lle out to I'ut the 1('(/1'illg (t/llt',1'hf moonlight shadows are 1'1/1/"'/ fllld tht' tit/\' is

'mch agai", ' -The !lulllllling-bird ;s wllking, good m:t:gos tlo,,'t

('IIIII/,llIill.S'o (ome ol/ce more alld hmten to tire field, of

wglll'-calle.

Co lumb ia Take Ove rthe Del ius Soc ie ty

As I forecast last month, thenegotiations between the Committeeof the I)elius Societv and Columbia.which began in April, have at last beeneompleted.

The orieinal Committee of theDelius Soc6ty has resigned and nowand heneefonrard thIs onterpriseYII be run under the auspicei ofColumbia, although, u,.

"oury.ne will

be pleased to hear, SirThomas Beechamremains President and ArtisticAdvisor.

The change-over has resulted in aconsiderable improvement in the con-tents of the first album. Instead ofthe songs' that were announced in

35

company with " Paris," it has beendecided to record " I!vent5r," Balladfor Orehestra. the final scene fromthe unpublished opera, " Ko&ng&,"and the Serenacio and Finale from" Ifassan."

Coiumbia are putting all these goodeggs into the Delius basket for twore&sons : firstly as a mark of respectto the memory of the,gteat composer,and secondly becauso they hope thattheir enterprise will be rewarded by tgteat influx of subscriptions.

Sir Thomas has written a specialmessage to tho British musical publicasking for more support, to the tuneof 750 new subscribers, and thismessage has been incorporated in a,new prospectus that is now obtainablefrom all Columbia dealers.

lThat

Sir Thomas BeechamIoolcs lilc vicn sccn by QuirL (I/e trmblc to t[it|

wAat Quiil uill lool'tiic tphin hc hat bcea tcct b1r

Sir TAonet).

Columbia Take Overthe Delius Society

As I forecast last month, thenegotiations between the Committeeof - the Delius Society and Columbia.which began in April, have at last beencompleted.

The original Committee of theDelius Society has resigned and nowand henceforward this enterprisewill be run under the auspices ofColumbia, although, as everyone will

be pleased to hear, Sir Thomas Beechamremains President and ArtisticAdvisor. •

The change-over has resulted in aconsiderable improvement in the con­tents of the first album. Instead ofthe songs' that were announced in

35

company wit,h "Paris," it has beendecided to record" Eventyr," Balladfor Orchestra, the final scene fromthe unpublished opera, "Koanga,"and the Serenade and Finale from" Hassan."

Columbia are putting all these goodeggs into the Delius basket for tworeasons: firstly as a mark of respectto the memory of the, great composer,and secondly because they hope thattheir enterprise will be rewarded by agreat influx of subscriptions.

Sir Thomas has written a specialmessage to the British musical publicasking for more support, to the tuneof 750 new subscribers, and thismessage has been incorporated in anew prospectus that is now obtainablefrom all Columbia dealers.

WIJatSir Thomas Beecham

looks like wnen seen by Quirk (We tremble to t!Ji7lkwnat Quirk will 100ft like wIJen ne has bun sun by

Sir Tholl'l4s).

36

THE YOUNG DELIUS

AN IDYLL OF THE 'NINETIES

By ERIC FENBY

f l \ l l l i F r t r l c r t t : k D o l r u s e x t s t t r r g l l l l t r t r s l

I J x ' r , 1 , l t : ' s r r r i t r d s t s L l r u t t ' u g l t : l i g r r r o^ r t r t t l t c l i r : u t u n r r t t t l r i l , r ' cJ ( : t l t ^ ( l l r . y

I l r c r r t r I r t l l r l r o t o g l g g r l l r t r r k c r t o I l t t r r r t l r t t -

t t t l . l l l r ( ' l , r s t .1 ' t x r l s o l l r rs l i [o . ' l ' l rL* rv , rs

t l r c [ ) t ' l r t r r w l r o r r r L o t t d t , t t c t s s r t \ \ ' ! l t I l r t tl l t : c ) t rv l to r t l r c c r r r r rc ovar r f rou t i "11111c1- ' t { . ,r r L t o t t t l t l r u l c s t i v u l o f l r i s t r r u s i c g i v c t r r l r l r i sI r r . r t tu t t l L rv S i r ' ' I l ro r r r r rs Becc l ru r r t i r r I { . f :10 .

I r l ru tL l rc ro tu g ivo uu t t ro id tx r c r f t l ro t t t r t t tI t o t r ' , , ' r t L t l r o 1 1 j l 1 o r r f t l t o c o t t t J x r s i t i o t t o l" l i t , r r r r g u " - - l r r r t u l l t l r o D c l i u s < r [ t l r u l t r t r :n t t t o t t o s .

' l ' u . l u r l g o b y o t t o ( ) r l w o u l t l ) u b l l s l l e ( l

; r t r o t o g r r r l r l r x t r r k c n u b o u l t h u t t i t t t u , r r r r r l l , vc l t u n r ' o t e t r r u r k s r r r r r r I o b y t l l t r c o t u l ) o r L ' r ' l ( lt r t o r v l t t ' r r I c u u g l r t l r i r r r t n t ' o t t t i r t i s t : r : r t t t r t ( r ( r ( t ,I u t t t u l r lo !o ; r ioc r , r toget l re r r r l ) i ( ' t t l t ' 6 o f l t t r r ri l r t l tos t t du t ' s , l r l r ( , r : r j l r i l rL i l y i t r r l rc r l t ' r ' lp i r : l r r r u , J r r r t o r r o l - , y s , h i c l r I s l r o r r l r l l l r r l r ' rI t i r t t l o l r u r c t r t o t r r l r c r t ' d , f o r t l r c l r i c t r r r t r l r 5 'rv l t t r ' l r l r r r i s t r roa l , l i ko ly to l l t , rc r r ro r t ibc to t l r tl r t t t l l r o . . r l t u d o w o f t h o r r t u r r .

D c l i r r s t r t u r t l t u i o [ r t r r r t u t r r l l . l t r r t t t l s o t r r r :\ ' ( ) u n l { l e l l r r w , u r r s t o < ' t u t i c i n l r c u r i r r g ,t r re t i c t r lous in < l ross , [o l r t l o f s lx l t s - - l re tvus. r \ ' . : ry k t , t r r r c r i cko tc r nnr i o f to r r l . r luyod l r , rr r r r E r r g l i s l r X I . i n P , r r t . s . H e l t r u s L l t a v o b t t o l tr r vc r ' ) ' u ' i l f t r l , ros t loss , sc l f -cen t ro ( l ) 'ou l l (n r r rn - - \ ' r r rv huro o f I r i r r rse l f -u u tun w l rok n r . r l u l l t l r e r c w u u t o b o k n o w t r u l r o t t t f o o < lu t r ( l \ r ' i n t . : , r to t to u l ru r rk o f t l r s lu i r sex , nl r ro t l tg i r . r t i s n :udor , i s t i rnu lu t ing u t td o l r t r . r -u r r i r r ing tu lk t ' r w i t l r a d ry w i t , cur ious ly h isowrr ; o [ t { : l ) , I a rn lu ror a vory t ry lng co t l l -

l } t | r r io l l - - in a l ro r t , a moct unusuo l you l tgI l l i l l l .

n * * *As a y,outtg rnusician ho know hia Wognor

irrsido out, and worthippod Chopin, Criogund Bizou-purt iculorly tho dol icacy of thdlrrt tor ' 'c ucoring-and i f , of t i rma, ho foundlrrrurulf rvnting rnusio coloursd by thoire hodid rrr.r t rnind, for lro bol ioved in workingtlrrouglr lr ie in0uonooa, not, uvoiding t lrorn.I I rs wuc a c low dovo lopmont , and ho hadto dig vory durp for lr iu rnuBical gold. Such,thcr r , wus t l ro young composor who soL towork < . rn t l ro sconr o f " Kurngo. "

I Io l rud contornp lu tc t l tho wr i r rng o f ar )c , { ro o l )d ru fo r a long t i r r ro , and, f ind ing ueub lnc t t l ru t a l rJxnded t< l h i r r r i r r Cab lo 'cn t>r ' c l , " ' I ' l r s

Grand iss i r ; ro8 , " l ro evgn t r iodto u rako h is own l ib ro t to . Ihs p rov tousut t .o r r rJ r ts rn t l r iu d i r r rc t ron l rud fu r led , undconiioquor)t ly l io had warto<l u good Ccul ofl--rcauufrr l t trrrr ic, purt iculurly irr tho cuso of" I r rno) r r r , " h is 6 rEt , opor&, in w l r i c l r n ruch,rI t ]ro rrrusic lurc unrnigtul&rblo clrarru undf rce l r r rc .ss . ' I t l roso

who suw t t KoungB " a t

Covcr r t Gurd lu r w iU n rnsnrb€r a chanrungli t t lo l l iocu for orchoelru, whictr Srr Tlrornusfouncl i ! tro(x.$srrry to irrtorpoluto duri lg uc l t , rn (u o f n t :c r ten ' . ' l ' l 1 ig wur u t t l tn l r t t l> -l i , . l ro t l l r ro l r rdo rvh ic l r Do[ua t l i c tu tod to n to ,< l t vc lo l t t r rg t ! f ro rn u fow ruu . r tca l i r l t rus t l r r r tl r t , l ru r l r l r v r ry ,u l i ked in t l ra t ve15, eur ly o l , r i la" l r t r r r r l i t t . "

I )o l i r rs , l ro rvovcr , c ranro to t l ro l x r t t r t < - r ft t r t : i n g t l r r r t . l r o l i u d r r c i t l r e r t l r e t i r r t u 1 1 1 1 p t l r cl i te r , r iS ' g i f t fo r tho tus& ' r . ' I r t tuk i r tg l t t . s t , r l t lI r l r r o t ! o , u r r d h o t h o r o f o r t t t r t t t t r t l t o l r t sIncr rd Kr ru ly , w iL l r w l to ln l ro s l tn r 'e . t l u l lu tr r r l ) , r r i s , t u w r i t o i t f o r h i u r , K c u r y s u ! t t rr r ' , r t k 'n i t u I n l i t t lo r r l lugo noar I . ' t t l r t r t t l t r ' -l r l u r t r t l u l l o r l B o u r n r n , 2 0 t l t i t t t t t t ' x ' r r r r l kov t r r t l ;o / lo ld r f runr Orez . f l r c v t lh .g t , rv l ru tol)ulrun

'wu,r,r in t l rs fol l<lrvi t lg yoor trr scl, t ' le

down lor l i fc. Wlren t lro txxlk of U]ro l i r ' . r ! ut: trvua cori l l l l r : trr t l , Koary coni for Dcl irrs, whtr\vu$ i r r Pur is , usk ing hu l r to co t l r r r toBuut ron t l ro nox t duy t< l reud i r t l rn r r rg l t '' l ' r ' i v iu l

t l r r . rug l r iL rnu l ' socr t ) , t l t t s i r rc i t k ' r r tt r r l luc t tc - - r l t l ro rv l ro io co t l rdo o I t l t t rcor t rposr . r t ' s l i [o .

* * * *I ! n tus l bo oxp lu ined i l tu t s l ro r t l y b t ' f t ' re

t l r i s , Do l i tu had mot a yo t rng pu in t t ' r , , le lkuRoson, who sppeored to he very errthtt 's i lst ic about hir tougic qrtd not o l i t t , !6so l i c i tous fo r h is fu t r r lo wo l l -bo i r rg . Dc l iusl rud conf idod to her thoL, l r i s fa thor huv in t 'rolusrxl to ruuko him an al lorvutlce to rt t t t t l ' iol r i r r to dovoto h inuo l f to cor r tpos i t io t r , l rewort l t l l t tvo Co gdrrr lr is l iv irrg b5' tr 'aclr ing.

It l iss Roxen wos now tt ( lrez., Htrr) i l r t ' ir v i t l r l t c r f r io r l t l l t l u Gcr l ru r< l i , t t t r t r t l t t ' r ) ' r ' t l t 'Al l r i t i te t ' , u ! t l ro Hr ' r ts l C l ru r ' :on , l l r t ' r r r r ; t r . ' r r tl c t r d c z v o u s [ o r r t r t i s t x ; o r r r l l t c r r r i r r g t l r r r !Dr : l i r t s wus u I Bour ror r r l i t l r K t 'u r '1 , s l rc i r r -v i to t l l r i r r r ( rvs r to t r r l r< ' l r . l t u r rs l r , ve l l 'r l l t | l i l t | . r $ 'cn t l te r , a tn ( l t l t ( , r io rv l t ( | l t r t \ ' { r l i ( t ls t : t ,n ( l t ' f r z . o t t * r t< r l t u r lu \ , ( , r l l l o t r r ' i r l i r t ' t l r r rb e u t t t y o [ t l r e o l d c l r r r r t : l r , t l r c I r r r r t , t l t cgur t lo t ts go i r rg r lowr r i r r tu l ruccs l r t t l to t ' i v t : t ,t l ro o l tJ l r r :dgo, l l ro l ig l r t o r r l l ru l in ' : v u f

J ro ; r lu t ' s , tho p lu in odged by u < l i s t r r r r t u t l r : le l ro[ t l ro wood. Tho young couplo took a bori !f ro t t r t l to l ro te l lund ing-s t r rge ur t , l . go i r rgu t t t l c r tho br idgo, lnnr lo r l unr l u ' r r l k r . ld r rpu'hut upl loorqd to bo urr ovorgrorvn gardntr.Sk i r t i r rg lho lx rnd tho l ' uv r rn tuu l l . y fo r rndthonrsc lves i r r tho cour t l ' o rd o f r r ru t t tb l t t tgItouso lrrukiug on to tho $treet. 1' l ro 1'ot l t tgwot l rdn , rv i th J l ro r r rp t i r r tu i t ion , < lcc rd tx l t l r r r tthis wrrs t lro vcrv ir laco for Dcl ius to wol 'kin , und t ronr thg [ nnonront n l ro r t ' so lve t l thu tlr .y h<lok <lr crrrck eho \r 'otr l( l bu! ' I l repropol ' ty.

Mounwhi lo De l i r rc re tu rncd to I )u r is u t r r l

6

,

o

36

THE YOUNG•

DELIUS

AN IDYLL OF THE 'NINETIES

By ERIC FENBY'1" H E FII\d.orlck DollW:l eXisting III IlIllSIPt"llpll~'t; IIlllld:; I:; 1..110 tl'Uglc jigllll'/llId n·llc of 11 IIIUII 1't:}J1'csenlt:d IJy

Ilit' IIwl111 photogruJlIL~ lukell cif hilll dlll­Illg I ht, la:->t VU<I!ll uf Ills Iifo, Thl.... \\'/IS

the [)vllll:i w'holll LOlldllllcrs saw UI I hI'Ilcsh WllOll llc CI1IIlC over from Fl'Illlcl! t(Juttolld the festivul of his lIIusic givl~1I111 hishOlwll1' lJy ~il' 'fhulIlU6 Bcccluuu ill lU~~.

1 Wllllt helO lu uiVll SU/lltJ iuoo uf tlw 11111/1

110 Wu" ut. tlw till\o IJf lhtJ compositioll 1)1'

" KUIlIlt;u "--1 IIlUUll UIO Dclius uf tlw lull!1I111011U",

Tu judgo by unll or two ullpubllshcdphlJlo..:rnphH lakl'n ubout thut time, u/ld I,vchunc,o 1'~I/lurkH lIludu by the COlllpO:,<:1' ! ..1110 Whl'lI 1 cuu~ht him in 1'0lIlillisCI~f11 IIIC)C"I,

I UIII lllJlll to piecu together u pil'lUl'tl of 111111

111 tlll)~ll uUy1l, It 1ll·".'''1l11l'ily illlpcdl'I'1pit:lllfc, bUl UIIO by which 1 shollld prd.'1III1II 10 lw relllOlubefllu, for the pictUftl hyw/\I('la till IS 1l108t likoly t.l Ill' relllUlIlberlld I~

IJllt t 1111 ,1hllUOW of tho IJlUlI.DcIIU::I lIIu!:!t huv6 betl/I u tull, III111dHIIIIW

,V III I 11": fellllw, uflstu('\utic ill beul'illg,IlIcticlllou~ ill <I re:;::I , (ond of sporls--hc was11 Vl!ry kllell crickotcr und oftell pluyuu fill'

1111 EIl~llsh XI. in PllrtS. He l!lll~t. }luve IWtlll11 ,'er)' wilful, ro:;lllls::I, !!elf-ccntrud )'ourll{1I11111--Vl'n' suro of lIill1sclf-u Illun wllukill'\\' ull t'lwrtj WUtI to bo knowlI UblJllt foodulId WlllC, !lot U> IIrlOt1k of tile fuir SI'X. /\

prodll,:IO\lH rcuuur, 11 8timulutillg und ellll'r­tllining Iulk('r with a dry wit curioU!;ly hisOWII; oft(.~lI, I urn lure, Ji very trying COIII­ptllllOll--lIl short, 11. mUllt unusual youn~

11I<.l1l.

=if * =if *All a YUUlll{ lUu8icuw he knew his Wo.gner

in»idtl out. and worshipped Chopin, Grio~Ulld Bi:wt.-purticularly tho delicacy of theIlltlO1"1l IIcorlng-and if, at tUnes, he foundllIlIIloul£ wnting mUliio coloured by theirs hedid not. mind. {or he believed m worlcingIhrough his in[Juenoos. not avoicling them,HIS WUII U lllow development, and he hadto uig very doop for hill mllBi~1 gold, Such,thell, WUll the young composer who set towork 011 1he scoro of .. Kounga."

llu had cont<llnplut<:d the writing of U

lltlUW op~1'U for u long timll. undo finding usubJuCl thut UpptluJed to him ill Cuulo'l!novel, .. The Grnndissil}1C8," heevfo triudto miiko Ius own Iibrotto. His pre\'JOusutt.(llllptS In thill dlroctlOn hud futled. andcOllsoCjuul1tly be hud wll&te<l u good eeul ofbcauwflll lllullic, purticularly in the cuse of.. Irlncllll," his fin;t opera. in which muchIIf tllO lIlUSW hUB unm.ist.ukuLle charm undfrc"lllIeSll, 'l'laolie who IiUW .. Kounga .. ill

Covcnl Guruull will l'tlmember 11 channmglittle pillet} for orchestra, which Sir ThorllLlsfound it TlOOCliowry to inwrpoluw during a"hun"u of lwcncry, This was UIl unplIb­li:·oIlOd prollldtJ which Deuu8 Jidutlld to mo,dt'vclo(lIIlM It frow u few rnu~lCal idtl<.ls tlllltlit' llud dlwllyll liked in lhlit very eurly UIWlu

.. !'-IJItI!ln."DolillS, howovl'r, CIIlllle 10 the pOlllt uf

~t'l'lllg thllt. hu hud Iwither the tnllc Iwr thelitefllry gift for the IUsk of Illukinj.( lw, ownIlbre\l{). l11lU ho Ihtlrofort' tUl'lwd tu Ill"frJt:lld Ko!!]'y, with wholll he lilllut.'d u IlutIII P'II'lS, to write it for him, Kcury bt:1 towork on it ut It little \'illuije nHur FOIlIIl/lll"111111111 ('ullne! Hourron, :W IllillllH'''' 1IIllk

(lVtlr lJ;o HulLl. {1'On! Ure:t, till' vtllu>(l' wlll'/'t.lDolll~ WUH in Ule followilll( year to Het.t,ledown for life. When the book. of the Jil'Sl Ul't\VliS completed, Kel1ry ttOot for Dcliu::>, whowuo in Puri!!, ll:lkinK him to COlllU to(3oulTon the ooxt duy to reud it thnlllKh,Triviul t11quKh it. mu)' 1>6CIIl, tlll~ illcid<'n1III 11 lit: Ill.--ed the whu:e COllrtlu of thol:OIIlPOSUI"S IIfu.

*' * =if ...It must be explained thut shorlly bt·fort'

this, DoliWl had met a young puintcr, ,ldkaRosen, who appeared to he very f'/lthu·Ioiustic LLUout hi.i music and not fi lilt,!osolicitous (or his fut.ure well-b6in~, l>c1iu:Ibuu confided to her that, his falhur huvinL(reful:iod tQ Illuke him an allowunce 10 ('lIuhitlhilll to devote hinu;olC to COlllpo:litiun, lit'

wOllhl hllve to l>IlCll hill livinl.: by tt·llchin~.

Miss Ro:;en wus now ut (;I'C/" litllyi/l~wi~h her fritJllcl Idu Gcrhardi, 1l11011tt'r )'Olll'hIllllllt~I', ut tllu Hc)t61 ChllV;OII, tllt'll II ;":11.'lIt

J Clldc:LVOllll (or Itrli»tH; and IWLlI i Il~ 1hutDeliU8 WI19 ut Bourroll wilh Kl'un, sIll' ill­vitod hilll (j\'t'r \.0 hUl(·h. ) I \\:Il,~ lovc'!\'IjlllllllU'r wl'lttht'r. Itnd lhotif' 11'110 IIU\'t. lidl

st~l'n OI'f11. 1111 :<l/eh 11 du\' ('UII/Illt 1t·."i.~I· tlll\

beuuty o( the old dll~rt:h, till' HIlII, Ihel(UI'tIOllli l(uilli( down ill tOl'f1u.:es to the I'i,'el',

t/1Il IIlu hr:dl(e, the light 011 t till tin':li uf,pOplUl'li. the plll.in edKed by u distltllt stl'lltchof thtl wood, The young couplo took a hntitfrum the hotel landing-lItllK£, ulld, gui/l~

under the brid~e, landed und wulkod upwhltt uppeurQd to bo UII ()Vtlr~l'Own garof'II,Skirtillg tJw pond tho)' uVI,ntuully fouillithemselveli ill t.he courtyard of 11 I'Ulllb!illL;houso lookilll( on to the street. 1'110 youlIl;WOlllan, with prompt illtuit:uJl, dCCldtldthlltthill wus tlltl very plactl for Dl'1ius to workIn, uno from that moment Hbe n'sol\'ml thutby hook or crook she would buy 11If'prop6l'ty,

Moonwhill1 Deliul! returned to Puri" uJl(I

,-,;.

w o r k o d h u r d o n t h o f i r s t u c t o f " K o r r n g u . "l t r v u s h i s l r u b i t i r r t l r o s o d u 1 ' s t o u ; o l ht h r o t r g h t l r o n i r { h t a r r d s l o c p c l r r r . . n q t l r o d r r r , .Ho t rs t td to to l l rno thul i rc sr r rok ld i r rc . t * -arr ,n t ly oa l ro workor l , t l ru I u br . r t t lo oI r r . r lw l r t r \ r ' o s n o v o r o t r t o f r o a c l r , u r r r l t l r a t l r r r

s ( , n l ( . l l t l ( . : r v l u l r l l r r r v t , l u - r r ( r t k l n l l r t :t r r t r l , l l r . o l t l r r . r r r t . l l r L u r r r l r l r . . r l l r r t l , r i 1 r . l r r 1 [l l l \ r , l l r . r ' t r l r r l r r l r l r r t r l l t l t t , l r , l l l t r , t l t t r : t r r l < .' l ' l r r .

r n r t \ r ( ' t l r , \ r . L I l . r t r r . l i r r r - l r r . r l l r y t l r r .r , r r r l , r l l b ! l U , r r r r r l r n t l r ( . N r . r r . \ ' r , r r r . l ) r , 1 , , 1 "r l r . t ' t r l t . t l l i , t ( r l t t r i l t r , l . ' 1 r , 1 1 1 1 1 1 [ , r 1 1 1 l r : r vI r r o t r l l r s l o ; r r t t l t l , , r t t r r r g , , - g t ( r \ , 1 , t i l ( , t . ( l l . t . .l \ t ' u t \ ' , l t r r \ ' t n l . l ( : ( r n l l r l ( . 1 ( , ( . 1 t l t n l t l r t . t . t l o ,I t r r t r r l , . t l ( , \ ' r : r t l t r : l r r s t r r r . t l o l l r r , ( . { , l l l , ( r s t , fr r l r l r r ' t r , l r , l l r r . g t r r r r L r r r 1 l r t . l o l l l r , . 1 1 ; 1 1 r 1 1 . 1 1 , 1t t o t r t l r r r l v , r , o n r l v i i r l l o l . ' 1 r 2 1 . ; 1 1 1 1 .

J l r s s l l , r r s r : n , i r r I ) r . l i u s , . s r l , r r . r r . . , , l r t r c lu n l ( r l ( r l { n l o l r i r r r , l r u r l J r r . r : u r r r l r : r l l r c rr r r o t l t t . r t o l r u v l r c r . l l r r . ; r r r i ; , r . r t t . l r f ( , i r . o r . .S l r o r l u s r r r . r r v i r r t l r r l L . , l t l r r . r , i , l r , i t l t ; r r l l r u r ll i t t l t ' , r r n ( ) l ( r \ v : r r r f l ) r r l r r r . . l l o r r r . r . r . l . , l l r or l r r l ' r r l ' t r . r l t ( . I ( ! l r r t r t r . r l t r , l r , r l r , f f , , r r r I , ' l l t r d . r- l r r ' I s . , 1 . 1 t . r , r l u , l r o r t l u t , l r l n n L , ' r l r . t r r ( l t i s | l r -I t ' t r t t o r l r r f < . r r t r t r t t H t l , r r r n [ ( , r l l t i . r r r . r . k . r : t r r l .I , ' t , ' r r r I l r , r t r r r . r . k , r . r r r l ( ' , r r t . l r r : r . r n r c l r r . l r , , r r r r : ,r n { l t l \ \ . r . l r ( . t c t l r u t " l i r , r r r r ; 1 , r , ' \ r . r r t ( : ( r i l 1 .

l r l l l t , l , r t r r l . r l l l r r . l i r r r . . t t t r t r \ t ( . r . , j t , r . r . i v c ( 1 .I ) r . l r r r s l r i r | . t , t l r r . l r r : r t r [ ( r l r - i r l i l 5 t l , r , r -

[ ( , 1 t l i l l t { ( . r r l l l r l l r l r ( , r l r t t t J , r r r r r l , , i t , l r r t t u l l l rl ' { ' I r ( . r l ( . ( l r . l l o r l r 1 1 , t l t t ( . t . t . s t 1 r r . ( , 1 r l r : l i l t t . tf ' r ' ' , ( l r r ( ' l t o t r l r r . r ' o l r r ' r c l r t r r r r i r l ' l r ( t r r , e f ol J t u t r r , o r l l s l r t : r r l l r _ : l t : t l u r t d d t s r : o u l u g r , t l . ' I ' l r , l

c o i l ) [ r { ) s r . f l r , r r l t o w r l i u l i o v e n y e s r s b e f o r o

" K L , r r r g a " u ' u s e \ ' { : l l t u d l l y t ) e r f o r r t l t r d i r r( ) c r r r r r r r r ' , , r t l i l l r t ' l ' I t ' l t l , i t , l l l t J { '

1 ' . , j r r i l g u l r 5 ' t l r o t l t t t t r l r ( ' r ' o f l r r i s t u k r ' . r . i r t

t l r o i l r t t t . , g l u l l l l s c ( r r ( f ' - ' w t t r l l A t l o l | " : s ' t l l l . j s l t r y

l t ( ' ( ' t t l c l r l r t l : i , t r r i " r ' r r l l t t l i r t t t r t l i l t l t l t c t l . t ' t t r t r t t t r - '

u u r r k i u l , i J , u l l u l u ' l r i t ' l t l t i t t l l r t ' r r t t f r r i t l r I u l l r '

c t . r t r t r . t l i r r t o t l t t r u t I l t u t t t u l l ) ( r t L . i t r t r t l , l ( r l

c t - , i t c t ' t r ' d u ! t l r c t e l t t ' , r r r u l s ' l t l t t , * t ' l i l l l t : r f e l . l

l r ( ' f l ( l t ' l l t r l t l ( ' u s t r l t l r L l t I t ' ( , t r c ' r r t t J r l 1 t t t l b i r r l '

L l r r t l ) r l i r r t , i l r t ' x p c r i c l t c o d u t l ( 1 , I u l r ( l t t r -

s t u r r r l , l r r r t l t t ' t i r ' . r l l r ' l r t ' l l r l t t s i u t - r c l t c t l r s t t l s ,

\ t a r ! l { r u r r l r x o t ' l r t . t l l r - r ' t l r o g t ' t l t ' l l l l t ' l l t ' r ' t 1 t t ( t 'd u r ' r r t l b y l r i u l r t u s i c u r t t l t r x l t l r r i l h ' r l h t r , l l r q

Daily Tblegraph, 19 October 1935, p.6,

DELIUS'LIFE-LONGWISHFULFILLED

\ [ ' l I ] ; N t l r e ( D p e r l r " K o a n g : r " l sD r r ) ( l u ( ' c ( l n c x t , \ l o r r r l a y a t

C o v e n t ( i a r d e n - t l r e l l r s ! t r o d u r t i o uI n t l r l s c o u n t r y - o t r e o f D e l l u s ' l o n f -c h c r l s l r e d a n l b l l l r ) n s w i l t i t c r v e c o m cto p : rss .

T l t e o p t . n r $ ' ; t r i i n s p l r e d b y t l r n d c a d

37

u' t , r r r l r r r lu l c l l r c r iencur o f a ! lus r l r r l in t rg1 l to r l l r o o l t ' l t s s l r r r t o t r o t l r c r u b o t r t t l t t i r r i l s .

ii-ii .; ji.

l ) t : l r r t s l l t . l r r . r ' r . r l t l t u ! t l r o ( ' l t r | r o i ( . t ' r o ( lI t . . ; s t l r r r r r t l r r r Jx I . t , l t r t . . i i r ) t l t ( . t l l i r rg lu s r t5 'r r l x r r r ! l t [ r , , ] ' r - r r ' l r i r n t r r r r s i c \ \ ' u s r t l { r u l l ) l l r s !o l ' t l r r : ; l t r l . l I r . t c l . l r r t r l t : r l l i t r . r r . . i r t r ' r r g t . t l yt r r u t l r , l i r , , r l r l u l t y t l t 0 s c r ' r r t c r r t { . , l t l ( , i l 1 ) o Ir iu l ) t ' ( t i l )o l r r r l ) t ) i r r r . : ss w l r i t : l r r :o r t rO Ot | ( l gu ,rcvcr rn ( r r ' { ) t ( r ro tu rn . A f t l to t l ro r rg l r t r . r ft l to " novcr . tnoro ? ' t t r t t x io r r : r r t r ld ruc l l . t tpw i t l r i n l r i r n , u 4 r l a f e w W b r d s

" lJul rny ntut{r, .no r lroru/, iro,;rtqr6; lr : i iht1Lr . . \ \ ' 9 lu ,g ' t r rgb t l t c r , ;nu . : l i t r r rcJ . 'noI t l t ) f t J

t t -

r r l t r t t ' tvorr ls su( . l r ns t l ru ic , 'u t r ( l o i t i , t i r ( : ryr r n r l i s l i r g r t i s l r r . r l r v o r r l s , , r t o r r l , l r l r r r i r ' . , 1 ' r r r t r rl , r r r r t r r r r s r r . r , i s r t r l r i r r t r , r r i r . [ r . r . l i r r g r r ! i : l s i , f x rr r l t r r r r r l t t t t l r r , , r t t r l r l t ' .

I r r " S r , . r - r l r i l t . " t r r " l r l r r i . r , I S r r r r s r . i . ' '"

' l ' l r r , \ ' i l l u ; i r . l i o r r t l r , : t t r r l . l t t l r r . t , " " ( ' . r ' t r -

r r t i i , " " S n t r ! " r , l l " . r r r . r r , ' l l " . r t t s i l l \ t u ] ' it l t r .

" i . t t t t c - - ' t l r r t l s i t t r l i ' l u n g i l r ; l f ' r r ' 1 1 1 . ' r n a -

; r t . t t t u l t t r t t o f t t r r g r o . i t t l r l r . l r l t - . . l t r r r r r t l t . r o , lr r ( , 1 \ t l t r , l l r t , r t I r r ' . t . t r t t r r l , t . t 1 l , l l . i t ) n g , a l l to f 1 ' l 1 q . q 1 | r r l o r r r r ' l r , , r i r l r t o t k ; i t r l r r s u l r v r t l . st l r r t l s r r r r r e l l ) t r ! r r r N t l r u l . \ y . r s r r l r l r r . r r r t r - r s ! i r rl l i l i l . r i l \ l ) t n i l N l t l i l i r r o s t ( : r r r r c r ' l t t i ( ) n s .

\ V r r s i t a r : o i r r r . i r h . n 1 . s . I l r r r L I ) r . l i r t . s ' s l i l r x tc l r t . t ' t s l r e r l l x r s s l i s i o r t w u i ( ; l t u X l t i t r ' s t ' N t ' l ' c rl I r r r o , " w l r i c l t l r o l l , r r t g h l r l i r r r r . t f l o r r r t l r o

l ) u i n l ( ) r ? D c l r r r s r v r r s o r r l 5 , u t t ( . r r , s t e ( l t ! lt l r o s t o r t ' o I K r , ; r r r q r r r r r r r l l r r r l r r r v r r r i t r s o f r r rI t - \ t l r o " t l , t \ ' 1 ' ; ' - , t , . r , ' . ' r " w u r ( ' o l l ( ' . . l ' t l ( l ( l ;I t r . r r c r r I l r o r : o t r r l r l r t t o l u r : k o [ < l r r r t r r u t i t , l r . t i o r t ,! l t t ' u l r s t t r t l s i t t t u t i o t t s . r U t r l t l r t : t . l I t c r r : s j o fI t i s t r r t t s i , ' , r l c l l J t l r ( ' l ( ' t t . i l l l r ' r l - .

r \ r l u l i r t l o l ' t \ \ ' r ) r t l t i r u t l l t r , i t r l r r l ' ; r u 1 ; s l i r r g lo [ r t r r t s r r o t r ' r r t ' l i t : t ( l . r t { ' r u r v i r r l c t t , s l t l r c( ' ( r t i l J l 0 : i { , 1 ' s t t t l t t i l t ' . t ' t .

' l ' l r r , r l r r r r t . r . n t u \ t ( j l ( I

t l r r . s t . ( ' r , i l ( l l t l l \ \ / r i l x r t t ' { r \ t r ' ( l I t o t t t l l nn t r . l r r , s t , , r l s l l t t { l r ' . r l l r . , l " l i l , r l r t l ; r . " t t t t l l t : r ri r r l X r i l t .

' l ' l r ( . r , r ' t g l t r r r l 0 t r ' l r t s t t r l l r r l r l l ( r t u -

l r r t t t r ' t l I l r t o r t g l r l t t t , r r t t r I l t t ' r t r l r l , t l r ' , r i t ' t ' l r r r t t x

l o l l ) , r l r r r y l i r ) t n ( l l l r r ! r ' l r , r ' t t s l r r - r r t t r l r , ' j r r l l v

s i l t t r t t i r , t r . ' l ' l r u

s l n t t p t e l t t r l r ' r r r . ' \ , t I I I .I ) r . l i t r * l r r r r l l r t ' t , r l f t ' , , r r r l r i i r l i s t ' r r r r l t ' : I t r p t : t ' : t ." ' l ' l r , ' J l r r ! r r F o t t t t l r r t l t , "

(below) Daily Herald, 20 September.

c o m p o : \ ( ' r ' : i e ; r r l l ( . r d : r y s i r s i t n ( ) r i u t , : cp l a n t e r l n I ' l o r l d a , b r r t u l l t l l l l o wt e c h r r l c : r l c l i f l i c u l t i n s . - - l r : c l r r c l l n gt h a t o f f l n J l r r g a s l n g e r r ^ ' l t h n r o r ct h a n t l r e o r d l n a r y r a n g e o f v o t c e t ot a k e t l r c p a r t o f K o a n g ; r - - l r r r v c p r e -v e n t e d l t . s : r p l l c a r a n c e l r e r c .

D c l t r r s ( ) [ t { ' n U r g r . l S t r ' ' l ' l t o t t ) t s r

D e r c l t t r n t l o . s f ; r g c l l . i l t r ( l t r o t v l t r : t s l odo s r t r l t l h . Io l t r r I l ro r r r t l r ,e . o f t l t c pBr l ! rG r f l n ( l O l ) r r l , i t s K o ; u t g i r . M i r r l i r t n eS l o l r r r r l s k ; r . t i r u ' r l l . ; r l , r , y t l r c l r l r o l r l r : ,Pa hn 1 ' r r r .

N t ' r t s c r . r r r . r y a t r r l ( . o . . l u n t r s l t l v c l ) c c nd e . s l g t t r r l l r v N l r o l : r s r l n I \ l o l ; r s .

Ot l Wer l r rcs< l ; ry l l r l s .s i r r r ' s " I l I l : r rb le rcd l S l t ig l l i t " r r r l l l )e g t r , ( .n , nn( l su f rsc -gu(n l l y " D t ' r l ' r c i . s1 'h r r tz " - thc f l r . s t f ro -dr rc t lo r t a t , Cov( . r l ! ( ia rdcn s incc lg0?.On Eeptlmbcr 30 " tJn Ballo ln Mnr.che/a." whlch hn.s not lx{,n heard Urcrefor rnany yesrs, ls to be stagcd.

work od hard on Iha first uct of .. KOlLn~u,"

It wus his habit ill thoso duys to w(,d<through the ni~ht ilnd l;loer dllr:nl.: Ihe dlL\',Ht' IJSClU to tell me thut he SlIlokt'd incw',11Ilntly U8 ho workt'd, thut u botllu of r"dWillt1 WIIS neYlJr Ollt of Touch, und lhul Ill'

'~"'II.'llIllt'- \\',,111<1 1".1\'" 111- \\('11.. I1I llwIlIlddl" /If till' Illdlt ulld _1.',.1 '1111 I.. , li ..11111

III """'" ('Ill',. 111111,' WIll, 1.1.- 1',"/11"1 III"/ld<,'1'111' /lllhll' t"r AI,t If, \I'II~ tilll,IJI'd I,y 1111'

I"lll "I' IH!Jli, Hlld III tilt' :'\"\1' Yl'llr l)tdllltl,fa.('1f l"d I" 'I,t 11 rll III 1-'1"11.111 fllr 11 rl.\\,

1110/11 h" I" IlIlt hh orllllg"·gl"\'" I1I (ll'd"I',

hl'IlI.\', hU\'III1.: 1"'IIII'II1."d tll" IIII/,('tl("11II1IlI.,t! III'''r till' 11I"t lI('t III lilt' ('IIII1/llISI'r

\111/1 \\'1'"1,, I Ill' gltlllt"r I'llrl "I 11", /1111,,1(' f"rIt "" 111111 ""I'lInt! vi .. l! I., 1-'11,I',dll,

~lls,; HIISI'I1, ill DdilJ::i',.. 111"'('111"', nud11IIkllllwn lu him, hud IIt'r"lludl,d her1'llIlhl'r tu Illl,y 111,1' lilt' pr"I"'rl,\' lit (;1'01..

~IIII \lllS IIIJW Ilblllll,'d 1111'/1:, 11111 hild hudlitll" Ill' IIIl IIl'W" "f J),d/ll~, I JII\\<'\'.'I', tlln

.Ill.\' Ilfl,'r Ill' I'tl!LHIII'd 11; l'''I'h fr"lll Flllllu,1,~11l! It'l'I'lv,'d U I'/I~l('lll'd 1I111IUllll"II'1.: Ilis Ill'

1"'IlI"I) "I' ('lIlll1l1g d"\\'1I f('l 11i<' 1\'I'I'k-I~f1d,

1-'1'''" 111.11 \\I'"k-"lld (;n'/. 1"'('.1/111' hh 11"1111',

,,".1 It 1\'" IWH' 1I1111 .. K(1I1ll~" " \\'11; (:11111'

,01""'01 tl/ld ,.11 Ilh fjll",l flllhl(' (,,,t,/'.·i\'p.c!.1)"1111'; 11.1 I ""t l'h III,urt I,". a lir"l J"'r­

1'''1111;/''''1' (,I'lli<' "I,,'rll I1I L(JIld"il, IlIlt ullt'rl't'II(',III'" .,11,,1'1, I., Jlltt-l't'sl /,1'/1/,1., III tt-I"I'"d'H'tloll h"l'll Ill' rplllrfll'd 1'(Jfl'C 10FllJll('U dhlll.'IlI'lU/led unJ ul~l:oflrug('d. Till'

COlllfHlSI'r IUlll to wuit liO\'Cn ycurs bcfo~o.. KlJllflgu .. \l'U,; C\'t'lItuully pcrfurnll'd IIIGt·rfllllll.v, ,d LII11' I'fl'1d, 11. I!IU-l.. .

Tu judge 11)' tho IlIlIlll)l'l' of Illl::itu~I''';. IIIthu i1l1lugl'uph. S(;I,rt,--, wnlll/.: /lOll'S, /lll:;::illl,lt1I'I'ld"I.tllh, IlIh""It-,Jlallllll:-' III 11,.. d~'IUlllllt:

IlIlIrkillgs, ull uf whit'la had l'l','ll fllllhfulh'caplt.d illlu Iho ul'I'hc"trul Jlill't... /I,lId notC(Jlll'l'II'U ut tilL' rclll'llr"ul,; '''lh"sl' 1',lbl:rfl'ldpl'rfurJlIl.llll·U", IIl1ht 11I1\'u bL'\\lI I'wlI)' lmd.But Ddill", 1I11'xl",nL'IICOU und, 1 Ullllnr­slUlld, put/Wli(,.d \' 1\l'llJlu::i.s ut reht'llr:ml.i,

\\'1\11 I~tll ul'I\IJI'III'd )1:.' ttlll gl'llt'l'lll 1'11",'1, )11'(1.

UUl,(,d hy hit; IIIUliic ulld too thrillt'r\ b\'.' tlll.l

37

WUllllBl'ful e~;pl~ricncu of Ilt. lu.•;th~lir!IJ~~I~U/I tllO vn·lll:::ilru to bOlher Uuollt dl""II,;.

~ * * *Udllh hl,III·\' ..d thut (hl:l ('/lIIIJlI""I', UlI

1..:.;-; 1111111 dill /,I.wt, IlIls :-,o/lll'lhillJ.: to :ill,)'

1I1""1t 111'1', Fur hiw /llllsi" \\'IIS un 11111 burstof IIw ,~IIIII. HI' 1'l:l.:lIl'dl:d lilt- 11., 11 1l'1IJ.,:I'd.vI/ludt\ liv.t1lle lly tlltJ~c I'III'I.~ IIIlJllll'lIh uttiUpl't./Il0 happilless wlliell <:01110 ami gu,lIuvcr lilOi'll t(l Toturn, AI' lltU thnll~lll uftlw .. 1l0\'l'r-'lIl1co HJIluriio'wlluld' wc!lllp

within him, ullcl li Cew,,:onls... llut lily rnat(J"no Il'qn"05il~qllpr()iWjitl

JlW, , , \\'0 two ',logOthcr, ;nu'~lllllrc,(noII10ro ti-

t< fl,\\' wlIrd" l)li(.Jt us tlw,"'(';- alld ofL'("'1 \'(~ryIIlldislillgui"III'd words, 'wllllloI .11"11\\' ·:frc·'"1LIIII IIIIJ~1l' III sllt'h jllll'I\.iI' k ..lill~ us:t,,-,\wilia 1111,.. 1 IlItllI''' I'll 1,1.. ,

111 "SI',I·drif,," III "Slll'~" Ill' SUII,;,'i,"

.. Till' \'illag,' H'1I11l'1I ,llId .Ilalll'I," .. \',1'11.

UI'II," .. :-i"II~., "I' 1",111'\\ ,,11" 11 I" alwuy-"th" "i.Illl1·---tlllll S'"11t' IIII1J..:llIg fllr Ih,' per·P('lllutillll Ill' 1IIIIIIh"d,I" 1.11,-, 1I 1I1ll1\('rc,111111 \\111'1111'1' II \\',1 .. 1111 Opt'rll, 11 ."IIII~,·111I

11""'11' ... 11111 "" '1 ..1,",,111 \I'ol'k; it \I'll'; IIlwu\,sIIHJI SllIlI ... 11I11J..:llIg IIl11l IVIIS IIPllI'rtllOst 'ill

ltilll, IIhJllflllg Itl" lilll,sl (~JIIL'I·ptil.lIlS.

\Vas it K COilll'idl'lll'U lhllt DI·lills's 1110:01\1'11l'1'I"IIl~d I '<Js>-I' .."i"ll was (~lI\J;':llill'S .. NI'\'cr~l11rti," wltil'h IIU h'Jllght dil'lH't frolll thl!painler '! D(·lJlIs WdS ollly "'llt'l'I'stl'd IIItho hl"l'\' "I' K"i1lll.:lI /11111 PJlllIl\'ril ill MI faras 1\10' .. nt'\,pr-III(1n;" wu~' ('olll'l'rlH'd;

1It'III'Il tll" "ollll'll~l(l IUl:k of <lrullllllil' IIdiml,tilt! uhslIrd silllalitlll~, IIl1d till: 1,lIlJt'I\l~';:i ofllis IlIllsj".d rhdl'lll'II'l'i'all'<II-,

" dl'lHd Ill' t\l'lI <I1l'''11 Ill., ill""I'I'I/I'i1li"lluf 11111,,11' 01 ,'/l .. licl' d.d., 111111' illtl'n'~1 lh,~

1'(lllIl'lISf'I"" "dlllll"''''', Till' ,LIIII'" 11111>011: HItill' ";1'('111/11 III'! \\·ll.~ 1"'1'1"'\1'1'.1 fnllll HIl

"r"IIl'''II',1I ,"1111., ("tll,',l " FI"I'III",', \\'1'1\1('11

ill IHH!I, Tilt, 1/I'II.:II1:d 1I1'('IH· ... I,.:lII"" h,' ,.u·111I1ll'd Ihl'1I1Iglltllll, 111111 lit, IIdd,'d ""i"I' 1'111'1:1I'll" l'allllYl'i1 lllld 111l' ,'hlll'll" ttl -lli, Ilu' jollysit IIlltil,t!. 'I'll,. "IIII,.t /IIPllld,' '" .'\1'\ I It.D.. lill-l Illlrrto\\'l'd £1'11111 li, dis('lIl'cl,':l tlp('r:t,.. '1'111' :\111>-:11' FUllllt,llll,"

Daily Telegraph, 19 October 1935, p.6, (below) Daily Herald, 20 September.

DELIUS'LIFE-LONGWISHFULFILLED

"rUt:N tht' opera .. KoallJ:'a" Isprollue'cd next :\Ionday at

Con'nt (~ard('n-tht' f1rsl.lJTftodudionIn this cCluntry-onc of Oellus' lon~­

cherhhed ambitions will hH'f' cometo pa:'oos.

The opera W:I:, ill.<,pl!'cd by IIH' df'ad

compo:,>('!":i earlier days as an orangeplanter ill Florida, but until nowtechnlral dimcultil's .-- Inelucllngthat of f1nJlnl( a ~IIH~"r with morethan the ordinary range of voice totake the part of Koanga-- have pre­vented Its appearance here.

Dd I 1I.'i of tell urlc:lIl ~lr Thoml\slBN'rhant /0 ,"'''~{f' It.' alld !lIlW hi' IS todo so WII h John Urowllkp, 01 Ihp ParlMGrand Oplra, as KO:lIlr::l, MaclameHlnhod',kH.\i1 will. pL ...' tIll' hl'l'ollll:,Palmyra.

NI'\\,' sCf,.il'r\' alld ('O'lllllll s hal'e beend(..~I~III'd hI' N/I'ol"s df' 1\1oJ;l.s

On WpdlH'sdav HI)~..silll·S "11 BarhlPrcdl SI\'i>:lla" will he glI'PI}. IInd subsc­qUI ntly .. Der Frt'h~'hlllz "-the Jlrst ,;ro­ductlon at COYI'llt (janJrn sinrc 1907,On &plRmbcr 30 .. Un Dallo In M 113­chets," which has not bft'n heard Ulerctor many years, Is to be staged.

38

THE COVENT GARDEN PERFORMANCESThe Covent Garden performances took place on 23 rd and 27th September, and on3rd October. The opera was performed in an atmosphere of, for the time,startling informality, and this is mentioned by several commentators. It isclear that the audience largely consisted of those who wished to hear the musicand see the opera and not to be seen on the society circuit.

DELIUS'S : " KOANGA i' ,"R:!lX* ".,"ffif3;:*fl:..'l: ,,T:Jf#TO.NIGHT'S PERFORMANCE AT

COVENT GARDEN.Tho fortnlght'r qeason. of opers In

English ahd l tal ian at Coveht Oardcn wil lopen to-night *iih the first pcrformancein this country of Dclius's Koanga. .SirThomas Betcham will cbnduct, and thbprincipal parts will be. sung by Mr. JphtiBrownlce and Miss Oda'slobodskaya.

two ycars as en orange Dlahter. is raid tobe reflected in thir operal a work in whichthe negro element pliys an imporlant pBrt.The opera was composed duiing lE96-97,and in lE99 a part of its music *at gi.venat a coniert in the old St. James'c Hall.After the.Delius festival of 1929 the coln-porer urged Slr Thomas Beecham to takethe opera in hand with a view lo its Jrcr-formance ln Lohdon.

The Times, 23 September 1935

a

PROBLIXII OF DTTIUSOPERA BROADCAST

8!l.ytilti ls-0t,tf lv(lltK TillTf t/ts NltT nDl;N ff DAu)

lN l;N0t,,tND ltfirOlilt

TllE B.B.C.'r ATTITUDE

From Our Wirelcrr CorrcrpoodcnlAn opera l l ra t rvns tv r i t len i r r

l [06 by f ' reder ick Del ius , br r I hasne\ rer beerr per formed in t l r istcoun l ry , l s to h epror l r rcer l n t ( love l r l,Gat< le r r t r> r r igh t u l rder S l r ' l ' hor r rns

p e e c l r a r r r ' s d l r e c l l r t n . a n d r v l l l h eb r o a d c n s t l r r l t s e n t l l e l y .

1 'h is l f ! t , years -o ld opern l r "Koan3a. "- A t t h e e g e o f 2 0 D e l l u s r o n 6 w a yf ro r r r a r r re rcar r t i le coreer lo F lo r lda .w l re re he becanre ar r o ra t rge p lan ter ,

" Koarrga " lu l l t In thtta rur.rourrdln3l, arrd lr e t tolt ol lhcorangc plelr lal lons, ol nclro t l lvca,r r rd o l I r lavc-dr lv r r who wa l l la l r tby t l rc nc l ro Korn f e , rcpu l rd to bc al rc ; ro p r lnoc and Yoodoo pr lc r t ,A t r r igh t De l i r rs u red lo r i t o r r t l r c

[ .a lcony o l l r l s l ro t rse lh le t r ing lo thene[ rc rcs s i r r ,a i r rg l Ie o l ten a l te rwards

r e l e r r r x l w i t l r n d r n i r a t l o n l o t l r e i r g i f tt o r i r r r p r o l r p l r r l r a r r n o n l s a t l o t t .

" I (oar rga " was l l r s t per lo rnred a tE lber le ld l r r I l r t l f .

A Doubllul PolntT l r i s opern rv i l l occ t tpy l r ros t o f t l re

.Net io r ro l p rogrnml t le th l ' l eve l th rg . Nodot r t - ' t t l rd I l .R ( ; . wor r ld J r rs t l l y t l r l s.cornr r r l tn re t r t l r y the nr t l s t l c lmpor ta t teeI t t l re occas iou ar rd by the fac t t l ta t afugr ie r l n l te r l ra t i ve ; r rbgramtne o f l ig l r t' t € a t r r r e s

i s a v a i l a b l e o r r R e g l b r r e l , b t t tt r rhe ther l l re b roedcas t lng o f a t t e t t t l re' i l pera

s r rch ss t l r l s le Jus t l f led by t l renumher o l 3 reop le who can fo l low l t onthe rad io l s a dor tb t l t t l Do l t t t .

To r la r l w l l l r , o r r l y r vc ry tcw ox .pr r | r w l l l know l l rc opora In ad .y lnoG, and l t l r vory d l f l l c r r l t lo fo l -low l lrc aol lorr ol an opcra ovcr thcradio rrrr losr orrc know! thc r lory orlhcrc lr a rurrrr l fr ! oommcnlary.Ser :o r rd ly , t l re re l s a b lg cas t o f l5

pr lnc lpa ls , te r r a re wotnen, w l tose vo lcesi r r o ; re rn a l c never eosy to ldent l f yo v e r t h e r n d l < r ,

Carue l Trer lmcn ll f the B. I l ( j . wcre to onrp loy I con l -

n ren ln lb r lo te l l l l s teners w l ra t l s l reo-pen lng on t l re s tag3e these hnnd lcaps loopera l l s ten lng n t lg l r t be overcome.

1 ' l re B .B ( i . ' s har rd l lng o f opera lnl l re p rograr runes cb l r t lnuer to b i easua l .I rowever . I have been t ry lng to d ls -cover w l rn t p lo r rs a re ln hnnd fo r operabroadcas t lng dr r l iog the w ln te r . andwhe l l rc l o t ry de ter rn lned e f lo r l , l r to benrade to so lve the n teny prob lenr ! con-uec le t l rv l lh t l r l s s lde o l b roadces t ln r .l l r t rny l r r rp r l r ies have had a d lsoppo in{ -l l r g r e s u l t .

No r r r re a t Broedcas t lng Hor r re reemElo have. thor rgh t o f lack l lng the prob .t ^ ^ r e , , t . l t ) u S l y .

Evening News,23 September 1935

o

38

THECOVENTGARDENPERFORMANCES

o

The Times, 23 September 1935

•

.The fortnight's ~ason. of opera InEnglish ahd Italian at Coveht Garden willopen to-ninht with the first performancein this country of Delius's Koanga. . SirThomas Beecham will conduct. and theprin.cipal parU will be, sung by Mr. J~hriBrownlee and Miss Oda ·Slobodsbya.

TheCovent Garden performances took place on23rd and 27th September, and on3rd October. The opera was performed in an atmosphere of, for the time,startling informality, and this is mentioned by several commentators. It isclear that the audience largely consisted of those who wished to hear the musicand see the opera and not to be seen on the society circuit.

DELIUS'S :.. KOANGA~' Delius's experien~e of the tropicalluxuriance of Florida, where he lived' fortwo years as an orange plahter. is said to

TO NIGHT'S P ANCE AT be reflected in thi~ opera, a work in which- ERFORM the negro element plays an important part.

COVENT GARDEN The opera was composed during 1896-97.and in 1899 a part of its music was givenat a concert in the old St. James's Hall.After Ihe.Delius festival of 1929 the com·poser urged Sir Thomas Beecham to takethe opera in hand with a view to its per­formance in Lohdon.

PROBLEM OF DELtUSOPERA BROADCAST

39·Y.;AUS·ULH WUIIK TIIATHAS NOT n.;.;N .n;AIU)

IN ~NG~AND DEFOUR

TilE B.8.C:. ATTITUDE

from Ollr Wireleu (ouuroadent.An opcra Ihat was writlf'n III

le96 by F'rcuerick DcJius, but hasnever 1>('('11 performed in this;COUIlIt y. Is to h rpro,tllced at COVCIlI

:(;111"('11 tl}night under Sir Thmlllls~eedHlln's dltf'ct!on, and will het>roadcAst III Its f'ntltety.

This :I!I-yenrs-old opel n Is "Koan,a."At thf' age of 20 Uellus ran away

tmlll a rncrc-:lIltile career 10 Florida.where he became an oralllc planter.

or Konn,a" h, eet 'n th... tur·roundln'II, and '1 a Itory of theoranr' plantations. of "e,ro .Iaves.and of a 1I1ave·drlver who wal Ilah.by the nelro Koanl., reputed to b. anelro prince and Voodoo priest.At night D{'lius ulled 10 lIit on the

L'a!cony of hi!! house 1I81ening to then(,~locs I'illKillll He oUen afterwards

refcrr£'(1 wilh Admiration 10 their giftfor iJlll1l0lJlplll hllrJllonlsalloll.

" KOllnga" wns IIlst performed atEIIJerfeld ill I!H'1.

A Doubtful PointThis OpPl'Il will occupy 1I10St of the

.Natiollol pro~r.. mll1e thill evening. Nodoubt lhe B.A.C. would justify thisCOlllmltment hy the artistic Importance,f the occasion and by the fael that nvpricll olterplI ti vc fJrb,ramme of lightIteatmes is avallnb e on Regional. butwhether the bloadcastlng (If an entire'opera slIch as this Is jusUned by thenumher IIf Ileople who can follow It onthe raffio Is a doubtfut point.

To etart wltll. onl, a Vlr~ f.w u·perte will know the opera In ad­valllle. and It Is ver, dlmclIU to fol­low the actlolI of an opera over theradio unlesll olle knowll the IItor, orthere Is a rUllllln, commentary.Secondly thf're Is a big cast of 15

prlnclplllll. tell are women, whose voices111 oprro 1lIl:' lIever easy to identiryliver the radio.

(uuel TreatmentIf the O.BC. were to employ. com­

mentntor to tell listeners what Is hap­pening on the stnge the!'le handicaps toopera tlstening might be overcome.

The B.B.C.'s h!,IlCUln, of opera inthe progral1lmf>S continues to be casual,however. I have been tryln, to dis­cover whot plans 8re In hand lor operabroadcasting dmibl the winter, findwhethel' OilY determined elTort Is to bemade to solve the many problems con­nected wllh tllill side of broadcllstlnf'hulmy hl/ll/hies have had a dlsoppoln ­In" result.

No one at BrondcRllllng HOllse seemsto have thollght of tnckllng the probe,~.. , ""dlll/!tlv.

Evening News, 23 September 1935

39

NOISE STOPSOPtrRA

Covent Gardenfncident

STAGE DIN

Machinery Out OfControl

Wire less l is teners \ \ 'e re s tar t led las tn ight to hear dur ing the th i rd aet o f theDel ius opera " Koanga," u 'h ich openedthe auturnn season at Covent Garden, avoice u'hich rapped out sharply, " stopta lk ing. "

The vo ice was that o f S i r ThomasBeeeham.

Si r Thomas was tak ing the LondonPhi lharmonie Orchest ra through e de l i -cate p ian iss imo passage rvh ich formedpar t o f the . ent r 'ac te rvhen the musicstopped short. '

There was some commotion in theorchest ra p i t , end a l l over the housepeople s tood up and eraned the i r heads tosee u 'hat rvas happening.

Si r Thomas was seen to put dorvn h lsbaton. walk qu lck ly f rom t the con-duc lor 's desk, and d isappear through thepass-door under t lre stage. After a fewmoments . he resumed h is seat and thein ter rupted orchest ra l in ter lude was re-sumed.

Af terx 'ards S l r Thomas to ld a repor ter :" Apparently there \r 'as some breakdownin the mechanism on the s tqge. I u 'asconducting a very soft piece cf musiervhen there was such a row frcm the stagethat I had to stop.

" I went cn the s tage to see what l t rvasal l about. I told them to stop-I r* 'on'tsay exact ly w 'hat I sa iC-and the no iseceased. I am not saying i t rvas anyone'sf au l t . "

(above) SirThomas Beecham, pencilportrait by Hilda Wiener; (left) Morn-ing Post,24 September 1935.

39

NOISE STOPSOPERA

Machinery Out OfControl

Co,rent GardenIncident

\Vireless listeners \"ere startled lastnight to hear during the third act of theDelius opera Cl Koanga," which openedthe autumn season at Covent Garden, avoice which rapped out sharply, .. stoptalking."

The voice was that of Sir ThomasBeecham.

Sir Thomas was taking the LondonPhilharmonic Orchestra through a deli­cate pianissimo passage which formedpart of the. entr'acte when the musicstopped short:·

There was some commotion in theorchestra pit, and all over the housepeople stood up and craned their heads tosee what was happening,

Sir Thomas was seen to put do\"'n hisbaton. walk quIckly from' the con­ductor's desk. and disappear through thepass-door under the stage. After a fewmoments, he resumed his seat and theinterrupted orchestral interlude was re­sumed,

Afterwards Sir Thomas told a reporter:.. Apparently there was some breakdownin the me~hanism on the stage. I wasconducting a VE'ry soft piece et musicwhen there was such a row irem the stagetha t I had to sto':).

.. 1 went en the stage to see what It wasall about. I told them to stop-I won'tsay exactly what I said-and the noi~e

ceased, I am not sayir.g it \Vas anyone'sfault,"

(above) Sir Thomas Beecham, pencilportrait by Hilda Wiener; (left) Mom­ing Post, 24 September 1935.

DINSTAGE

40

SIIT T. I}IIIIOIIAI{ IIIGIITMINUTITS TATII

Delius Spell at Covent GardenIly Ortr Soeial Editress

SCORE of men end wot t tenin day-c lo thes sat in the

s te l l s a t Coven t Ga rden l as t r r i gh twhen Si r Thomas Beochnmopened London 's seeond Jubi leeopera season with l)el ius'st 'Kdanga . "

One young man was wear ing g reY

f lannels nnd a sports Jaeket , ar td nnrrmber ' ol women were in trveedsu i t s .

Most of ths wcl l -known socletyf lgureg who aro soen nt Covent Gar 'dcn l l rat .n lghts wcre absenl , marry o lt l rem sl l l l or t hol lday. Thelr ; r lacosworc taken by rncn and wonterr wl to

fn HE a.nnouneement of a production of

I Delius's " Koanga " a,b Covent Gar-^ , den has no doubt reminded somo oftho storl 'of Bras-Coup6, as told in G. \ ,V.Ctr.ble's " The Grandissimas," and mavhave sent others afresh to that once-celebrated novel of old Louisiana. Thebook, rvhich rvas published in 1880, tellsof the haughty Creoles and depressednegroes of Nerv Orleans at the time of theLouisiana purchase ( 1803).

The tragedy of Bras-Coup6-the noblesavage who was in Africa a chieftain. inLouisiana a runaway slave-is an interludern Oable's romance. I t is related bv thel ivei5r-Raoul Innerari ty at a party, rt tn"Grandissimes', to amuie the young ladies ofthat proud slave-orvning clan.

" Bras-Coup6 "-French for l l ioko-Koango, or Arm Cub Off-was the namegiven the captive chieftain, since his tribe inlosing him had lost its risht arm. A eiantin strenglh, with moro than a l ion's 6our-age, ho refuses to work on the plantat ion.

THE STORY OF BRNS. COUPE

arc laml l lar f r ture! at tho Queen'sHall " protns."

The famous not lees {orbidding entr l 'dur ing the performance were not d is-played, and there was no need of l l rem.So g rea t was the en thus ias r r r o f t henudienee that ever.v menrber rvasse a ted . f l ve m inu tes be fo re the cu r ta inl vas d l rp to r i se .

S l r Thomas 's , en t rance - e lgh tmlnules latc-was grccted wl t t r etwo-minutcs gtorm of applause.

. Lady Cr r r ra rd . w i th a pa r t . v r t l r i c l rIneluded Lady Br i 'dget Parsons arrd theDuchess o f Ru t land . was in the rova lbox , and Mr . R iehard Tar rbe r . i l t efamous tenor. at terrded wi th h is f ianc6eMiss D iana Nap ie r

but he falls in love with a quadroon cirland she is given him in ma.rioge b3r

-iris

orvner, *'ho hopes thereby to tame him. Atthe wedding feast he gets drunk, strikeslrrs master and escapes to the svrarnps.

Venturing into Lhe cit5' to take part ina negro r,rrgy, Ire is caught by the poi ice andsullers the penalt ies prescribed b5' theFrench cocle for mnarvav 5layss-his 6.ar '5are cut off , he is harnstning, and is f loggedto death. But before expir inq he has one.satisfact ion-his maledict lons on his masterhave had their effect, and the creole grandeehas died before the slave. The savaqe's endis noble, for his last gesture is to l i f t thevoodoo curse from the new-born child of hisoppressors.

Delius's opera was composed in 1895-7,and was firsu produced at Elberfeld in 1904.with Clarence Whitehill in the oart of Bras-Coup6. Tho rvork, never befoie published,has

-just been issued bv Winthr6p Rosers

(Boosey and llawkes) in view of the CoientGarden production.

o

o

Daily Mail,24 September 1935

40

SIlt T. nEJ~ClIA~1 EIG-IIT~fINU'l"ES LArl'E

•

Delius Spell at Covent GardenIJy 0",. Social Edilress

A SCORE of men and womf'nin day-clothes sat in the

stalls at Covent Garden lal'1t niRh t,

when Sir Thomu Bc£'chamopened London's second Jubil£'eopera season with Delius's.. Koanga."

One young man was wearin~ J:(reyflannels and II sport.!! jacket, :\Ild nnumber of women were in tweedsuIts.

MO!lt of the well-known societyflgure5 who are !leen at. Covent Gar­den ftrst·nlghb were absent, many ofthem stili on holiday. Their ,)Iaceswere taken by men and women who

are familiar figures at the Queen'sHall If proms."The famous' notices forbidding ('nlr)'

rluring the 'pf'rforman<:e were not di~­

played, and there was no n~d of them.So Rreat was the enthwda1'1l1 of Iheaudience that every memher w~s

Hated five minutes before the curt:linwas dil!" to rise.

Sir Thomas's· entrance - f'1~ht

minutes late-was greeted with Ittwo-minutes !ltorm of applause.

• Lady Cunard, with a parly whichdncluded Lady Btrdget Parson1' and theDuchess of Rutland, was in the Toy"lbox, and Mr. Richard Tallber, thefamous tenor, atlended with his fiancee,Miss Diana Napier

THE STORY OF BRAS- COUPE

'1"1 HE announcement of a production of1.- Delius's "Koanga" at Covent Gar-

. den has no doubt reminded some ofthe story of Bras-Coupe, as told in G. vV.Cable's "The Grandissimes," and mayhave sent others afresh to that once­celebrated novel of old Louisin.na. Thebook, which was published in 1880, tellsof the haughty Creoles and depressednegroes of New Orleans at the time of theLouisiana purchase (1803).

The tragedy of Bras-Coupe-the noblesavage who was in Africa a chieftain, inLouisiana a runaway slave-is an int€rludem Cable's romance, It is related by thelively Raoul Innerarity at a party, at theGrandissimes', to amuse the young ladies ofthat proud slave-owning clan.

" Bras-Coupe "-French for l\lioko-Koangn, or Arm Cut Off-was the namegiven the captive chieftain, since his tribe inlosing him had lost its right arm. A giantin strength, with more than a lion's cour­age, he refuses to work on the plantation,

but he falls ill love with a quadroon girland she is given him in marriage by hisowner, who hopes thereby to tame him. Atthe weddinl; feast he gets drunk, strikesIJis master and escapes to the swamps.

Venturing into the city to take part ina negro orgy, he i;; caught by the police and,;ufIers the penalties prescribed by theFrench code for runawav slaves-his ear;;are cut off, he is harnstning, and is floggedto death. But before expirin~ he has onesatisfaction-his maledictions on his masterhave had their effect, and the creole grandeehas died before the slave. The savage's endis noble, for his last gesture is to -lift thevoodoo curse from the new-born child of hisoppressors.

Delius's opera was composed in 1895-7,and was first produC€d at Elberfeld in 1904,with Clarence Whitehill in the part of Bras­Coupe. The work, never before published,has just been issued by Winthrop Rogers(Boosey and Hawkes) in view of the CoventGarden production.

Daily Mail, 24 September 1935

COVENT GARDEN

.. KOANGA ' '

Bv FREDERICK DELIUSXorn6, . ,o | l t B lowHtf lDon JorC Mrr t l t rz . , . . . . Lrv ! . rHo wrrr r tS f m o n P c r t t . . . . . . . . I t ^ N ( S ^ L rl r n l r t n . . . . R t o l x e t n T r t u t u r x r oU r c l c J c , . , . . . . . L r r l t r : l l o r r x r xPr lmyrr . . . . . , .Ooi r St . f t t r ro t r , v lC l o t h i l d r . , . . . . C o x r r r t ( r W l t . t . r tR c r * e , . . . . . E x t o J e u r , ll l c t t r c , , . , , , , D t t J a l t l t A v r r t N Ut c a n n c . . , . 0 r l l r r e L r r rM r r r c . , , . P A f r t ( t r ( i l t t r rA u r o c . , . . . . D o r o r r t v D o N A L r ! { r NHortcnr. . PAULTN? Cr^YOt lva . . . VaNwY Davt t !P l u l c t t ! . , . . . . 8 ! r r W r . .

Coductot-Srr T||or.at lrtorrr.

Del iur 's ear ly o l rcr a Koottga, g iven

for lhe f i rs t t ime in England* openedlhC ahort 11Utumn sea3cn at ( l r iventCarden las t n igh t , and was war tn i y t s -ceivcd by nn audience whose appclite fori t had been whetted by the qhort

orchestra l excerpls whictr Sir ThornasBeecham hac made fami l iar . No doubtalso lhe audience rvar prerrared to fincllhat . ar in thc more n ' rature and bel lerknown opcra A Villuge Rortrea and Juliet.the composer 's at t i tude lowards l r is sub-iect is not lhat o[ d i rect narral ion,De l ius wer no t anx ious to te l l r l a ie rnnrusic bt t t to ponder lhose elenrentqin the ta le which had appcr le<l to h isimaginat ion, ln Koanga he emphasizedthis, or h is l ibret t is t d id so for h im, bythrowing the whole acl ion into obl iquennr ra l i on . l t i s the ta le to ld by the o ldnegro, Uncle Jm, to the c ight yot f ng larJ ies.p lan te rs 'daugh te rs *ho c lus te r round h imin the prologue i ln( l beg him for i t .

- l ' l tc

ep i l ogue seems lo h in t l ha t t l r ey have a l lfa l len asleep over i t . perhaps dreamed i t ;at any rate. i t is not the v io lence of b loodsncr i l ices which has held lhem spel lbound,but the pi t i fu lness of tove nnd death rndprrr t ing of which lhey s ing ar the lastlableru fades out .

The cornposer viervs it :rl l :rs if in adream. rnd conscquenl ly lhe obviot tslhea t r i cn l s i t un t ions a re g i ven l i t t l e p ron t i -nence, and the nrost entrancing musicalrn( f rncnf S occur in err l r 'u t ' l rs when lhe

4 1

cr t r l n in i 3 d6 rvn . r l r r v l t c t t t l t e s l : t ge i se rnp tv o r so da rk l ha t i t i s i r r l poss ib le tosee wha t i s happen ing . A t the o t r l se t thes i t u a t i o n , l i f e o n : t s o u l f t e r n p l a n t a t i o nin the e igh teen th cen t t l r y . mus t bedescr ibed. und Del i t rs rdopts the con'ven t ions o I roman t i c upero . a i r s cho r t t ses:rnd vocal en.remhlr . r , to help h int to do i t ,h r r t t hough h i s l echn ica l mas le tv o f s t r chth ings rvas cons ide rab le , and sna tches o fs lave melot ly suggest the l t lcal colour, thewhole moves wi lh sonre st i f fness, and theaclors seem in sorne uncerta in ly to knowwhat exact ly they are intenr led to repre-sent . The capt ive chief tn in Koanga isthrown vlolentfy in lo their midi t , Hir lovofor Palmyra, the half-caste. is the chiefnrol ive of the drrm:r . but h is d iscoveryo f h i r f ove goes fo r l i t t l e i n the m ids t o fan elaborale en.remble number. Mr.B rown l ie made much o f h i s song o frevo l t aga ins t h i s s l : r ve rv and Mme.Slobadskaya s i rng f inely throughout. butin the f i na l scene had a hn rd task to makeher dea th song r i se fo the c l imax tha tthe composer sccms lo intend.

When ever lhe colnposcr ct r t t ld escapefrom thc fact t lo thc inrpl icat ionr behindthe facts h is music:r l genius asscrted i t ,sel f most st rongly. So perhnps the twonrost impressive scenes l re those in whichat the end of the second act Koanga halmade his cscape to lhe forest and cal ls onhis gods in h is sorrow. and that of thefollowiirg act, in rvhich " voices heardafar " in i t ia te the r i tes of Voodoo wor-ship. In r t rch th ings characters. act ions.and local colour ret i re into the back-ground, and the composer can give freereio to h i r imaginat ion.

A highly credirahle performance,marred only by onc hi tch of some sortin the changing of n scene which causedSir Thomas Beecham to leave the con-ductor'! desk to go and see what washappening, mnde an auspic ious opening fothe season. Del i r rs is st i l l one of thccompo3er3 of t l re lnst generat ion whosemind remains incompletely ex.plored, andan ear ly work such as th is composedbefore his musical id iom had fu l ly de-c lared i tsel f n<t<ls something essent iat toour knowledgc of h is orr t look qui te apartf rom the many momenls of great beautywhich the score contains.

The Times,24 September 1935

COVENT GARDEN

"KOANGA"By FREDERICK DElIUS

JC OIIn,. ..................•..•..•. Jom. IlItnw,.,u.Don JM6 Martlna •••.•.••.•..•. L"~I.ANO WHInSlmon rete.!........................ I.ANIl; S"'l!It.n....n •••••.•••.•.•....... RfOlNAlI' TltvlttJoooUncle Joe L"lI[ 110111"'.0.'"P.lmyr••.••••••••••••••••.••... 000\ ~'.nllOn'''.. .,.''Clolhllda •••••••.•.•••.•••.•.•• Co""t'Nt It WllU'Reno!e........................ ... .. E... ID JAM...IIcttnc [IIJAIUtl " .. , uJC'lnM .•••••••••••.•••............ nA"IA'-" L"N.Maroe •...••••••••••••••••........ P"''''II. Ou,.yAurore •••••••••••••••••••••• DOIOIIIY DON... lFlSONHOrlenae P UlINP. G yOlive v ., n vlf.SP:luletle .•••....•..........•...•...... E.!.... WI..

COIlCIuC:loc-S.a Tllo"'...' SUClIA...

Delius's early opela KOOllga. givenfor the first time in England, openedthe short autumn !ieason at i'oventGarden last night, and wa'i warmiy 10:­

ceived by Rn audience who~e appetite forit had been whelled by the r,hortorche~tral excerpts which Sir TliOfni\'iBeecham has made familiar. No dountalso the audience wu prepared to lindthat. a~ in the more mature and beliefknown opera A Villtlge Romeo a"d Jllli~t.

the composer's attitude toward~ his t;ub­ject is not that of direct nur2tion,Delius was not an~ious to tell :1 taie mmusic bllt to ponder thoc;e element't;in the tale which had appealed to hi~imagination. In KoolIga he emphasizedthi~, or his librettist did <;0 for him, bythrowin, the whole action into obliquenarration. It i~ the tale told by the oldnegro, Uncle Joe, to the eight young ladie~,

planters' daughters \\ho c1l1"ter round himin the prologue and heg him for it. Theepilogue ..cem!'l to hint that they have nilfallen a~leep over it. perhapc; dreamed it;at :tny rate. it ic; not the violence of bloodsacrifice! which ha~ held them ~pellbountl,

but the pitifutness of love and death andparting of which they sing as the lasttableau f:tdet; out.

The compoc;er viewt; it all :1, if in adream. and conc;cquently the obvioustheatrical situations are given lillle promi­nence, and the moc;t entrancing musicalmument, occur in ('"t'ocl('.<: when the

41

curtain i, uown, or when the ~I:,ge i"empty or so dark that it is il11possible tosee what ic; happening. At the outset thesituation, life on :l. southern plantationin the eighteenth century. must heuec;cribed. and Deliuc; :luoptc; the con·ventiont; of romantic opera. air" chorllc;e,and vOCalf1lJt'IIIMl',f. to help him to do it,hut though hic; tcchnkal master y of "lIchthing'! wac; considerable. and snatche'! ofslave melody suggest the local colour, thewhole moves with some stiffnet;s, and theacton seem in some uncertainty to knowwhat exactly they are intended to repre­sent. The C:lptive chieft:lin Koanga i!thrown violently Inlo their mid~t. Hi~ lovefor Palmyra, the half-caste, is the chiefmotive of the drama. nut hi, discoveryof hi' love goe5 for litlle in the midst ofan elaborate ~nu",hle number. Mr.Brownlie made much of hi, song ofrevolt agajnst hi'! '>Iavery and Mme.Slobadskaya sang finely throughout. butin the final scene had a hard task. to makeher death song rise to the climax thatthe composer seem'! 10 inlend.

When ever the COlllpoc;cr clHlld escapefrom the facts to the implications behindthe fact!! hi!l\ musical geniu!l\ :lSserted it..!IIelf mo,t strongl}'. So perhaps the twomOlit imprest;ive c;cenes are those in whichat the end of the second act Koanga hasmade his escape to the forest and calls onhis gods in his sorrow. and that of thefollowing act, in which .. voice" heardafar" initiate the rites of Voodoo wor­ship. In !lfth things characlen. actions.and local colour relire inlo Ihe back­ground, and the composer can give freerein to his imagination.

A highly credilahle' performance,marred only by one hitch of some sortin the changing of a scene which causedSir Thomas Beecham to leave the con­ductor', desk to go and see what washappening, made an auspicious opening tothe sea!on. Deliuc; i'! o;till one of thecomposers of the last generation whot;emind remains incompletely ex.plored, andan early work c;lIch a'l this composedbefore his mm;ical idiQm had fully de­clared itself adds something essential toour knowledge of his outlook quite apartfrom the many moments of great beautywhich the score conlninc;.

The Times, 24 September 1935

42

To-n ig l r t a la i r bu t , no t c rowde( laudience attencled Covent Garden for thebeg inn ing o f the season o f the Londonand Prov inc ia l Opera Soc ie ty , L td . (agood Enr l i sh name) . The eompany w i l lv is i t l tanches ter towards the end o f nex tnron th .

Wi th the bcs t w i l l in the rvor | I , i t i sl ra rd to rv r i te en t lms ias t ica l l y o I" Koanga, " wh ich was proc lnced as osend-o f f to th is la tes t adventure inl l r i t i sh opera . Frank ly , t l re eonrpany 'sprospec ts in t l re count rv w i l l bc i rn -proved i f the work i s w i thdrawn f ro r r rt l re scheme ; i t i s s i rnp l .y no t an opern .N o d o u b t , S i r ' I ' l r o n r a s l l e e c l r u n c o u l , la r r { rnge e l r re t ty o rc l res t rn l su i te f ronrt l re score . De l ius a t h is bes I cven wasa re f lec t i ve , no t a d ramat ie . wr i te r . T l rchapp ies t rnoments in " Koanga " a re thcpro logue and thc ep i logue, in wh ichDel ius i s d reaming or b roo t l ing over l t i st l tenre- reco l lec t ing the erno t ion o f i t int ranqu i l l i t y , no t t ry ing dynaru ica l l y toexpress i t . I I i s gen ius ran essent ia l l yto the ref lect ive miniature; he cannotcover a large operatic canvas. He doesnot unders tand the techn ique o f thctheatre*at least, he did not understandi t when he wro te " Koanga. " Wl la twould Vert l i have t lrought of t l red i le t tan te n 'ho nrakes h is l re ro a r rdhero ine s ing an i rnpor tan t dueI w i tht lrree other characters standing on thestage utterly useless and superf luous ?Wl ra t wou ld a r ry exper iencet l corn l rosero f opera th ink o f thc r rov ice w l ro wr i l ,esan en t r 'ac te -and t l ren a f te r a pause, w i tht l re theat re in darkness , embarks on alongish orchestral introdrrct ion to an act?

" I (oanga " i s no t d rnmat ic ; the mus ichas l i t t lo re la t ion to the ac t ion on thestage; the vocal writ ing is nrerely con-ventional, and the score is poor l)el iusas o rvhole, even i f we meke al lowancesar rd l i s tcn to i r , r ro t as cpera cornpos i t ionbut s i r r rp ly &s nr r rs ic . The De l iusIo rnru la i s exp lo i ted w i thout theinsp i ra t ion o f the t rue De l ius .

It is not possible lor a nrusicien to sitdown af wi l l and produce an opera. Theturge and the anrbit ion are not enoush-tha t i s the mis take o f the anra teu . .

-Th .

great, opera cornposers l ived in thetheatre, vorked hard in i t , anrlarr iverl et mastery over a di{I icultconvention only after long experi-ence. " Koanga " is as stat ic asthe o ld - fash ioned canta ta ; the mus ic

Delius's " I(oanga',

meanderg-and of opera we must alwavssay, with the old lady in Dickens, . . Letus lrave to meandering." When Koangadies, Wagner is cal led upon, but apaitfrom this external device the musicremains in colour, texture, and generalstyle the sanre pale, wandering thing i thas been al l the evening. The heroinestabs herself , but the music fai ls tosound a note of tragedy.

It is, as I say, poor Delius, save for theIovely closing scener the action ls overand done with now, Dcl ius glances backon the pathos of j t al l , and at last rvehear the authentic note, incomparablysad and haunt ing . De l ius uses echoes o fnegro ntelodies .sensit ively in the pro-logue and the epi logue; cturing the operaitgelf his resources are l imited-a sweeD-i. tg f igure in the str ings, echocs inthe woor lw ind , a was l r o f l ra rnror ry ,and t l t r r t r the cxpec ted car loncr t ,u s u a l l y f r o m l h e h o r n .

- T l r e r e i s l i t t l c o i

no body in the score. , l ,he orchestra isa lways repeat ing i t se l f . There is nogrowing and plast ic tcxture. The operais s igned by an ar r ra teur o f ta len l inevery bar . A l l th js i s wr i t ten regre t fu l l yby a lover of Delius, regretful ly lndeecl.

. The perlormance was only adequate,in spite of f ine orchestral tr l l t r ,yirrg rrnrlerSir Tlrouras l leecharrr, who worl ied hart lto galvanise a wooden cornpany ofvocal ists, who assumed posit ions sugges-t ive of eternal ly suspended activi tv. Ir ta land where opera is a lare antl ouLof-the-way occrlrrence a natural ease oftuoveurent and gos ture is no t to be sxPss-tcd . S t i l l , there is no reason why hur lanbeirrgs slrould beconre reduced to l)er-manerrt i rurnobil i ty the morncnt t l rey l indthernselves on, the opera stage, and, tosay trre truth, last niglrt 's company couldnot alwoys rnake their voices soutrd im-pressive or their words art iculate,though the nrusic was seldorn heavi lvscored. In their respective

".raungrateful parts, John lJrownlee andOda Slobodsl<aya were sincere and aspir-ing aud cornpetent. Tlre production lrarli ts agrecoble aspccts, ond t lrcrc was aol lcpleesanf clroral singirrg arrd dunci,rrg,

Tlre score suggested occasiona)ly apestische, i t a hundred or so bars of i trvere lost to-rnorrow they cotr ld bereplaced by any other hundred bars frotnthe col lected works of Delius. As Brit islropera " Koanga" shows o marked dec l inein c ra f tsmansh ip f ronr , 'The Bohenr ion

o

3

Gir l . ' f N. O.

42

DeJius's "Koanga"

To-nij:(ht a fair but, not crowdedaudience attended Covent Garden for thebeginning of the season of the Londonand Provincial Opera Rociety, Ltd. (agood English name). The company willvisit Manchester towards the end of nextmonth.

With the best will in the world, it ishard to write enthusiastically of"Koanga," which was produced as asend-off to this latest adventure illBritish opera. Frankly, the company'sprospects in the country will be ilJl­pro,ved if the work is withdrawn frolllthe scheme; it is simply not an opera.No doubt Sir Thomas Beecham couldarrange a prrtty orchrstcal nuite frolllthe score. Delius at llis best even wasa reflective, not a dramatic, writer. Thehappiest moments in "Koanga" are theprologue and the epilogue, in whichDelius is dreaming or brooding over llistheme-recollecting the emotion of it intranquillity, not trying dynamically toexpress it. His genius ran essentiallyto the reflective miniature; he cannotcover a large operatic canvas. He doesnot understand the technique of thetheatre-at lcast, he did not understandit when he wrote "Koanga." Whatwould Verdi llave thought of thedilettante who makes his hcro andheroine sing an im'portant duet withthree other characters standing on thestage utterly useless and superfluous?What would. any expcrienced composerof opera think of the novice who writesan entr'acte-and then after a pause, withthe theatre in dacknes5, embarks on alongish orchestral introduction to an act?

" Koanga" is not dramatic; the musiehas littlo relation to the action on thestage; the vocal writing is merely con­ventionaL and the score is poor Deliusas a whole, even if we make allowancf'sand listen to it Hot :11:\ Op<:>Ta compositionbut simply as JIlusic. The Deliusformula. is exploited without theinspiration of the true Delius.It is not possible for a musician to sit

down at will and produce an opera. Theurge and the ambition are not enough­that is the mistake of the amateur. Thegreat opera composers lived in thetheatre, worked hard in it, andarrived at mastery over a difficuJt,convention only after long experi­ence. " Koanga" is as static asthe old-fashioned cantata; the music

meanders-and of opera we must alwayssay, with the old lady in Dickens, " I.etus have no meandering." When Koangadies, Wagner is called upon, but apartfrom this external device the musicremains in colour, texture, and generalstyle the same pale, wandering thing ithas been all the evening. The heroinestabs herself, but the music fails tosound a. note of tragedy.

It is, as I say, poor DeHus, save for thelovely closing scene: the action lS overand done with now, Dclius glances backon the pathos of it all, and at last wehear the authentic note, incomparablysad and haunting. Delius uses echoes ofnegro melodies sensitively in the pro­logue and the epilogue; during the operaitself his resources are limited-a sweep­ing figure in the strings, echocs inthe woodwind, a wash of llarmony,and then the expected ca<!f'nce,usually from the horn. There is little orno body in the 8core. 'l'he orchestra isalways repeating itself. There is nogrowin~ and plastic texture. The operais signed by an amateur of talent inevery bar. All t.his is written regretfullyby a lover of Delius, rf'gretfully indeed.

The performance was only adequate,in spit-e of fine orchestral p!oying nnderSir Thomas Beechum, who worked hardto gal vanise a wooden company ofvocalist.s, who assumed positions sugges­tive of eternally suspended activity. Ina land where Qpera js a rare and ou~of­

the-way occurrence a natural ease ofmovement and gesture is not to be expec­ted. Still, there is no reason why humanbeings shQuld become reduced to per­manent immobility the moment they findthemselves on the opera stage, and, tosay tne truth, last night's company couldnot always make their voices sound im­pressive or their words articulate,though the music was seldom heavilyscored. In their respective andungrateful parts, John Brownlee andOda Slobodskaya were sincere and aspir­jng ond competent. The production hadits agreeable aspccts, and there was somepleasant choral singiug aud dancing.

'rhe score suggested occasiollally 6

p«stische, it a hundred or so bars of itwere lost to-morrow they could bereplaced by any other hundred bars fromthe collected works of Delius. As Britishopera" Koanga" shows « marked declinein craftsmanship from .. The BohemianGirL" N. C.

43

SET INVENTORY FOR KOAI,{GA

KOANGA PROLOGUE

VERANDAH OF A SOWHERN PI}NruTION HOUSE

I Cut cloth 60 feet x 36 feetI Cut cloth 60 feet x 36 feet

I Built verandah house on boat truck set centre of stage comprises2 skeleton frames form balastrade top & bottom1 Roof flat to sameI Long balastrade piece2 flat frame palasters1 Hinged flat to join house section upstage P.S.1 Hinged flat to join house section upstage O.P.2 set rows. One O.P. one P.S.

ACT ] SCENE ] COURWARD & GARDEN OF DON MARTINEZ HOUSE

I Built house on Boat truck O.P. comprisesI Hinged back flat O.P.2 Small flats with roof hineed centre O.P.

Small front flat with door opening O.P.Frame for front to carry verandah roof O.P.Pair of 2 tread steps O.P.Platform to set between back & on stase O.P.Return wing to house flat O.P.Wall flat up and down stage O.P.Wall flat on and off stage with gate O.P.Long back row across stage front of cycloramaSmall corn row set centre of stage to O.P.Fence row with animal head on top P.S.Back row set to tree trunk border P.S.Built hut comprises 3 small flats and roof P.S.

do. 3 small flats and roof P.S.Foliage wings down stage P.S.Tiee border with netted top set P.S. join row.

[from a typescript in the Covent Garden Archives]

2I

[facing] Manchester Guardian review, 24 September 1935

43

SET INVENTORY FOR KOANGA

KOANGA PROLOGUE

VERANDAH OF A SOUTHERN PLANTATION HOUSE

Cut clothCut cloth

60 feet x 36 feet60 feet x 36 feet

Built verandah house on boat truck set centre of stage comprises2 skeleton frames form balastrade top & bottom1 Roof flat to same1 Long balastrade piece2 flat frame palasters1 Hinged flat to join house section upstage P.S.1 Hinged flat to join house section upstage a.p.2 set rows, ane a.p. one P.S.

ACT 1 SCENE 1 COURTYARD & GARDEN OF DON MARTINEZ HOUSE

1 Built house on Boat truck a.p. comprisesI Hinged back flat a.p.2 Small flats with roof hinged centre a.p.I Small front flat with door opening a.p.I Frame for front to carry verandah roof a.p.I Pair of 2 tread steps a.p.I Platform to set between back & on stage a.p.I Return wing to house flat a.p.I Wall flat up and down stage a.p.1 Wall flat on and off stage with gate a.p.I Long back row across stage front of cyclorama1 Small corn row set centre of stage to a.p.I Fence row with animal head on top P.S.1 Back row set to tree trunk border P.S.I Built hut comprises 3 small flats and roof P.S.1 do. 3 small flats and roof P.S.2 Foliage wings down stage P.S.1 Tree border with netted top set P.S. join row.

[from a typescript in the Covent Garden Archives]

[facing] Manchester Guardian review, 24 September 1935

44

Koanga, Act I Scene I: (1. to r.) Simon Perez, Clothilde, Don José Martinez,Palmyra and Koanga [photo A Console, Royal Opera House Archives]

Koanga, Act 11 Scene I: The Wedding Scene. Koanga (far left) and Palmyra(far right) with dancers [photo A Console, Royal Opera House Archives]

45

Th e 6rst Lon d on perfo rma n co-was-sivenat Covent Garden last nieht of ,, Koaisa.,,tho third of Frederick D6lius's six opeias., Tlt:" event,. interesting in itselfj wae

cloubly.ao as inaugurating I now operaticenterprise under Sir Thomas Beocham'sleridership,.which, with luck, may developinto somothing more solidly servieeablo totho national musical cause, il less showv andexpenaive, than the bazaar-like seaso-ns ofopora for which Covent Garden is famous.

" Koanga " has waited for 40 vears forthis product.ion, but, althoush it repre-sonts an immature Delius, i t is st i l l wbrthhearing. Even here, whilo fai l inc in muehthat he eet out to do, tho comploser cav€hints .of his genius for atmosphero "andevocatron.

If it has to bo admitted that the revivalat this time of day is more than anythingan act of piety, Fato's untairnesj thaidenied.i t a hearing whon i t was n€w wasaltogether too cruel. " Koanga " has not

fttty".to*.iors arnong the operas of the

A POIdNANT STORY

Tho scone-Louisiana, with its ruthlessCreolo plantorF snd brutalised nesroos. inthe old ddys

'of tho French and-spanish

domination-is original; the storv df [heenslaved chieftain Koange is poirniant. ButDelius in his handling of i t

-hd not alto-

gether rnade up hig mind betweon personalpo€try and an opera of effocts.

A lessor rnan mighb lravo mado of i t amore effootivo opera, and the matdre Deliuswould have dinlsgsrdgcl everv[hins that didnot touch his inner self, and havi made ofthe poignant atory that puro poom of .. far&way and long ago " of which the work asit sterdg gives hirrts.

Ib was li.ko Deliue to set to music,a Loxtwritten not in any real languaqo. but inwooden English of an old-faihio-ned oneratransla0ion. He nearly elways s€t \pordi tomusic as though he had no la.,guage

"t-tti"own. It is eharacteristic that the personaceshardly over utter a telling phrase-.

But an exception is Koanga's expressive" Far, far away, Palmyra, my peopli mournfor me," in the seene bf his 6eirothal in thosecond act. The very words, " Far, far

DELIUS'S NEGROOPERA

..KOANGA ' ' AT COVEI{TGARDBN

FAR, A}YAY AND LONGAGO

By RICHARD CAPELL

Bway," seem sudilenly to have givon Doliusa follow-feeling with his hero.

The compensation for the lack of dramatiepsychology and characterieation in theopera is Delius's haunting aense of thepoetry of things " far away.'l It is ex-press'ed in interludes suggesting a nostalgialfte that of tho " Appalachia " varistions,in plaintive or half-merry ehoruses forhidden singers, and in an epilogue that endstho opela with touching efiect ae the younggirls, who are supposed to have been theaudieneo foh the storv which we havo seenonacted, turn from tie sorrow of the nightto see the young dawn in the sky.

THE STAGE PICTURES

Prelude and epiloguo, indeed, tell us thatKoanga's tragedy is only nn old, dirn story,and thnt is no doubt rvhat rvo short ld havefelt all along if Doliue had composed" Koanga " l0 years later. IC is an aspectthat a different production might haveemphasised. ' But ' the hard contours ofNieolas do l\Iolas's ninetee n-t rven t,r'ish stogepictures, with their emphasis on the quaint-ness of cactrrses, do nothing of the sort.

On the other hand, the orchestral play-ing, under Sir Thomas Beecham, madoeverything poasiblo of what w€is legendoryand tender in the music. The choruses,too, wero most effective.

Tho port of Koanga, rvritten for highbaritone, was excellontly sung by JohnBrownlee, who was given an ovation at thoend of the sectrnd act. But the part is notgrat€ful. For one thing, a blackened facois-incapable of expression on a stage tho sizeof Covent Garden.

Another thing is that a white man, nornatter how bo-blacked, cannot suggesb anegro'e s:nging. Hero is'a crucial difHcult,veboub " Koanga." Tho parb wants a PadlRobeson on tho stsgo, but the music do-mands the energy of a white man's sinqinq.

Oda Slobodskaye sang with teehnieilelegane.o end charm as the quadroon girlPalmyra, and the smaller plrts wero-ingood hande-Constenee lVillis, Leylandlyhito, Frank Sale, Reginald Thurlood.All musical Ircndon seemed to be in thethetre.

Doily Tblegraph.24 September 1935

45

DELIUS'S NEGROOPERA

•"KOANGA" AT COVENT

GARDEN

FAR AvVAY AND LONGAGO

THE STAGE PICTURESPrelude and epilogue, indeed, tell us that

Koanga's tragedy is only an old, dim story,and that is no doubt what we should havefelt all along if Delius hud composed" Koanga " 10 years later. It is an aspectthat a different production might haveemphasised.. But . ~hE' hard con~ours ofNicolas de 1\lolas's Olneteen-twent,vlsh stagepictures, with their emphasis on the quaint­ness of cactuses, do nothing of the sort.

On the other hand, the orchestral play­ing, under Sir Thomas Beecham, madeeverythjn~ possible of wllat was legendaryand tender in the music. The choruses,too, were most effective.

The part of Koanga, written for highbaritone, was excellently sung by JohnBrownlee, who was given an ovation at theend of the second act. But the part is notgrateful. For one thing, a blackened faceis incapable of expression on a stage the sizeof Covent Garden.

Another thing is that a white man, nomatter how be-blacked, cannot suggest anegro's s:nging. Here is a crucial difficultyabout" Koanga." The part wants a PaulRobeson on the stage,· but the· music de­mands the energy of a white man's singing.

Oda Slobodskaya sang with technicalelegance and chann as the quadroon girlPalmyra, and the smaller parts were ingood hands--COnstance Willis, LeylandWhite, Frank Sale, Reginald Thurgood.All musical London seemed to be in thetheatre.

By RICHARD CAPELL

The first London performance was given away," seem sudaenly to have given Deliusat Covent Garden last night of" Koanga," a. fellow-feeling with his hero.the third of Frederick Delius's six operas. The compensation for the lack of dramatic

This event, interesting in itself, was psychology and characterisation in thedoubly so as inaugurating a new operatic opera is Delius's haunting sense of theenterprise under Sir Thomas Beecham's poetry of things" far away.': It is ex-leadership, which, with luck, may develop pressed in interludes suggest:ng a nostalgiainto something more solidly serviceable to like that of the" Appalachia " variations,the national musical cause, if less showy and in plaintive or half-merry choruses forexpensive, than the bazaar-like seasons of hidden singers, and in an epilogue that endsopera for which Covent Garden is famous. the opera with touching effect as the young

.. Koanga " has waited for 40 years for girls, who are supposed to have been thethis production, but, although It repre- audience foi' the story which we have seensents an immature Delius, it is still worth enacted, turn from the sorrow of the nighthearing. Even here, while failing in much to see the young dawn in the sky.that he set out to do, the composer gavehints of his genius for atmosphere andevocation.

If it has to be admitted that the revivalat this time of day is more than anythingan act of piety, Fate's unfairness thatdenied it a hearing when it was new wasaltogether too cruel. "Koanga" has notmany superiors among the operas of the1890's.

A POIGNANT STORYThe scene--Louisiana, with its ruthless

Creole planteJfand brutalised negroes, inthe old days of the French and Spanishdomination-is original; the story of theenslaved chieftain KOlUlga is poignant. ButDelius in his handlin~ of it has not alto­gether made up his mmd between personalpoetry and an opera of effects.

A lesser Jhan might have made of it amore effeotive opera, and the mature Deliuswould have disregarded everything that didnot touch his inner self, and have made ofthe poignant story that pure poem of " faraway and long a~o " of which the work asit.standsgi~e5 hmts.

It was like Delius to set to music' a textwritten not in any real language, but inwooden English of an old-fashioned operatranslation. He nearly always set words tomusic as though he had no .language of hisown. It is characteristic that the personageshardly ever utter a telling phrase.

But an exception is Koanga's expressive"Far, far away, Palmyra, my people mournfor me," in the scene of his betrothal in thesecond act. The very words, .. Far, far

Daily Telegraph. 24 September 1935

46

The br ief season of opera whichopened at Covent Garden to-nlghi lsto be remembered as thc flrst oceastonon whleh the Imperlal League ofOpera has made lts bow before anactual audlence ln the theatre: andalso for the flrst perf ormance lnEngllsh of Dellus's thtrd opera," Koanga." Thlrby-one years ago thlswork was glven at Elberfeld. and withsome success: but there was then noprospect of a production here. Norwould the prospects have been anybrtghter now but lor Slr ThomasBeecham's enthuslasm.

TlrG crper l€Dae har been wel l wor th qhl le .

Wl thout uhowlng the eer ta lnty and mBtur l ty

that con be fe l t ln the " V l l lage Romeo

and Jul le t . ' ' th ls opera holdr mrrch lovely

muctc as q 'e l l as 8ood, honcst s tagecraf t o f

tbe convent lonal k lnd. Iuore than ln the' Vt lhge Romeo' the music wst ts upon the

d r a m 8 ( r d a p t e d b y C . F . K e a r y ( r o m C o b l e 6novel The crandi ls tmes " ) . and, therefore,not t rnerpectedly . ls lcas s t rongly Ind lv ld ' - r ' t ' lthan ln th6 lsler rporK. Tlre reallsm of tho

ta le o l t the beaut t (u l hs l f .easte, Palmyra, aDdthe negro warrlor, Koangn, ls ernphasl8ed bJ'the o€vlce ot pro logue and epl logt le ( lnwhtcn an o ld npgro s lave ls te l l ing t l re i tor ! 'to some young g l r l8) . ar td Del lus cot l ld notl /u t lo l low the d l rect rnet l rod o{ then r r r a t l v e H e c o u l d n o t h e r e I l n d e s c a p e t l r

dr lma of a pure ly musica l t la t t t re as l r l the' V l l lage Romco." or l r r myst lco. t rever le os

lu t l rs t ( .ne chora l work. " Sc{ | Dr l f t . " ln

tne l lght ot h l3 ls t€r develoFrnent , we do Dol

feel that the cgmpoGer is ( as l\lozart

lxpressed r t ) l l l thdrswn and, as l t wcre,

compl?te ly h lmsel t .Tbls l r not to 83y there ls n. r tb lng ln

" KoBngs," sh lch ls character ts t lc o l

D e l l u 3 . T h e r e 1 3 m o r e t l r a n a l l t t l c : t h e

unmlst rk8ble no6ts l8 lo. lor example of the

slaves' unlcon song, Koangn's curse at the

end of Act 2, and the pre lude to the secondscene of the last sct.

Thc portleular problem tn p€rformlnB

thts Fork l tes In balsneing the volee par t6

wl th t t rc orchcatre, To-n lght , S l r ThomasBeechem Savc h la s lngers mora lhaD

enough 6upport , s l th the resul t thst the

texturo w8s Eomci lm€s c louded. esPcclauy

ln thc ftrst sct. ln thls re6pect the lasl

oct aDd thc epl togue were bY l8r the most

DELIUS OPEITA

" KoanSa " Produced atCovent Garden

Basil Maine in the Yorkshire Post,24 September 1935; sketch, see p.5l

From o Music Crlt ic

LONDON, lv londa] '

dat l r t re tory, and perhap5, l t was par t lv dueto th ls l rDprovement ln per lormAtrce thRt t l .etorest rcene ( ln whlch Koanga' r to l lowersprovldr r blood aacrl(lcc to voo<loo)lmprclsed mc a! belng thc pesk of thewholc work.

Certatn ly tn th !B scene Mr. John Brownlea,ln thc t t t le- ro le. gave us the best ot h lmsel land h ls l ln€ vo lce. IUme. Slobodskoye, a,sPalmyra, was not eomplcte ly El reeessfu l lncarry lng her words, n l thougl r l rer s lng l r ]g wasboth sensl t lve and lmpresslve. Thc bestexaDplc ln d lc t lon came t rom ] r l lss Con-stance Wl l l ls , ln th€ mlnor par t o( Cloth l lda,snd lVr . Ley lend Whl te, ar Don JoseMart lDez, waa not tar behlnd. For the rest ,t t rere was much to be desl red lu th ts mat terot c lear enunclat lon: the chors l s lng lng, torexsmplc, good 8! t t wa,s, Just lacked thatl ln lsh lDg touch.

But , when a l l t r 6Bld, " Koanga." wt th t tsdramat lc Btory, l ts h lghly romnrr t lc mu8le,and t ts beaut l fu l p lc turcs o l 18th eentr r ryIJoul l tana, has prov lded for opera. lovers anexper lence moro thrn a l l t t le removed f romthe ord lnary.

B . M .

46

DELIUS OPEltA

" Koanga" Produced atCovent Garden

From a Music Critic

LONDON, Monday

The brief season of opera whichopened at Covent Garden to-night 1~

to be remembered as thc first occasionon which the Imperial League ofOpera has made its bow before anactual audience in the theatre: andalso for the first performance InEngUsh of Dellus's third opera,.. Koanga." Thirty-one years ago thiswork WI\S given at Elberfeld. and withsome success: but there was then noprospect of a production here. Norwould the prospects have been anybrighter now but for Sir ThomasBeecham's enthusiasm.

The experience has been well worth While.Without lIho.vlng the certainty and m8turlt~·

that cnn be felt In the .. VllIllge Romeoand Jullet.'· this opera holds much lovelymusic :\.'; '11\'1'11 as good. hon('st stagecraft ofthe conventional kind. More than In th~

. Village Romeo' the music waits upon thedrama (adapted by C. F. Keary from Cnble'snovel' Tre Grandis!\lmes"), and, therefore.not \lnexpectedly. 1s less strongly Indlvld·.mlthan In thn later work The realism or th(,tale olf the beautiful half·caste, Palmyra, nDdthe nl'gro warrior, Koangn. Is elDphas~sed bythe aevlce 01 prologue and epilogue (Inwhlcr) an old nl'gro slave Is telling the ~tory

to some yuung girls). and DcUlIs could notI,ut lullow the dlrE'ct method of thenBrrr.t1V!! He could not hpre find esclIpe Indrama 01 l\ purely musical nature as In th('.. Village Romeo." or In mystical reverie asIII that Cne choral work... SCIl. Drlrt." Intne light or his later development we dO notfeel t.hat the Compoll~r IS (as Mozart~xpre!l~ed It) withdrawn and, as It wcre,completely himself.

This Is not to say therE' I~ nclthln~ In.. Koanga," which Is charncteristlc ofDellus. There Is more than a little: theunmistakable nostalgia., for example or theslaves' unison song, Koanga'!I curse at theend or Act 2, and the prelude to the secondscene of the last act.

The partiCUlar problem In performingthis work lies In balancing the voice partswith the orchestra. To-night, Sir ThomltSBeecham gave hlB singers more thanenough support, with the re:mlt that thetexture WIl8 sometimes clOUded, especlnllyIn the first act. In this respect the lastnet and the epilogue \\'ere by far the most

satlsractory, and perhl\ps It wall partly dueto this improvement In pf'lformallee that theforest scene (In which Koanga's followersprovide & blood sDcrlflee to voodoo)Impressed me as being the peak of theWhole work.

Certainly In this scene Mr. John Brownl!!e,In the tltle-role. gave us the best of himselfand his fine voice. Mm£'. Slobodskllya, lIS

Palmyra. WItS not completely s\lcce~sful Incarrying her words, although her singing wasboth sensitive and Impressive. The bestexample In diction came from Miss Con­stance Willis, In the mInor part or Clothllda.and Mr. Leyland White, as Don JoseMartlnez, WM not far behind. For the rest,there was much to be dt'.~lred In thIs matteror clear enuncIation: the choral singing, forexample, good as It was, Just lacked thatnnlshlng touch.

But, when all fs said, .. Koangn," with Itsdramatic story, Its highly romantIc music.and Its beautHul pictures or 18th centuryLouIsiana, has provided for opera·lovers anexperience more than a little removed rromthe ordinary.

B. M .

"

Basil Maine in the Yorkshire Post,24 September 1935: sketch, see p.5!

41

TFROM OUR LONDON MUSIC CRITIE]LoHoox, Monday N igh t

Dr r rus ' i th i rd opera , " Koanga, " wes g iven

a f i rs t per fo rmanee in th is count ry to -n i8h t

a t Covent Garden. The work was the pro-

duc t o f the composer 's F lo r ida lmpress ions '

and i t was composed d t r r ing 1896 and 1897. I t

h a d a s i n g l e p e r f o r m a n e e u n d e r t h e e o n '

d u e t o r s h i p o f F r i t z C a s s i r e r a t t h e S t a d -

theater a t E lber fe ld in 1904. La ter ' by someunaceountab le reason. the manuscr ip t scoreo t the oDera was los t , bu t in 1929 the la teFf t i i t i o Aese l t ine d iseovered the orches t ra loar ts . ' and a f te r n r t tc ! t roub le I \ t rF i t r i i : t< Hadtey found

' the score ln

[ tL Uasement o t -a p t rb l i sher o l mus ic , and hetook i t to the com-poser , rvho was l i v ing a tG r e z a t t h e t i m e . D e l i u s r e v i s e d t h e w o r k 'and S i r Thomas Beeeham, w i th the ass is tanceot Mr Edrvard Agate , rev ised C. F . Keary sl i b r e t t o t h a t r v a s - - b a s e d o n a n i n t e r l u d e t nG . W . C a b i e ' s n o v e t . " T h e G r a n d i s s i m e s . "

I t s p e r f o r m a n c e t o - n i g l r t u n d e r S . i r T h o m e sB e e c l ' . a r r r ' s d i r e c t i o n m a d e a m o s t I n t e r e s t i n go p c n i n g o f t l r i s A u t u t t r n O p e r a F e s t i v a l a tC r ) ' . r ' r r 1 C i a r d e n . T h e r n u s i e i s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c -a l l - r ' D e l ; u s . I l e r e a n d t h e r e o n e i s r e m i n d e do f

- ' A r r p a l a c h i a , " " S e a D r i f t , " a n d " A M a s so f L i f t , - ' b u t i t i s l o v e l y m u s i c , t h e b e a u i yo f rvh ich makes you ea tch your b rea th w i tha s t o n i s h m e n t . I t - i s r e f l e e t i v e a n d s y m p h o n i ei n i t s c h a r a c t e r r a t h e r t h a n d r a m a t i c .

The s to ry , however , i s e - t raS ic one.O l d U n c t e i o e o n a v e r a n d a h o l a S o u t h e r np l a n t a t i o n t s p r e v a i l c d u p o n b y t h e g i r l t o t e l li h e m a s t o r y , a n d t h e o l d n e g r o t e l l s t h e r nthe s to ry o f ihe Voodoo, Pr ince Koanga. . Thescene changes, and Koanga is seen led tncha ins in to the cour t t 'a rd o f Don Mar t inez 'shouse. The negro eh ie f re fuses to submi t tothe ind ign i ty

-o f s la t 'e labour , bu t Don

A l a r t i : r e z '

p r o m i s e s h i m t h e m u l a t t o g i r lF a l m v r a a i r v i f e . P r e n a r a t i o n s a r e m a d e f o rt h e r i ' e d d i n B , b t r t M a r t i n e z ' s w i f e , C l o t h i l d e .i n t c r v e n e . ; , a n d w i t h t h e a s s l s t a n c e o f S i m o nPerez , the overseer , the g i r l i s ear r ied o f f .Koanga f e l l s Mar t inez , and escapes to thes lvamps, and w i th h is fo l lowers make saer i -f i ce to Voodoo, and in a tab leau Pa lmyra isseen dy ing o f p lague. Koanga re tu rns to t l rep lan ta t ion , wher ,e he sees the overseer p ress-i n g h i s a t t e n t i o n s o n P a l r n y r a . W i t h h i s s p e a rh e s l a y s t h e o v e r s e e r , b t r t i s h i m s e l f c a p t u r e da n d f l o g g e d t o d e a t h . I n t h e e n d P a l m y r as tabs herse l f w i th her lover 's dagger .

IUr Jo l rn Brorvn lee sang and ac ted the par to f K o a n g a v e r y w e l l , a n d M a d a m O b aS l o b o d s k a y a r v e s a l s o g o o d a s P a l m y r a . b r r tt l r e h e r o e s o ( t h e p e r f o v m 6 6 s e w e r e S i rThonras Beechanr and the orches t ra . l le rvasm a q n i f i c e n t , a n d t h e o r c h e s t r a l p l a y i n g w a sr v o r r d e r f u l .

OPERA FESTTVAL ATCOVENT GARDEN

First Perforrnance of Del ius 'st t

K o a r t g n t t

. . KOANGA."This ear ly work of Del ius, which began

the season at Covent Garden on Monday,fu l l of f resh, hearty melodies, . Iour-barrhythms, . and , pages of qui te s impleharmony, expla ins his maturer .s ty lebet ter than words eould, and thatis i ts chief value. The def ln i t ion of'the r negro chorus ofl the stage, ofthe introduction to the second actand i ts repl iea, the Voodoo dance,brings some ozone lnto the heavy atmo-sphere of reffeetion which hangs over thework as a whole.

In the quart6t and quintet of the f l rs tact the two elements merge wi th beaut i -ful effect; in the fine passage for diuisibass str ings at the beginning, and the longIntermezzo that c loses the opera proper.we have pure ref leet ion. Since there is aminimum of act ion. logic would have de-manded that the pr incipals should be, l ikethe chorus, in the wings; the opera wouldthen seem to be, what i t in fact is , a con-cert wi th two intervals, last ing threehours. It would have been a comfort tohave some l i t t le knowledge of Koangaand Palmyra before they loved at flrsts ight-or even af ter . We had pinnedsome hopes to the blood-saeriflce. but ittook place in semidarkness.

The orehestrat ion is r ich and has grate-[u l moments of aerat ion; unfor tunatelythese moments did not occur wi th ' t l res inging voices. and only two penetratedthe barrage of seventy- f tve instnrments.lvladame Slobodskaya showed in " Thehour ls come " horv a powerfu l and wel l -t ra ined vo ice cou ld make someth inE s rn ; ,1ou. t - of l i t t le , and Mr. John Brownlee ga, . .cfu l l va lue to a l l t he tones o f one . , f t h "pleasantest voices we l rave hearrJ.

(left) The Scotsman,24 SePtember

1935; (above) unidentified cutting

OPERA FESTIVAL ATCOVENT GARDEN

First Performance of Delius's" Koanga "

[FROM OUR LONDON MUSIC CRITIC]LONDON, Monday Night

DELlUS'S third opera, .. Koanga." was givena first performance in this countryto-ni~ht

at Covent Garden. The work was the pro­duct of the composer's Florida impressions,and it was composed during 1896 and 1897, Ithad a single perform~mce under the con­ductorship of Fritz Cassirer at the Stad­theater at Elberfeld in 1904. Later, by someunaccountable reason. the manuscript scoreof the opera was lost, but in 1929 the latePhillip Heseltine discovered the orchestralparts. and after mllcq trouble MrPatrick Hadley found the score Inthe basement of a publisher of music,. ~nd hetook it to the composer, who was hVIng c:tGrez at the time. Delius revised the work,and Sir Thomas Beecham. with the assistanceof Mr Edward Agate, revised C: F. Keary slibrdto that was .based on an Interlude InG. W. Cable's novel ... The Grandissimes."

Its performance to-ni~ht under Sir Thoma::!B('('c!-am's direction made a most Interesttn~

opcrol;\g of this A·...Itumn .O~era Festiva~ atC')\ pnt Garden. The musIc IS characterlstlc­allv Dc!;us. Here and there one is remindedof -.. Appalaclli'l." .. Sea Drift." and" A Massof Life," but it Is lovely music, the beal.!iYof which makec; you ('atch your breath Withastonishment. It is reflective and symphonicin its character rather than dramatic.

The story, however. is a tragic one.Old Uncle Joe on a verandah of a Southernplantation Is prevailed upon by the girl to tellthem a story, and the old negro tells themthe story of the Voodoo, Prince Koanga. Thescene chan~e~. and Koan~a is seen led Inchains into the courtvard of Don Martinez'shouse. The negro chlcf refuses to submit tothe indignity of slave labour, but D~Jn1\1 a rtincz promises him the mulatto girlP;llmvra as wifc. Preparations are made forthe \\·cdding. but Martinez's wife. Clothilde,intervene~. and with the Bl':slstance of SimonPere7.. the overseer. the girl is carried off.Koan~a fells Martinez. and escapes to th.eswamps, and with his followers make saCri­fice to Voodoo. and in a tableau Palmyra i3seen dying of plague. KoangR returns to theplantation. wher.e h~ sees the ov~rseer press­mg his attentions on Palmyra. With his spearhe ~Iavs the overseer. but is himself capturedand ffogged to dea th. In the end Palmyrastabs herself with her lover's da~ger.

Mr John Brownlee sang and acted the partof Koanga very well, and Madam ObaSlobodskaya Wll~ also good as Palmyra, butthe heroes of the performance were SirTho!T1:ls Beecham and the orchestra. He wasmagnificf.'nt, and the orchestral playing waswonderful.

47

Cl KOANGA."

This early work at Delius, which beganthe season at Covent Garden on Monday,full of fresh, hearty melodies,. four-barrhythms, . and· pages of quite simpleharmony, explains his maturer stylebetter than words could. and thatis its chief value. The definition of'the! negro chorus off the stage, ofthe introduction to the second actand its replica, the Voodoo dance,brings some ozone into the heavy atmo­sphere ot reflection which hangs over thework as a whole.

In the quartet and quintet of the firstact the two elements merge with beauti­ful effect; in the fine passage for divisibass strings at the beginning. and the longIntermezzo that closes the opera proper.we have pure reflection. Since there is aminimum of action, logic would have de­manded that the principals should be, likethe chorus, in the wings; the opera wouldthen seem to be, what it in fact is, a con­cert with two intervals, lasting threehottrs. It would have been a comfort tohave some little knowledge of Koangaand Palmyra before they loved at flrstsight-or even after. We had pinnedsome hopes to the blood-sacrifice. but ittook place in semi-darkness.

The orchestration is rich and has grate­ful moments of aeration: unfortunatelythese moments did not occur with' thesinging voices, and only two penetratedthe barrage of seventy-five instrt1ment~.Madame Slobodskaya showed in .. Thehour Is come" how a powerful and wc!1­trained voice could make somethin~ ~r(,;ltout of little, and Mr. John Brownlee gavefull value to all the tones of one of th,..pleasante~t voices we have heard.

(left) The Scotsman, 24 September1935; (above) unidentified cutting

WHAT THEY THOUGHTOF ' 'KOANGA"

Bv J. A. TORSYTII

S l l t ' l ' l l O N l A S B D E ( j t t A I l l t r a s r n a c l es 2 F l c r l c r i r : k D c l i r r s ' s n a u t e , b r r t i t i s

c lo r r l r t Iu l i I l re r l id h i rn an .y r .ea lscn ' i r . , c b . t ' t r r< ld r rc i r rg a1 hrng las t l r i s( ) l )c r i l . " l ( r ,unga " a t ( lover r t C ia rder rl a s t n i g l r t .

I t n 'as o r r r :e per fo r . lncd i r r Ger rna t ry.yea l s agr , .

' l ' l t c s ( :e t )e i s a p lau ta t io r r i r r

Sor r l l t c ' r ' r , Ar r l r : r ' i< 'a . t l r c le i . s a ; r ro logue,i r r r v l r i r : l t a r r o l r l l r c g l . ( , l l e g i r i s t o - t e l il h e s l o l r ' . : r r r d r l r r l i r r g i l r e - l l r r . e c a c t st l r o l r l v e o f l ( r r a r r r r l , a 1 ) r . i r t c t : , b t t t as l a v t : l ' o r ' I ' a l n r Y r . : r . i r l r c i i r r t i f r r ! t t , o u l l gI t a l f - c i r s l c i s r r r r I o l d c d

* * r

- . ' l ' l r e

c l r i k r r . i r r c c r r t l s r r . i l l r l l r l r r r r r I o r .f l r e d c i l r l l o v t ' r ' s .

A c l n t i l c r a s I l n r o { I ) c l i r r s a n c l h i st - l ra rnp ion . Beer , l r t r r r l l r i s o l te ra i s a: l i s i r t lpo i r r t i r rg l l l ' i r i r '_

' l l r e l e i s t l r c f a r r r i l i a r r i r r g . t l r e o l c l

D e l i r r s h e a r r l . v o I t o r r e i r r s o h r e o f t l r en r r r s i t ' . b r r t t h e r t r c l r e s t r . a t i o r r i s p o o r .

* * *' I 'hc grcatq-r ' l tar l oI t l re rvords could

nrr t l re l tcard orr i r rg to the ()vc lporver ' -i t rg o rc l r cs l ra .

Wlrrst o[ a l l , i l srr { lers f r .oru:rtorr-trtotry---rrrorrolorr.y fr.onr stalt tol i t r is l r , arrd rnorrrr lot rJ ' rv i l l k i l l euy-" l r i r rg ancl i rn.) 'bod.r ' .

Jol r r r Brorvrr lee was t l re saviugg lace o f the even ing .

I Ie rea l i sed t l re pa r t o I l l r e l re r .o .l oc i l l l y a r rd d ran ra l i ca l l y .

C)da Slobr l< lska.1 'a h i rs au ct lect ivelv;c l l ing r 'o icc, l l r r t d id r rot lo<lk t l rbf ( )u t rg l t a l f - r .as le .' l ' l re scerrcr ' .y r \ ras ne rr . , brr t Lhe stage: ta f I l a r : ke r l a rnas le r l rand .

The Star,24 September 1935

Bu ERIC DUNSTANrl\ t tg b loadcast i r rg of upera br tngs

otr t i ts rvolst poi l r ts . aud rv i l llrevcr lre tr rcally satisfactor.y allair',but l rossib ly i t ls bet ter to 'heal opelaby , rad io tha r r no t a t a l l .

I l isteued to the 0rst perfollnanceiu Brrgl i rnd of the {0 1 'ears ' o ld opcraby . De l i r r s .

I l istcrred to most of it. bttt soonaftcr l ( l . i t0 I had t rad euough end'srv i tche<l of l

49

* t *' f l rc le \ \ 'cre r ) lotDel l ts of Aleat

l rcarrr t . t ' , t r r l in l . ) ' i r r t l re ptr re ly or . ihes-I t ' a l p i r l t s . b r r l t he p r inc ipa l [ l l l i ng o ft)l oildcas[ (,])c.ta c()mes rvhctr i lres i r rgcrs i l lc obviousl .y errgaged j r idratual ic as rvel l as vocal e l lor : ls , audorrg f i r rds i t iurpossib le to ntakc outrvhat is l raDDelr i r ' tg

The intervals rvere. fot . r .adio pur-lx)sc*s. I 'ar too 161119. and lhe rvholetlring for n)c \\ 'as loo rrrrrch o[ arr cffortto make i t conrfor table enter ta inrndnt ,

I don' t feel that what I heard rebl lyd i d " K r i a n g a " j u s t i c e .

* * *Of the voices heard, l ltnre. Slobods-

kaya's (:anlc over best, brrt the mostinrpressive rnonrcrrt was tlre oueniurof the th i ld act , wi fh au anonymdu;and bearr t i fu l voice s i r rg ing a voodor ii r rcantat i< ln

Altlrouglr Dclius nrade sotne conces.lsiorrs to local colour in his sirggssli6dsof rrbglo melodies. lrad I

"oi-fnotlril l re set t ing to be Louis iana, the musibrvould t)evet' have sugge'stcd it.

Sumrncd up-florh a radio hearinf-" I(oanga " rvas only a . qiralif lciisucccss, \r,lrich is t(re best broadgCsiopera can evc\be.

[from p.501 DIFFICULTIES

Considerlng the lnevitable difficultiesand nervousness of an opening night theperformance was quite good. There wereone or two things not altogether right onthe stage, !u! the soloists sang very weil,especla.lly John Brownlee as RoanEa; nidmusrc rs not exaeily grateful to sing, buthe made it all tell ahd-his acting wi3'con-vinclng.

- _Le;-land White, too. did weil asVartinez; so did Constance Will is isClothitde. It is a pity thatOdaSlobodskaya,as Palmyra, ha4 not a litt le more chal-m,!9r s-fe sang rvlth exceptlonal competence.Needless to say Sjr Thomas and the!,.?.O. mad,e thl most oi-ttrJeniJactes,indeed ol a l l the nrusic. I l he- ind-thevcannot p lay Del i r rs. tvho can? F. t .

49

THEY 'THOUGHT11 KOANGA JI

WHATOF

8'1 J. A. FORSYTfl BII ERIC DVNSTAN

The ('pillll~l/(' ('lids ,,'jlll il hYllln forrllC~ dead lo\'ers,

Admirer as I "Ill of Dclius and hischampion. Beechalll this operil is adisappointing .. fJ'air

There is the ['lInilin" rillg, the oldDclills heaul v (I[ lonc ill some of themusk. hul tlie orchcstratio\l is poor.

The greater pnrl o[ lhe words couldnot be heard o",ing to the OVNpower­ing ordlcslra.

Wllrst of a It, it suO"ers from:nollotoIlY---lllollOloIlY Irom start tofinish, aild monotony will kill any­.hing Clnd anybody.

John Brownlee was the saviJ~g

~ra('(~ of the evening.He realised rhe part of the hero,

..ocellly and dramatically.Ooa Slobodsk<lya has an cllectively

:elling voie-e, hilt did not look the~'(lllllg half-easte.

The sccnery was ne\\". bllt the stage:raft lacked a mnster hand.

Slit THOMAS BEECHAM has made... li'rcdctick DclillS'S name, but it isdoubtful if he did him any realservicc by producing at long last hisopcra... KtlHng,)" at Cov('nt Gardenlast night.

It was OIlCC performcd in GermanyYl'ars ago,

The sr<'lle is n plaulHlioll ill50ulllel'l. Anlerka. 'hcre is a JIl'ologuc,ill which all old IIcgro h('gins 10 telllIJP. :-;fnry. ilnd during the three adstl1(' love of KO;lIl!!a. Cl prince, but a~Iavc for 1'<llmyr;1. a heautiful younglIalf,c;lslc is l/nfolded,

*

* *

*

*

1'HE br?adcasting of. upera bdn~s. out Its worst pomts, and Will

never he Cl really' satisfactory alIair,but possibly it is beltcr to hear operal:!y'radio than not at all.

I listcned to the first performancein England of the 40 years' old operaby DelillS.

I listened to most of it, but soonaIlcr HI.all I had had cnough and'switched oIl'.

*Thcre were moments of gre~t

hcauty, nwinJy in the pllI'ely orches­tral parls, bllt the principal raIling ofbroadcast opera comes when th~1"illgers IIn' obviuus)y ellgaged indramatic aR well 1.15 \'oeal efforts, andone finds it impossible to make outwhat is happeniilg

The intel'vals were. for mdio pur·poses, far too long, and the wholething for me was too much of an effortto make it comfortable entertainment.

I don't feel that what I heard reallydid "Kcianga" justice.

* * *Of the voices heard, Mme. Slobods­

kaya's came over best, bllt the mostimpressivc moment was the' openi.lgoC the third' act, with an anonymousand beautiful voice singing a voodooincantation

Although Dclius made sOIJ1e cOl1ce§Jslons to loea I colour in' his suggestionsof negrn melodies, had I not knownthe setting to be Louisiana, the musfc·would never have sugge'sted it.

Summed up-from a radio hearing-" Koanga" was only a ,qualiftedSllccess, which is t\;le best bto~dQfst.

opera can evcl\ be.

The Star, 24 September 1935

[from p.50J DIFFICULTIES

Considering the Inevitable difficultiesand nervousness of an opening night theperformance was quite good. There wereone or two things not altogether right onthe stage, but the soloists sang very well,especially John Brownlee as Koanga; hismusic is not exactly grateful to sing, buthe made it all tell and his acting was con­vincing.

Leyland White, too, did well ~s

Martinez; so did Constance WH\is asCJothiJde. It is a pity thatOdaSlobodskaya,as Palmyra, had not a Jittle more charm,for she sang with exceptional competence.Needless to say Sir Thomas and tAeL.P.O. made the most of the .entr'actes,indeed of all the music. If he and theycannot play Delills', who can? F. T.

50

..KOANGA'' PRODUCEDAFTER 40 YEARS

By EDWIN EY.4NSDel ius 's t 'Koanga," was com-

poegd nearly 40 years ago.The chances

- of an- English

opera in i ts own country werethr'[ even mot'e rrrecarious than to-da.y.brrt i t was produced in 1904 at Elber-le ld in Germany.

Early ln the war period tlre scorewas lost for some years. Eventual ly

it was found ln a publisher's basementand returned to the composer, whorevised it.

Last ni8ht, at long last, Dellus'scountrymen had the opportunity ofhear ing i t .

The story is a free adaptation froma novel by G. W. Cable, " The Grandis-simes," deulini with Creole life in oldLouis iana.

Koanga ls a Negro chieftain, sold asa s lave, 'u 'ho rebels against h is fate,but becomes temporar i ly reconci led toi t through lhe love of Palmyra, a hal t -caste whose mother was of his owntr ibe

Whcn she is taken from him and il l-treated he kil ls their oppressor and isbimsel l s la in, whereupon Palmyrastabs hersel f .

MITNY SPELLSSome of the music is influenced by

the inrpressions Delius retained ofnegro singing from the two years hespent at the Solano Grove in Florida.-

Thbre are also many spel ls of thatluscious stream ot . souni l which isDel ius 's hal l -mark.

There is no gainsaytng i ts beart ty,brr t rnusic-drama requires sharperdeflni{lon, in the absence of which ittends to monotony.

Moreover, at this stage Delius'rstagecral t lagged behind his rnusic ian-ship. In short , " Koanga " wi l l be wel-comed by those already converted, butit is not l ikely to make new converts,nor does it add to Delius's stature. Itarr ives, in lact , too late.

The cast was dominated, as t t shouldbe, by Mr. John Brownlee, in the name-part of which he Shve r powerfulrender ing .

Mme: Odo Slobodskaya was not veryhanpi lv cast as Palmyra. At t imes hefvolc ie iang out , but ieneral ly , one fe l tthat she rvas making the best o( anuncongerr ia l task.

Norrb of the other characters is Sivenrnuch opportuni ty, but Miss ConstanceWi l l i s as the p lan te r ' s w i fe and Mr ,Fr-anlc Sale as the overseer made themost of such as came their way.

The chorus, which is g iven proml-nence, sang most ly wel l . The e( fect ivescenery and costum€s were designed by. I I . de Molas,

DELIUS'S ( 'KOANGA ' '

INTERESTING SCORE ANDEXCELLENT SINGING

The two weeks' season of Opera atCovent.Garden previous to a tour in cer-ta in provincia l towns opened last n ig l r twlth a perlormance of Delius's " Kcanga,"under the direction of Sir ThomasBeecham.

How stran3e is the lure ol Opera ! Sincethe symphony and chamber music becamethe predominant esthetic fashiorrtheorists have never ceased to point outthe defects of the form, rts manifold short-comings. Yet it persists, thanks to theunrivalled potenc.v of the all iance betrveenthe humrn voice. the orchestra. and thestage latent rn the convention.

And in a l l probabi l i ty i t a lways wi l l .Who, for lnstance, would have expecteda composer l ike Delius to be drawn toopera? Al l h is outstanding character-istlcs are precisely those that rvould seemto be the furthest removed from thetheatre. He has litt le sense ol thedramatlc. of characterlsatlon, ol contrast;he does not even wr i te part icular ly wel llor the human voice. Yet. l ike almostevery other composer worth his salt, hernust, it seems, attempt tlre form.

STORY WITHIN A STORYi'Koanga ' ' l ike " The Tales ol l loff-

mann " ls a story within a story, but un-like Offenbach's masterpiece, the episodesof the story are not sharply differentiatedfrom the story-teller. For lnstance theprologue and the epilogue-the latter,perhaps, the lovel iest music of a l l - re lyon choruses: and so do most of the scenesin the rest ol the opera. Indeed. when-ever Dellus ls in doubt. he seerns to writefor chorus " off."

Generally speaking the most beautifu!music (whtch is very beaut i fu l ) is to befound in the entr'actes, but much of ActI I . is ef tect ive, Act I . is rather dul l andthe last scene of Act I I I . . rat l rer l ike b i tsof " Tr is tan " and " GotterdSmmerung "transferred topically to Abyssinia. ishighly renriniscent.

. St i l l even at that ear ly age. the person-al i ty of Del ius was remarkably indiv idualas a ru le; to the at tent ive ear the score isfu l l of interest ing th lngs. Unfor tunately,opera is not a form in which the attentiveear is much to the fore.

(above) Francis Toye in Morning

Post, 24 September, concluded

on p.49: (left) Daily Mail. 24September 1935

50

"KOANGA" PRODUCEDAFTER 40 YEARS

B/I EDWIN EVANS

Delius's "Koanga," was com­posed nearly 40 years ago.

The . ch~nces of an Englishopera m Its own country werethl'l1 even more precarious than to-day.but it was produced in 1904 at Elber­1eld in Germany.

Early in the war period the scoreW3S lost for some years. EvrntuBlIy

it was found in a publisher's basementand returned to the composer, whorevised it.

l.ast night, at long last, Dellus'scountrymen had the opportunity ofhearing it.

The story is a free adaptation froma novel by G. W. Cable, .. The Grandis­simes

j" dealing with Creole life in old

Louis ana.Koanga is a Negro chieftain, sold as

a slavr, 'who rebel.5 against his fate,but becomes temporarily reconciled toit through the love of Palmyra, a half­caste whose mother was of his owntribe

When she Is taken from him and ill·treated he kills their oppressor and ishimself slain, whereupon Palmyrastabs herself.

MANY SPELLSSome of the music is influenced by

the impressions Delius retained ofnegro singing from the two years hespent at the Solano Grove in Florida.

Thhe are also many spells of thatluscious stream 0(. iDuna which isDelius's hall-mark.

There is no gainsa,)"tll~ its beauty,but IIlusic-drama requIres sharperdefinition, in the absence of which ittends to monotony.

Moreover, at this stage Delius'.stagecraft lagged behind his musician­ship. In short, .. Koanga " will be wel­comed by those already converted, butit is not likely to make new converts.nor does it add to Delius's stature. Itarrives, in fact, too late.

The cast waS dominated, as it shOUldbe, by Mr. John Brownlee, in the name­part of which he ghve a powerfulrendering.

Mme: Odo Slobodskaya was not veryhappily cast as Palmyra. At times hetvoice rang out, but generally, one feltthat she was making the best of anuncongenial task.

NOlle of the other characters is givenmuch opportunity, but Miss ConstanceWillis as the planter's wife and Mr.Frank Sale as the oversecr made themost of such as came their way.

The chorus. which is given proml­nenrc, sang mostly well. The effectivescenery and costumes were designed byN. dE" Molas.

DELIUS'S "KOANGA"

INTERESTING SCORE ANDEXCELLENT SINGING

The two weeks' season of Opera atCovent .Garden previous to a tour in cer­tain provincial towns opened last nightwith a performance of Delius's .. Kcnnga,"under tne direction of Sir ThomasBeecham.

How strani£: is the lure of Opera! Sincethe symphony and chamber music becamethe predominant ~sthetic fashiontheorists have never ceased to point outthe defects of the form, Its manifold short­comings. Yet it persists, thanks to theunrivalled potency of the alliance betweenthe humen voice. the orchestra. and thestage latent ID the convention.

And in all probability It always will.Who, for instance, would have expecteda composer like· Delius to be drawn toopera? All his outstanding character­istics are precisely those that would seemto be the furthest removed from thetheatre. He has little sense of thedramatic. of characterisation, of contrast;he does not even write particularly wellfor the human voice. Yet, like almostevery other composer worth his salt, hemust, it seems, attempt the form. .

STORY WITHIN A STORY., Koanga" like Cl The Tales of Hoff­

mann" is a story within a story, but un­like Offenbach's masterpiece, the episodesof the story are not sharply differentiatedfrom the l:tory-telJer. For instance theprologue and the epilogue-the latter,perhaps, the loveliest music of all-relyon choruses; and so do most of the scenesin the rest of the opera. Indeed. When­ever Dellus is in doubt. he seems to writefor chorus .. off."

Generally speaking the most beautifulmusic (whIch is very beautiful) is to befound in the entr'actes, but much of ActH. is effective. Act 1. is rather dull andthe last scene of Act IlL, rather like bitsof .. Tristan" and .. Gotterdammerung ..transferred topically to Abyssinia, ishighly reminiscent.

Still even at that early age. the person­ality of Delius was remarkably individualas a rule; to the attentive eRr the score isfull of interesting things. Unfortunately,opera is not a form in which the attentiveear is much to the fore.

(above) Francis Toye in MorningPost, 24 September, concludedon p.49; (left) Daily Mail, 24September 1935

51

h{usic

r.rrr:n si,,ce ,;iff,,o:;,,- t"?Til ?,::::i c,,.nic.t rorsupl 'cl i racv bctrvecn the t lrrec elenrents in olrera-rrrrrsie,r lrarrra antl sylcetacle. Ir i6yly 1rnc, now the other lras tal<en thcfrotrt 'of the stage ancl t l rr trst i ts partners into t lre Lrackgrotrnd.\\ 'aguer, i t is tr tre. tr ied to st l i l<e a balanee. fet his grcatestrvorli. 7'ristatt urtd Isolrlc, is a prograrlrnle-s\-nrphonv u'ithl i t t le exteural drarnatic act ion irncl less sJlectacle. l)cl ius\r 'AS one of \ \-agner's heirs ancl. rvhen lre t trrncd to opert,his nrodel, rvlrether eonsc,iousl l- adoptcd or not, rvrs ?rislorr.I Ie seetns to lrar-e been not at al l interested in the let ionsof thc characters he presents. btrt onl5- in their psy-chologicalreaetions to one anot 'her, and his range of intelest in theirps1'chology rvns.. in cornltalison rvith \l agner's, ltarro\r'.ln T'he l ' i l [uge Romeo and.Iul iel l re f trrrnd his ideal strbiect,anr l . ignor ing a l l lhat thc le is o f gr rs to : rn t t rue l ' r i r r rcnt i r rI tr t tnutr l i fe esccpt in so far as i t rniglrt setve to heightenthe passive melancholv of the princi lral aetors, he ereatedottt of A eonlmonplaee tale of a str icide-pnet a ntor- ing, i f sonre-rvltut tnorbir l , tr :rged.r-. I t rv:ts a trngetlr- too int i l t ratc l i rrnr vrst t l reatrc l i l<e Covent ( i : tnlen untl too strbt lc for thca\-erage operatic singer, aeetrstomed to ltrond strokes. Btrtllo one who sarr it on the little stnge at The Rot'al Collegeof lltrsic'last. ye:rr could fail to be profoundh- aflected b1- it.

Not all the boredonr one felt during the performanee ofKoanga at Covent Garden on lllondav rvas dtre to a siruilartlisparitv betrvec:n the lr-ork and the theatre. \\'e knelr', too,'rvhat kincl of thing to expect. Framecl in a post-dated Prologue

Jh ' l - homa t

R r r rh , t n t ondu t i ng ' Koanga '

Vogue,30 October 1935

51

1\rfusiccc Koanga." At Coycnt Garden

En:n !'incc thc Lcginuing there has l)cen a conflict furI-iuprelimcy Letween the three eh'ments in opera-JIlusic,drama and spectacle. Ko,," onC', now the other has takcn thefront' of the stage and thrust its partners into the background.\Yagner, it is true, tried to strike a balance. Yet his greatestwork, 1'ristan 1flld lsoldc, is a programme-symphony withlittle external dramatic action and le"" spectacle. 1)eliuswas one of ""agner's heirs and. when he turned to opera,his model, whether consciously adopted or not, was Trisfan.He seems to haye been not at all interested in the actionsof the characters he presents, but only in their psychologicalreactions to one another, and his l"ange of interest in theirpsychology wus, in comparison with ""agner's, nurrow.In The rillagc Romeo and Julict he found his ideal subjcct,and. ignoring all that there is of gusto and melTilllcntillhuman life except in so far as it might SCITe to heightenthe passh"e melancholy of the principal actors, he createdout of a commonplace tale of a suicide-pact a IllOYing, if some­what morbid, traged~". It was a traged.'" too intimate fora Yast theatre like l'oycnt Garden and too subtle for thea\"erage operatic singer, accustomed to broad strokes. Butno one who saw it on ~he little stage at The Royal Collegeof .Music "last year could fail to he profoundly affected by it.

Not all the boredom one felt during the performance ofKoallga at Coyent Garden on Monday was due to a similardisparity between the work and the theatre. ""e knew, too,·what kind ofthing to expect. Framed in a post-dated Prologue

Vogue, 30 October 1935

52

and Epilogue, the aetion rvas to be seen dirnll' through th'er-eil of Time, ri pathetic tale of the past told b1- old UneleJoe to a bevy of sentinrental l'oung laclies. It would be pooreriticism to complain that Delitrs has not seized upon thenrelodrarnatic potential i t ies of his thenre alrd made of i tthe kind of passionate Grand Opern that \-grdi nrighthave created u'ith the s&nre ntaterial. Ijtrt it is neitherirrelevant nor unfair to point out. that in the theatre lvemay ressonabll' expect our interest to be engaged sonre-hovr-, and that it rvill not be excited b1' the speetacle of anemptv stage and the sound of distant voices, u'hose rrordsrre cannot eateh, nor by long stretches of trtonotonottslyintrospective rnusie, horvever lusciotts and lovel.v, itrterruptedperhaps by the momentarv revelatlon of a dim tableau dtant.

Produetion might have helped in plaees. If rve had beennble to see rvltat u.as happening itr the \-oodoo eereltron.ytnore clearly, the e)-e Iniglrt have eotn'eved to the mindsonretiring of tire horror tirat lhe tnusir: i 'reketi. Yet it seetned.that the rvhole essence of this seene hacl been gir-en to ttslvith fat rnore force at the end of the preceding aet, rvhenIioanga ntshes tlrtotrgh the forest cr.ving fcrr r-engeanee lll)onthe ravishers of his lrride. I'Iere ftrr a rnonretrt nrttsic, speetaeleand drarna eonrbined to tnake the pulse beat faster.

Nor is it unreasonable to nsk of an operatic conrposer thathe shnll, in his own 'tv&v, dilTerentiate the cltaracters he

l lresents to t ts. I t rvas inrpossible to t letect anv essentiuldifference in the Inttsie allotted to the vzrriotts persons, andthe onlS attempt at definite eharaeterisation I deteeted rvasa sardonic chuckle fronr the orchestra as the lillairr aclr-ancedto nrahe one of his nran; ' assaults upon the heroine. Deliusseems to have been interesterl onlv in lioatrga's ntental stress,the conflict in his eonseienee betweett love attd fidelity to hisgods and to his pritle of raee. That beilrg so, he should nothar-e rvearied us lvith so nrtteh destrltorl- diseottrse upon otherthirrgs, drrr ing rvhich he sotttet i t tres evetr sinks belou' theler-el of conrpetelrt tnttsicianship. Iror I take it that theperformanee ttnder the direction of Sir 'l 'hornas Recehanl rvasfaithful to the conrposers' intentions antt that rvhat sottntle<lI ike sorne poor rvr i t ing in the f irst Aet u'us Itot the fatr l t of thesingers antl plal-ers, tt'ho cotrltl not nls-nss rtralie coherentnrttsical sense of the notes set dos-tr for thent.

There is, it neecl hardl-r- be said. a great deal of beautiftrlnrtrsic in lioanga. The best is containetl in the llpilogtre,rvhieh,is firmilinr frotn eotreett lrtttl gratrtolrltone llerf<rrttlatrees'The negroes' cl toruses nle t lcl iglrt l tr l in thcir sinrpl ici tv antltrighly original in texture for music u'ritten 40 r-ears ago.There is nearll' allr-a1-s sotnething to etrcltant the senses, ifthe rrrind can l<eep alert to pereeile tlte enchanttttent tttttlerthe h1'pnotic spel l of l)el ius's t t tn'ar-r- ing rrrel l i f luot lsl less.

f)rsrir,ur Ilussrir-.

Spectator, 27 September 1935

52

and Epilogue, the action was to bl:' sl:'en dimly through theYeil of Time, a pathetic tale of the past told by 010 rncleJoe to a bevy of sentimental young ladies. It would be poorcriticism to complain that Delius has not seized upon themelodramatic potentialities of his theme and made of itthe kind of passionate Grand Opera that Yrrdi mightlun-e created with the same material. But it is neither"irrelevant nor unfair to point out that in the theatre wemay reasonably expect our interest to be engaged some­how, and that it will not be excited by the spectacle of anempty stage and the sound of distant Yoices, whose wordswe cannot catch, nor by long stretches of monotonouslyintrospective music, however luscious and lovely, interruptedperhaps by the momentary revelation of a dim tablcall rit'ant.

Production might have helped in places. If we had beenable to sce what was happening in the Yoodoo ceremonymore cle,ady, the eye might have conveyed to the mindbomdhing of the horror that lhe musk !:lcked. Yet it sremedthat the whole essence of this scene had been gh-en to uswith far more force at the end of the preceding act, 'whenl\:oanga rushes through the forest crying for yengeanee uponthe radshers of his bride. Here for a moment music, spectacleand drama. combined to make the pu}<;e beat faster.

Kor is it unreasonable to ask of an operatic composer thathe shall, in his own way, differentiate the characters hepresents to us. It was impossible to detect any essentialdifference in the music allotted to the various persons, andthe only attempt at definite characterisation I detected wasa sal"donic chuckle from the orchestra as the Yillain advancedto make one of his many assaults upon the heroine. Delius~eems to have been interested only in Koanga's mental stress,the conflict in his conscience between love and fidelity to hi~

gods and to his pride of race. That being so, he should notha,-e wearied us with so much desultor~- discourse upon othcrthings, during which hc sometimes CH'n sinks below thelevel of competent musicianship. For I take it that theperformance under the direction of Sir Thomas Beccham wasfaithful to the composers' intentions and that what soundedlike some poor writing in the first Act was not the fault of thesingers and players, who could not always make coherentmusical sense of the notes set dmvn for them.

There is, it need hardly be said, a great deal of heautifulmusic in Koangrt. The best is contained in the Epilogue,which.is familiar from conccrt and gramophone pcrformanC'c!".The negroes' choruses are delightful in theil' simplicity andhighly original in texture for music written 40 years ago.There is nearly always something to enchant the senses, ifthe mind can keep alert to pen'dye the enchantment underthe hypnotic spell of Delius's ullYarying mellifluousness.

DY:SELEY IIcSSEy.

Spectator, 27 September 1935

53

DELIUS AND THE OPEIRA

A QUEST F.OR THE II\IPOSSIB LE?

Ba ERNEST NEWMANAt Covent Gerden last }Iondav, during

the intervals and at the encl of'tho ncrfformnnce,.- everyone lvas saying that" Konnga " rvts- rrndrarnatie "nnZ

ftruiDo l ius l rnd l i t t le tn lcnb fo r operc . ThoDol ius l rnd l i t t le tn lcnb for opera. Thogonernl trulh of theso propositione crrnnot,be disputed. Everything in Delius'smusical make-un that madc him whnt hamusical make-up that madp him what harrruslc8t mase-up DnaC meq€ hlm what n€rvas, rvith all his qualities and all 'his

\Vagnerion charaeters speak Wnr4ner'ss ; rce ia l id iom, n l l l l oznr t ian or S t rau .ss innt ' l ra rne te t ' s r tn i c l io r r r t l r l l i s r rn rn is tnk lb lyl lozar t o r S t r r r r tss . T l rn t r r r r rsL bc grnn te t l :t ru t the f t rc i renrn ins t l rub rv i th in the l im i tn -t ions o f e s ty ' lo r r ra rked oub fo r thern byt l re i r o rvn ne isona l i t ies t l rese cornnr rsers r tosr tceeer l in inak inc one s tage r : l rn rac ter so t rn r lr l i f ferent frorn tnr,cher.

- Del ius cloes n<-l i

stteceetl in r loirrg so.

] 'HE TE.\ ' f OF' " I iOAN(lr\ ": H is l , rck o f a sense o f t l re t l ren t re i s s l to rvn

in var io t ts o ther rvays . He r rns so t t r rc r i t i c r r lof the rvords he rrns sett ing that lre seerrts toI tu r 'e uceepted ar tv th inq t l r * t n l ib re t t i s t p r rbl re fo ro l r i rn . I t r rever oer , r r r re t l to l r i r r r t l rn tI r i s tn r rs ic r ro r r ld l ro l runc l ien l>ped f ro t r r t l reeomureneellrent by tho r: lurracters talkingas t lrev rvoulr, l never talk rn l i fe. or in l i tera-t r r re n 'o r t l rv r r f t l re r lame. bu t on lv in thoja rgor r t l ra t 'u 'ns . t l ro r rg l r t to be t le -_ r igu .c t . r rnoDera o generlt ion or lrvo rrqo. lVo do notknorv , o f course , l .o w l rab es ten t tho j r rs t .puhl ished text o[ " KounqB " l tBs l teen" rev ised " bv o ther hands : bub in thenbsence o f nn i r le f in i te in fo r rna t ion on t l rn tpo in t u 'e n r r rs t nssr t r r re t l ra t De l i r rs re t l l r 'thoug l r t . in eonrpr r r rv rv i t l r l r i s l i l r re t t i s t . t l rn t ,r teqro s luve 's on r r t r \ t r r . t ' i c r r t t e r r t , to t r l r l l r t t t r r -t ion rvorr ld sft I ' , " I ' l re r lnu'n bcqins to gi ldthe Ens t . Eaeh cnh in r loor opens to g ree tt l ro s t r i t len i ( .s ic ) r " t l l . T l re rvor lc l resr t tncsr q t i n i t s o l t l r r n c l r n n q i r r g r o r r n r l , " a n t l s r r r r n io r a g r t i r r , s ' l r e n t h e l ' l r r v t , l r c ( , r t r t r v n k e t t t . r lf ronr s lecp r t seeor r r l t in re , " Or rce ag i t in t l re\r-eary sun useenrls from pnl l id oeean bed."Nor rvou ld r i r l v cornposer q ' i th & sense o [ t l retheat re , der l ine rv i th a sub jec t f ro rn re , r ll i [e in rvh ieh the c 'n ly e lue to the psveho lor : i -c r r l mot ivu t ion o f t l re e l r i r rac te rs i s rs l rn t thevs lv about thernse lves u t r t l e : r t ' l t o ther , se th* I f -a -dozen peo l r le s inc ing d i f fe rpn t t l r inqsnt the sume t in re in d i f f c ren t rhv th rns , rv i ththe resul i t l raf nl l t t ;e lrenr is a rveb of r ichsound rv i th no dc t in i te rnern i r rq .

S O U N I ) A N I ) S I i N S I ;The nases o f the qr r in te t in the " J le is te r -

s inger " i - r r r r l the t r io in t l re " Ro*311p , " ' t -I i e r " a r e i t o t o n n l l f o t r r s s i t l r t I r i s g t ' t t c t ' i t ln roeec l t t re o f De l i t rs .

' I ' l r c rc r r l lu t i r ; t t l r r t i t '

" , r r r rn , r .na k t to r rs y ' , ren tse l r - r t l t r - , io r ; r rn i t t t t te

o r t i . ' o . l r e r l e p a l i s f r r r r r t t l t e l , l , t t t r e o t t t t t t r t n -s e n s e r t r l e i t r t h e : : , : n t n t t c r s : l t e t l r r o s s n r l e -l i h e r n t e l v , i n o r t i e r t o l r r t n , { t l t e a c t t r r r t l t t r lt l r e p s v c l r < r l o q y t o u r r t o t n e t t t n r l h e u t l , , r r r r lt l r o o v e r r i r l i n g r t ' s r t l t j r r s t i l i e s l r i m . c v e n i nt l r o t l r r . n t r o . T h o t r o r r l r l e r v i t l r D e l i t r s i s . i nt l ro f i rsb l r lnee , l l r r r t t l t t ' s t ' t lepnr t t t r t ' s I ro t t tr l ramnt , i c ver is im i l i t r rde nr t ' t l ro o t t te t t t l l o t rn t

dofeets, r&n eounter to the ordinnrv eon-ception of opera. In spite of the fact thathere and there in " Sea Drif t ." in the" Ir lass of Life," and in certain other rvorkshe has given us soms of the most moving in-terpenetrat ions of rvords and music that thehistory o[ the art can show, it rornains fruothat, speaking general ly, ho hod .r ' i r tual lyno feel ing for words. Again and again, inrrork after rvork, he sets the teeth of thesensit ivo l istener on edce rvith his awkrvordhandling of rvords. I t rvi l l l rc sait l , of corrrse.l l l sot l to qttarters, thnt u'hore musie is eon-cernetl the words do uot cl 'eot. lv matter.Tho ansrver to that easy-going Jgoposit ionis thab there is no larv to eonrpol & eornposerto teke rvords as the start, ing-poinb ancl theinsp i ra t ion o [ l r i s r r rus ie , bu i thn t i f heeltoose-s to do .qo ho rvi l l nntrrral lv bo ex-pected to ol:servo certain rrr les of t i ro garne.If he persistently shrrpes lr is phrn.ses in suchI lvey that the aeeents and tho rhythmsand tho r ise and fal l of his rnusic runer;unter to the very l i lo of tho rvord^s. henrust nob cornplain-i f .sonretirnes ho bringsa trr imaee to the faco of lr is lrerrrers.

bel ius's well-knorrn rnannerisrus as arnrxiciun are part ieularly unpropit ious fortho sett ing of rvords. r\ glanco ab randomnb alntost, an.t ' ptqe ol-" Konnga " rvi l lshorv t lro backbone of the verbni ohrtusesbeing broken or rvenkened bv the peisistentbias of tho composer's mind to*.ards cer-tain f ixet i forniulao of rnusical accen[.rhyt lrrn. harmony, and eontour. No othereonrposer has ever " deelairned " so badlyl.q Delirrs : rnrelv ef ln R sentence that lraibeen seb to lnrrsic l tv hirn bo sung &s ono'rvould spenk i t . The rnrrsie irnposes i ts orvn Ineeent , rh t ' thm, and ar t ie r r la t ron r rpon i t ; Ir tnd as these, as evervor)o reeoqnises, nre I.sotnerchat standordisecl irr Del irrs. the iresrr l t is thnt not onlv are the ,rvorcls thern-se lves rn ishon< l led , l r i r t t l re rn e rnerqes nex t .to no th ing o f tho var ie tv o [ i rnpress ion tha t le l ta rac ter in ac t ion or rqhb to g ive t ts c rn 'the staqe. In " I ioanga," for instrrrree, not, Ion ly r lo t l l t l re e l ra rnc ters tn lk very rnuch In. l ike, bub the snrrre eharacter expresses II r in rse l f in rnue l r t . l re snrne rv r r f in n l l e i r - |e t t rns tances . I t i s t rsc less to rep lv tha t , a l l i

DELIUS AND•~rHE OPEI~A

53

A FOR THE•

INIPOSSIBLE?

By ERNEST NEWMANAt Covent Garden last Mondav, during I

the intervals and at the end o( the per­formance, everyone was saying that" Koanga" WHS undramntic and thatDolins had li.ttle tnlcnt for opera. Thogener~l truth of these propositions cnnnotbe disputed. Everything in Delius'smUSICal make-up that macl.e him what hewas, with all his qualities and all 'hisdefects, ran counter to the ordinary con­ception of opera. In spite of the fact thathere and there in "Sea Drift." in the" Mass of Life," and in certain other workshe has given us some of the most moving in­terpenetrations of words and music that thehistory of the art can show, it remains truethat, speaking generally, he had yirtuallyno feeling for words. Again and again, inwork after work, hf' sets the u>eth of theI'ensitive listener on ed~e with his awkwardhandling of words. It will he said, of course.in some quartNs, that where music is con­cerned the words do not ~reat.lv matter.The answer to that easy-goIng R~opositionis that there is no law to compel a composerto take words as the starting-point and theinspiration of his mmic, hut that if hechooses to do .~o hp will nnturally he f'X­pected to observe certain rlIles of tho ~ame.If he persistently shapes his phrm;es in Rucha way that the accents and the rhythmsand the rise and fall of his music run('ounter to the very life of the words, hemust not complain if sometimeR he bringsa ~rimace to the face of his henrers.

Delius's well-known mannerisms as amll8iciun are particularly llnpropitious forthe ~ettin~ of words. A glance at randomlit almost any plll<:P of" Koan~B. " willshow thE' backbone of the verbal phraseshein!/: broken or ,veHkened by the persistenthlas of the composer's mind towards cer­tam fixed formulae of musical accent,rhythm, harmony. and contour. No othercomposer has ever " declaimed" so badlyn.~ Delills: mrf'lv clln El sentf'nce thnt hashet'n set to mnsic hy him 1)(\ sung as onowould speH.k it. The music imposes. its own IEH'cent, rhythm, and articulatIon upon it;a nd as these. as even'olle recogmses, aresomE'what stnnrlardisecl. in Dplius, the Iresult is that not olllv EIre the words thern­s9lves mishandled. bilt t hero f>!J1f'rges nextto nothin~ of the variety of impression that,character in aetion ought to give \IS cm'the stage, In" Koanrm," for insul\lce, not Ionly do all the c1lllrncters talk very much Ialike, but the some character expresseshimself in IIltH'h Ihf' sElmp WHV in nil cir­cumstflIlCf'S. It j:-; t1sdess to reply that all

'Vagnf'rian chnracters speak Wn.~er's

special idiom, all ;'I[ozartian or Strnussiand\arncters nn idiom that is unmistakablyl\lozart or Strl\uss. Thnt must be ll;rnnte{t":hut thE' ftlct remains that within the limita­tjons of a stvle marked out for tllE'm hv'their own peI:sonalities these composers dQsucceed in making one stage churactN sounddifferent from another. Delius does notsucceed in doill~ so.

THE TEXT OF "KOANGA ": His Lick of a sen!:'oe of the thcatre is shown

in various other ways. He was ~o ullcriticalof the words he was Rettinll that he Sf'em~ tohave accepted anything tltfit a libr('ttist puthe-foro him. It never Of'('IIITE'd to hilll thathis music would be h:wdicllpped from thef'ommencemE'nt bv the elral'llcters talkingas tllf'V would never talk in life. or in litera­ture ,~'o["thy of the name, hut only in thojar~on that waR thought to he de rigllCItT inopera a I<en('ration or two n~o. \Vc do notknow. of course, to what extent the just­publiRhed text of "Koun!<8." has been" revised" hv other hands: but in thonhsence of un\: detlnite inforrnntion on thntpoint we I1Iu:st llSSIIllH' that D('litls rf'all~'thought. in company with hi~ lihr('ttist, that.negro slavf's on 1\11 Alllf'ri('f\n ('(lUnn planta­tion would say, " The dawn begins to gildthe East. Endl cnhin door opens to lIT('etthe Rtrident (sic) f'all. Thf' world rpSlllllesHll:ain its old 111\chnnll:l1IQ; round," and so nn;or agllil\, wh('n th(',' klv(' hct'I\ I\wakf'l\l'dfrom slpf'p 11 second-time, " Once allilin the,,-eary sun uscends from pnllid ocean lJf'd."Nor would any cornpOSf"r with 1\ sense of tltf"theatre, den.linlZ with a subject from re·\1life in which the (lnly f'lue to the ps:vf'holol:i­cllI moti"ution oC the c1mractf'I"s is whut t!tpvS'lV ahout themselves lllld 1':1l'!J other, s~thl~l.f-a-dozen people sinlZing differf'nt thingsat the same time in different rhvthms. withthe r('sult that all wo hen!" is n web of richsound with no derlnite Il\Pn.ning.

SOUND ANI> SENSEThe r[lses of the flllintE't in the" :\If'ist<:'l'­

sin~er " and the trill in tile ., RO'WllkIVII­lil'r" are il0t on all fours with thi;.: \!('Ill'ml

procedlIrf' of De/illS. TIll' 1'1'1111:>; dfilllllti('COlllpo,pr kllows prpriseh- \\"h~-, for a Illillutpor two, he dl'Pill'ts froll\ the pl1l11l f'Oll\I\\PIl­,pnse rll!p in tlH''''~ mat!!'rs: hI' dol'S <:n dp·liht>rntf'lv. in ordf'r to hrill!! th ... actIon :lIldthtl pSYf'lwIOQ;Y to a Il\o!n('ntn.r\· head, ;1I1l1

the ovprridinij r!'slllt jllstilil's him. ,'\"<:,n intho tlll'ntrl'. Thn troldJle with DebllS :s. inthe first plnce, 1h'lt tIH'Sf' df'l)(\rtll1'1'~ fnlllldramatic "erisimilitmip (H,' tho f11H:C'0Il1P not

54

o I a s l r l ) a . i ( , r n l t s i c l l l - ( l r s l n o t i c s e t ] s o , b u t r r It l ro to t r r l l r r r :k o f t l r t t sor rso , an< l i r r t l re soconr l; r l teo thn t , , l rovcr l r l v i r rg l r t .e r r n l r lo to' r ' i s r ra l i so in h is s i r rdy t l ro l .o tn l i t v o f t l roth ing ns ib r rou l t l revcn l i t , so l f o r r t l ro s { : rq r ' .ho so t r re t , i rncs l r inds l r i rnse l I in o s i l , r r : r t iont l rnb is no t lnere lv non-drn l l tn t ie l t r r t r lo rvn-r iq l r t eor t r i t : . fh ; e l r< l in r l nxurn l ) le o I t l r i sis t l ro en iso t lo in rv l r i c l r P t l r rvnr , C lo t i l r l l ,Pnrez , I ( r rn r rgn , I \ In r l , i r rez , onr l n fo r r r -pnr . t ,e l rnnrs o f nogr r )es . in t l re l ie l r l s -1 , l r rs , r ' feo l l rsc , t l re ( ) l ' e l res l rn - r r r r iLc i r r &r r t r r rser r rb lei r r s 'h ich c r re l r o f t l re p r inc ipn l e l rn r r re te ls i sg iven rvor r l s o f l r i s o r l l r t l r tb r r re in len< ler l tor e v e n l l r i s o r t t r t r r i r l i v e s n l t r l r e n e l i o r r s . ' [ ' l r r .los r r l t o f i t , r r l l i s t l rn t , r ro r lo r ro t r ' : r t . c l r ns i r r q l t . u ' o t ' r l o I r l l r n t , l l r r . 1 . , r l n s r r f i t r g . l r r l t ,r v l t e t r I l t o . s o l o i s t s n r t r l r l c r r l ) ' l r r p s o i t r I o s i l o r r l r tl ' o l r e r r r l l r r r r r e g l o e s i r r f o 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 g . r r s - - - r r s i I l l r i sI r r r l l r cc t r t l t< r cssc t rce o I l l re l ' l ro lo r r r r r l ln r- t l r n t " N o r r ' \ i ( ' r n n \ ' 1 r r r t , s e 1 ' t l r c l r r r r l s i t , l < l on 1 1 ' n \ ' . f o r t l r t . r l i r r r r e r ' - l r r , l l i s r i r r g i r r g ! t '

e l ) e l i r r s ' s c ( l n g ( ' r l i i l l l l r r ' l D l o s s r r e s s i n s t r r g r .t r r : r t . t i t ' s i s s l t o s ' r r i t r v l r l i ( ) u s o t l r c r r t r r v s ." Kor t r tg r r " i s loo l r ,n i f r t r t r s l ro l t oDern{ r l l ( l t o o s l t o t ' t f o t n l o n g ( ) l r o : c o r } s e ( l r r e r i t l r ' ,6 r t h e n r t r l i e r r r ' o l r r r s t o l r e g i l e l r t l r e f r , r ' l i r r gt l r n b i t i s g c t t i n g i t s t n o r r ( ' \ " s r l o l t l r i r r l l r es l r n p o o f n f r r l l e l ' e n i n g ' s e r r t e l t r r i r r r r r t ' r r t . t l r e. l i r n o l t r r s t o b c s p r r t r r r t r t r v i l l r r . x t t r r r r t r r u so r e l l e s t n r l n t t r l , l e r ( f r l e s t r t r r n l r l t ' I r o r t r o t l r e ru ' o r k s o f l r i s ) ; r r ' l r i c l r l u r g t l r e r l o r r l r l n r ' [ l ' c to f t h i r r r r i r r g o l l t t , l t e t t r t t t l o l l s s t l r q o n c t i 6 l rs t i l l f r r l t l r c l r r n r l o f t r r r r l < i r r g t l r c r r r r r l i r . r r r . e [ r . n ]n f t l l c c n ( l t l ) , l t s o r r r e o f l l r e u r r r s i r : i t l i l < e db e s t l r u t l t r o l l r i r r g t o t l o r v i t l r t l r c 1 1 1 1 , r t , , , .

T i l t i QtJ l ts ' t ' l :oR A Nt i \ \ ' f :oRi \ t' fo r r r r r l<e ( ) r r i n q ln r ' l ' r r l r . r rso n I I r r ins t , I )e l i r rs

ns o ( l rnu lu t i s t , , I l re r t , i s r . i r sv . I lu t , r r ' l re r r n 'eI rnvo s r r . i r l r r l l r ve .cnr ) s r .v r r long t l resc l ipesr ro l tnvo l )o t l t t l l ) s on ly to t l ( 'hcd l l re s r r r ' [n r ,cr r f t h o l r r t t t e r . A t u o l o s y r n p r r t l r c t i c n . r r r ll )e r l ln [ )s r r ro rc r l i scern i r rg v ic rv o f i I r r l l u 'o r r l r ll ra t ,h r r t I )e l i r rs 's fn i lu rc i s < l r re t< r l r i s l r t rv inqheon t ' t ' r re l r i t rg o t t t r r l l l r i s l i f r r io { r r r r . ' r vr i r t u r r r t i c f o l t r r F { . r ' n l u u o l o l r i s g c n i r r s , r v i t , h -o r r L o t r . r s r r e c e e r l i r r g i r r i l i s c o v t ' r ' i r r g r l r r i t ol l rnL t l rn t , fo r t r r r ro r l l r l l ruve t r l l re . Or r l i r r , .u -1 't l r n r n n t i e c x l ) l e s s i o l l o f c l l t t l n e t e r o r p n i r r t -i r r q o I s i l r r n t i o n u ' n s i r r t , l r o r r r n i r r b e t ' o r r r lI r i r n : i n l r i s n l t , t s i n l r i s I i f e , l r o r * . r r s r i r t r e l rl o , r s e l f - e e r r t r o r l f o l t l r r r t . R r r t i r r l r i s , r r v nu 'ny ho eer t .n in ly hu< l n r r i r r te res t i r r c l r r r . r r t : -le r a r r r l s i luo t io r r ; n r r t l tho l r lob le l r r fo r . . l r i r r r\ rus to f ind n < l runra t ie , o r quns i -< l rn r r r r r t ie ,f r , r rn t l ra t u lou l ( l e r rnb lo l t i rn [o r le r r l r r . i t l rt l ro .se j r r l r i s o rvn pccu l i s r \ vny . By tJ ro ver . ;gbr r i l c l o f h is b rn in l ro r r -us inc r rp r rc i in te r . l [ r .o r r rl t to in i r rg rnuch v t r r ie ty o [ rhus ic t l i r l i o r r r ,t l r o u g l r l r e e o u l ( l g i v e { r n n s t o n i s l r i r r gr r r r u b e r n [ f n c e l s t o , t l r e i r l i o r n t h a i r * ' a s p e r : -s , r n n l t o I r i r r r . H e . c o r r l r I n ( . \ ' c r g e t o r r t i i r l el r i r n s e l [ , r r e v r . r ' l r l o j c o l l r i r r r s r ' l [ , r i s t l r e r r r t , r ' eo l r j e e t i v e r l l l r t n u t i s t , r r c r , r , s s r u . i l r . l r r r s t r r r l o .l i t l r l r i r r r , r r r r r r r , l i l < r . n r r t t n c , l r r r r l r r l r r . r r . l - s [ ob r , s h o r v l r r r s l r c r r ; , ; r r ' 1 r l t ' r l t o I ) e l i r r s .

H e i s t l r e r e [ o r o i n h i s r e n l e l e r r r e r r t , i r rd r i t r r r r ou ly \vhen ho can to lk , in - - -

pe tsona r r l ro r rL n v i tn l rnn t , tc r i r rs te l r r l o It r r r r l < i n g l l r e l r l o t n g o r r i s t . s . s l r e i r l < f o r . t l r e r r r -s o l v e o . 1 ' l r o l l r : s t . t l r i n g i r i t l r o ' , V i l l r t q oI l o r n c 6 u r r t l . l r r l i t ' t " j s l l r u t , e x q u i s i t , oi t t t .o r r r r r .z .z .o i r r r r . l r i c l r J )c l i r rs s l ro r r l s r rsh is J ' ( )ung lovc ts r ro t in r r r : t io r r b r r t , r rsr l r re tex t lo r h is o r ln te r r r le l . o r r r l l r ib i f r r lt r r u s i r r g t t l r o t r t l r e r r r , I n , , I { < , r a n g o ' " l r obeg ins rv i th n pmloguo on( l o r r ( l s ' i v i t J l t r r< ,1 r i l< rgr ro in u ' l r i ch I l f i c lq Joo nr rd h is l i s -te t re rs f i r -q t t . r t l l< o f t l ro r l ln r r rn - t .o -co l r ro n t rdt ,hen re l lec t , r rJ ro r r i t . l l h t r t , l l r i s i s , , l r l ' r ll l t e n L r o " r v o n l l n r l r r r i t , : l r r r b i l i s s o o dI ) r . l i r r s , I I e r r r r r J ' r r n t l ; n n l r l o t o = l r , r i r . , r sI ( r r r r r t g n n n t l P n l r r r y r . n c o r r r - i r r e i r r q l 1 . r r J , r , r r I I r os l r t g e : l r u L r r ' , l r r , n l r o l r i r r r s c l f l r . r r r r i . , r l t r r u . , l rt l to r r r n r rc l r rs t l re l luor l o t , l r i s ser ts i l i v r l l , r . r io r l -i t r g t t p o l t t l r r . r r r t v o f l r r [ 1 1 1 , i 6 t r i r ' r i l i < , r r ( i , , r , o Il l r o . s o r r l l l l ' D i t . r . r r l r i , ' l r \ r - r r s , ' o f e o r r r s o , l r i sI e u l - p r r r l r o s r r i r r t r r l < i r r g r i p t l t i s . r l i . r r r r r r r , l r r r Ll l r e l r r l l , r c o l i s n t i r y r t r I r v l r i r : h u . n s l r o s s i b l e t o| | i l l r o i l l . y i l ) l t , s o \1 . i l r r t ry , n< lb i r r t l roor t l r r ru rv u ' r r .y o f l , l ro t l t r . ru l ro .

" l : l i N N t i l l ( ) l { l i A N I ) ( i l i t i l ) r \ "l l o J r t u u r l , f o l . o n c e , s o r r r e t l r i r r g l i k o t h e

t r r r r t e r i r r l . r t n r l t l r r [ o l . r r r t I r r t t e r r r , l r i c r l . l r i r r r . t oe x l ) r { ' s s l r i r r r s c ' l I r l r . n r r r i r t i c i r l l v i n l r i s o s . r r s . r r 5 ,- i r r l r i s " F e n r r i r r r o r , o r r r r r l - ( l e r . r l n . " I l r . r . ot l - r o l r e t i o r r o [ , l n t , o l r s c r r ' s r r o v o l ( , , N i t , l sl J r r , . n e " ) i s r : r r s b . i r r t o c l o v c r r s l r o r . t s r , ( . t r ( r s ,t ' r r c l l l r r s t i n g l r o l u ( ) r o t . l x r r r r r f e r r r r r i r r r r l , c s .l l c o r r o r r r i c l r r r l o t h o r c o r r t l i t i o r r s r , I t l r ot l r t ' r r t r n t r t l l < o t | 6 , , r r . o 1 l < g r r . r L r . t i c : t l l v , i r r r -p o s s i l ; 1 1 , o I r . o u t s r ' . ' J f , l r o i r , , r ' e 1 . , i L " r . o r r l r lh r ' g i v c r r i r r l l ) l . o ( l r i c l i ( ) n i r r t t , o J r r r l [ _t t t v s t i c n l s l l l o . s r r i t . c d I o i t , i b l . o r r l r l n r . o r l r r c e{ l l l -ex t l ' i to r ( l i r r r r rv e f fee t -n t . f l r r \ , r . f i te o r r r r r rru rd ic r rco _o f p l r i losoJr l r r . ' r ' s r r r r r l l roc ts . ForI r o t e , t t . l r r s t , T . ) e l i r r s f o r r r r r l r r I o r r r r l l r r r tn l l o r r c r l l r i r r r l o r l e s c l i l r c t l r r , i r r r r e r r l r u r r r r t r Iso l r l s i l l l r i s ou 'n \ \ .n ) ' r l l \ r ' l l v t l l r rb r t l lo r r .o r lh i r n t . o r r e c o n r [ ] l n v t l i o . : l r r r r . r r r i t e r ' . s i n 1 , r . r s o r r ,b y t t t e t t t r s o I l r i s r r r r r s i r : ( c s p t ' r ' i ; r l l r '

- o f I r i S

o l c l l e s t l ' n l i r r l e r l l r r l e s ) , i r t e ; r < i l r o f i l i r , r l c r . i -. s ivo op isoc les o f t l r c ' i i ' c , r .u . { ' r )1 . , Or ro f i r r r r l l l ,e o l n e s t o t h e r , o n r , l u s i o r r t l r r r - t , l l l l r i s l i f e l r er v r r s g r o l r i t t g l r r r r . r r t r l s { r J t r x ( . I 1 ' J r r , o I t l r r r s i r . r r lt l t u t r r r r , i l r I l l r r r l , t l r o l r r i , l r l c r n s r r i t l r u . l r i r . l r i fc o r r f l o r t t e r l l r i r r r r r - t . r . r r l l c t ' o r r r l t l r r . r : r r p l c i t l ,e . i t l r e r o f l r i s l i l r r e t t i s l s ; , l r i s o r r r r g c n i ' r r * , o rt l t e c o t r v e r r t i o r r r r l l l r e r r t r ' ( r t o s o l r - e . -

Sun day Tim es.29 September I 935

54

of fl I'IIIJlf"'rior mllsical-dnllllutic f;Cllse, bllt oftho totllll:l(~kof thut SOIlf;P, and in the f;pcoIHlplaco thnt, never having hl'PI~ nhlo to"iimll!if;o in hi!! f;tIlOY tho tntnht,\' of th('thing ns it would rcv('nl itself 011 thn st:1!_W,ho SOlllCtilll('S lands himf':clf in n sitll,dionthnt is not !ncreh- non-urn1l1ntie blit, down­right comic. Tho ('nrdin~1 pxnmplo of Ihisis tlw ('nisodo in which Pill m.vra, Clotilda,PnrPz, l(onllgll, 1\1nrtinc7., nnd n fOllr-partphorw:; of llPgro('s in tlH" Iln!(I.<:;-l'llls, (,fC'Ollrsp, thC' orchC'st rn-lInit') ill (\11 cns('tllhlcill whiC'h ('HC'll of the principnl C'hnraC'lns isgivcn words of hi!'. OWIl thnt lire inlC'ndf'd torcvcnl hiR OWII IlIhlivf's nnrl Tf'aC'fiolls. TIH'J'f'S 11 It, of if, nll ifl fhnt, wC' do not (':l!('h 11

"illgl!' word of \\'1 1/1 t, thp,\, "I"C' i',II:ving: hilt,wh('1l fill' soloisfs FlI/lldl'II1v IIIPSol11l1l HJll'lll'l'

wo i\{'lIr t,11(' I)('grocs illfo)'illillg ,lIs---nR ir I1liRhad I)('('n I he ('sS('IJ('f' of I hc ",holn m:1I1 ('1'-that" Now \IT IIln~' pilI, s('~'lhe nll(1 RiddoI\wn\" for thl' rlilll)('I'-Ill'1I is ringing! "

..J)~liIlR'S ('ongr'llilnl Ilf,lplC'i'slIf'si< ill slngr'Illa!.tprs if:; s!trnnl ill \'lIl'illllS nlllPr Wll~''';.

.. KOllll!!1l 11 is loo !nllg [or H i'horl op('I'nnnd too f:;hort for n long 01H': cnIlSC(l'lellll~',(1- thl' nlldi('Il<'(' Iws 10 1)(' poin"n tile f(·pJiIlRt !tat it is gr'lI ill!" il s InoIlP~"R wort h in 111('f;hllpC' o[ (I filII e\'C'nillg'f; el!tf',r1l1illlllC'llt, Iheiill10 hus to 1)1' SpUII 0111 \Vilh f'Xll'llIWllUSorC'hestl'lll 11I11r.tf'1" (pn'sllInl1hly frolll ot!te(workf': of his); whir'h ha~ the dOllh](\ dTl'ctof thillnillg 0111 thp telluous st"l(P ndionl'till [lIrtl,('/' Hlld of /lIllJcillg Ilw IIlldic'lll'e fl'l'jIll, thn Pllll Ihnt S0111l' of Ih(\ 11111sir: il, likedI)('st hml lIollling to do with tile dflll11l1,

TilE O(JEST Fem A I'\EW FOJ~~l

To III1~Jce ol1t n !.:t'lll·1'll1 el1So ngninst, Dclill~os n dl'lll1H1lisL, Ihcll, is PilS,\'. Bul, \l'hrll \\'ehavo snid 1111 WI"('II11 sny along thcsl' lilll'sWI1 hn\'o pNhnps only tQllehed tho s1ldneoof tho IlIllttf'l'. A lIJoro sylllputhl'lic nndjlf'rhnps Illnre disccrning view of it nil wOllldh(\ that. I)l'li1ls'R fnilUlT' i::; d1lc to his Iwvillghl'pn I'l'nr'hillg 0111 nil hi.': lifn 10 1\ IlnW

dnll1\1d ic fOl'll1 g"1'I1111l1(\ hl his gl'llill.':, with­Ollt 0\'('1' SlH'l'f'f'rlillg ill i1is('o\'erin~ 'lllifC'",hilt thnt fortn wOllld !tHYf' to he. Ordinnrydrnmlltic cxprcssioll of clil1l'!letl'r or pnint­ill\{ o[ sitllatioll WIlS in tho lI1(1ill bryolldhim: in hiil nrt, flR in his life, he WIlS I1lllchtOI) sclf-Cl'ntrpr! for Ihllt. Dllt in his OIl'Il

way ho cf'rtninly hnd nil int('rrst ill rl\tlrr~e­

1<'1' and situation; nllrl tho problem for Jlllllwas tD find 11 c1rumutir, or C]uasi-drnmatic,f(lrm thot would ennblo him to r!l'HI witllthr.-se ill his own pf'culinr wny. By the vcryhllild of his urniu he wus incnp(l('it(lted [1'0111n I t.nining l1luch \'uriety of lIlusicul idiom,though he could gi\'(~ nn. nslonishillg1l111nber of fllcels 10 ,the idiom that wos pel"­f';onlll to hilll. Hc. could lll'V('f gel outsidehillls('lf, 1ll'\Tr I'l'oj(;of hilllSl'lf, ItS t.!IC IllClf'("ohj('cti\'c dl":Jlllnlist, Ill'('r's!-'nrily Iws to cl,,;"ith hilll, 1111111, lilt!, Illdll"C', ll:ld It/WHyS tll1)(' shown ItS Ill' lll'l'l'ar('r1 to D('liJls.

Hc is thcrdoro in his frill c\f'll1ellt illddllIa only when he can tulk .in.. ---·-

IJC'I','Olla llhout II vilnl mnttN ill.'lt('ad ofmHkjn~ the' I'rotHg()/Iists sp(,;lk fOl' thelll­~1('IVt's. Tho hest tltillj.( in !lto Cl Villll!1;OHOIlIl'O Hllll 11ulil't" is Ihut f'xl!,lisitointOrlll(,7.Z1l ill which Dclins sllcl\\'R ushis YO\ln~ )0\'('1'8 not, in lletioll bJlt, Hil[\ ]Jrcfcxt fOT hif:; own !Plldcl" Hlld pitiflllI1lllsillg UpOIl thel1l. III Cl KOHngll" he},('Hills wilh n prologue and onds willI nn<,!lIlogut:l in whirh l.1i1clfl ,Too find his lis­I('nerl'l first, t-nlk of tho dmnm-Io-colllo findthen relleet, 11POll it. Thnt. this is .. hadIIwntro" \\'0 nil ndll1it,: hilt, it is goodD,..lills. Hc IrlllY 110t bo nl)lo to show lISJ('Jllllga and Pnhnym ('on\'incingly ll!'on tllosInge: but w'hc'll ho hi/ll,self [Jollri' Ollt nponthelll ulld liS t hr /fuorl 0[' his f:;cl/,,;it ivo Ilrood­in~ 111'0/1 II1PIII \\'0 fl'l1l t1l1it 11IIIili('ll( ill 11 01IhC' s01l1 by pit,y whir·!t \\'IIS, 0['(,(1I1I"S0, hisreil I purpo:<o ill biking lip thiH ,dbllllll, J,lItthe ftlll rl'1l1isntio)1 of ",hidl "'!lil possible tohilll ollly in his 0\\'11 \I'IIY, n~)t ill thoordinnr,V WILY of "ho t!wld 1'0.

"FEI'\NI,\lORE AND (;ERDA"He f(IUnd, for onC'p, :';Clllwthing Jiko the

malorinlllnd tlw [orlll that, erI:dJlcd hilll, 10cxprc's.': hillli'df c1rnlllatically in his o\\'n wny-in llis .. Ff'nnilllOl'O nnrl Gndll." ] Icl'oIho Hrt ion of .f /1('o!,scn' s nm'pI ( .. N jC'ls],11;\'lIc") is I'IISt inlo dov,..rl sllllrt i';('l'IH'S,('lIl'h In:<!ing 110 nlOl'n I!lnn 11 fell' llIilllltl'S.E('ollclIllie nllrl other ('ondiliolls of tllOIIH'ut','() IIlHko tlw', \rolk pradi('nlJy illl­pOSi<ihll', or ('OUI":<r'. Jr, lu.w('\'l,.. r, it, ('(HddIw giVl'll in 11 prorllirlioll ill Iho lndf­1I1~'stieul sI ~'lo !'nilC'J 10 it, it wonld prodllco(Ill extraordillHrv erred-at allv mte on nilnlldirll('(l of ph;]osoplu'l's Hnd' poets, ForhNt.. , at. IH~t, Dcliui' fOlllld II fOl'l1l thntn'llowC'r! hilll to c/escrilJC' tll(' illllC'1' rlrnlll:t (lrS01l1s in his own \\'ll\", 11 WllV tlll\t ullrl\\'l'dhim t.o Hc('onlp;]I1Y 11;0 c!lnrltr:trl's ill !,crSOIl,hy Il1Puns of hi~ IIlllsic (rspl'cinlly of hisorchostral intf'rll1clr."), ill {'lleh or tliP ck(~i·

sivo opisodcs of their CHl'l'I;r. Olln f1l1l1lJyCOllles to the cOI1l'IIISioll t hnt. HII hi~ lifc he\I'flR gropillg fllll'llnls 11 )im\' ly/,(\ of 1III/si":llr11't111111, hilt Illn\, 111f' prol,ll'lllR \\'il h w!,ir'!1 itc()Jlfron!f'r! hilll WC'I"O I)('.\'olld thr' cn/,:lI'ityrilhcl' of his lilJl"rtlist~;, his 011'11 gcnius, orthe convcnliolllll tIlPlltl'(1 to soh-f'.-

Sunday Times. 29 September 1935

55

Opera at Covent GardentTnr newly-formed London and Provincial Opera

I Society, acting in conjunction with the Leaguer of Opera and with Sir

'fhomas Beecham as

artistic director, gave 4 fortnight's season at CoventGarden from September 23. Six operas were given-' Koanga ' (on the opening night), ' Siegfried,' ' DerFreisch0tz,' and ' La Boh0me' in English and ' I lBarbiere' and ' Un Ballo in Maschera' in ltalian,Witb a few exceptions the casts were English in theono cas€ and Italian in the other. The conductors,besides Sir Thomas l}eecltam, were Mr. Albert Coates,Mr. Robert Ainsworth, and Mr. Clarence ltaybould.

Delius's' Koanga 'is an opera about a Noble Savagewho Dies for Love. He is brought as a slave fromdarkest Africa, where his Voodoo priesthood secms tohave given him the gift of tongues, for on arrival atthe orange plantation he immediately addresses tltewhite people in their own stilted libretto language.There is the stuff of opera in this story, but after beingcrippled by the librettist it is stifled by the composer.Delius's music is full of beautiful sound antl colottr,but it plays upon the composer's own nroods andmanners rather than upon the situations and incidentsof the text. The plea that the opera is a syruphonicpoem with its clues shown on the stage is less con-vincing than in the case of ' A Village. Romeo andJuliet, ' for in ' Koanga ' Delius was clearly aiming atan opera of action. His failure was due chiefly to lrisinability to keep words alive while setting thern tomusic. Theperformauce, under Sir Thomas Beecham,owed more to Mr. John Brownlee, as lioanga, than tothe remainder of tbe company, or to the setters anclproducers.

Mu sicol Times.November I 935

vluclal tour of thc opcrs compenywlrlch ls now at Covent Gsrdan, glvlngLondon lts flrst tuiumn ogcr8 scglolr(or sevcrnl ycars.

" fly l.u! crp.rlcncG ol t)rorlnclr, ii i l r( l let!r 'ct thO..r i nl6 i l r i l t l lG, ' nre iOmCllnt. :{;r l r l ,r le slow l,o rrnltrc Ulnt ! i l t or.cnt o! t :r l . trnlrtnrlonco lr tol i l t rB r, l$cc lr t |dcr t l relrcfc.r[ l rr ] ol Ir . l rrrt l l t l tc oncrt compony l ! otr th. ll i r l | r ! .o( ( lcl ] i r t l t lg tor l ! t trcr! nrl lcrtorlc.ottrtrvcl," t ] tr ' l l rorrran r. ld wlr l l I .rnt l lc,

"Stt l l . I :rru no! rcr lourly rpl lnl tcnrtrc bnt lr tr ocfn.rtorr. , I 'ccl r llrt yttir t t\o rl(lcrrprca(l o( mrulfnl lrrorlcdao. rnd.rd$clllotrrIrt rhlolr tlc Brltlrh.B:b.dc.rttE cOrporr.tlo|r hl|r ploJicd ro vlgorour r ,prrt. tlronrrrrlcrrl puDllc ol orlr grcrg prcrtqcld ctttgrn'ill .rnrlo .tho.lUU6.t ruc. o[ .thClr ofrnor.rt | trr l lc i to t t l l crcrt conrcr Of Urolr thc0trc!drlrl[g orrr lf,holc vLll."

Slr l,fho6r. had o tpod r6d lo |ry forl.ndolr' nrdlcncrr.

"Tlrc rcNltr ot thb r.r!o[ tn lrndorllrrro crccdl.d thc Grpcetrtlonr ot tlrc

SIR THOMAS BEECHAMIS KIND.

OPERA AUDIENCES.

Improvin3, But SometimerMiu Chancer.

Eugllsh opcra oudlences are lrnproyInB.

That ifrr the vlew expresscd to.dryby SlsThoqra.r Beecham. who bos moretllcn odce publtcly rebuked raudtenccsfor tnatterrrlon and lrotslne!& IIe srslutcrvlewed on lhc torihoonlng prl(}

Opera at Covent Garden

55

THE newly-formed London and Provincial OperaSociety, acting in conjunction with the Leagueof Opera and with Sir Thomas Beecham as

artistic director. gave a fortnight's season at CoventGarden from September 23. Six operas were given-' Koanga • (on the opening night) •. Siegfried,' . DerFreischutz.· and . La Boh~me I in English and • 11Barbiere' and I Un Ballo in Maschera' in Italian.With a few exceptions the casts were English in theone case and Italian in the other. The conductors,besides Sir Thomas Beecham. were Mr. Albert Coates,Mr, Robert Ainsworth, and Mr. Clarence Haybould.

Delius 's I Koanga • is an opera about a Noble Savagewho Dies for Love. He is brought as a slave fromdarkest Africa, where his Voodoo priesthood seems tohave given him the gift of tongues. for on arrival atthe orange plantation he immediately addresses thewhite people in their own stilted libretto language.There is the stuff of opera in this story. but after beingcrippled by the librettist it is stifled by the composer.Delius's music is full of beautiful sound and colour,but it plays upon the composer's own moods andmanners rather than upon the situations and incidentsof the text. The plea that the opera is a symphonicpoem with its clues shown on the stage is less con­vincing than in the case of I A Village. Romeo andJuliet: for in I Koanga • Delius was clearly aiming atan opera of action. His failure was due chiefly to hisinability to keep words alive while setting them tomusic, The performance, under Sir Thomas Beecham,owed more to Mr. John Brownlee, as Koanga, than tothe remainder of the company. or to the setters andproducers.

Musical Times, November 1935

SIR' THO~IAS BEECHAMIS KIND.

OPERA AUDIENCES.

Improvin" But Sometime.Mill Chance•.

English opera audiences are 1mprov1nl'.

Tha"'.· the view expressed to·dayby Strl!\'10411n.'1 Beecham. Who ha.s morelll:m <>"'c.e. publ1cly rebultedaudlenccsCor Inattention and noisiness. ,He wasInterViewed on the forthcomlnr pro-

\'Inclal tour' or· the opera companvwhIch is now at Coyent Garden. aivingLondon its tlrst au~umn opera seuoutor !;('Vl'rnl :t'cars.

.. ;\f~' I'M\. cXI~rll!n('f' oC pro\'lnelr,;alIlIIClh'('!'I ~1l0'.\'A m.1' lIuu tllo)' nre lIom.Un..~~;& 111I11! ~low lO rrnUn "hnt :111 ('\'oni or tl11';'111l!>nrtnll('1l I" LnKlnR piI'M! Imeter thelr't','c'lnllll 1"\1'11, 1111111 the (J~ra campon)" 15 on In'tl'illllL.Or 111!11tIrtllll( ror Its nf-lI.,,·nUleAtollc;01Irnl'l'l," ::lr Thomu Ilald WIth A lInlllt'.

"SllIl. J :1111 no" ~erlo\l.I\' ap\lrel\fn.h'e ontlllll o~c·Mlull.. I (efl IhAt ,,'lq1 t1\1t W.ld('~

"llr(,01d oC mUlIl!'nl kno..,ec21o. and. .•cl\lca~Io"1III .·hloh lac DrIUII1; BfO&dCl.th"".corpora.1I01l hila pIQ}'t'd !IO vlloro\l~ .. ,part. thenlll"lcnl public oC' Ollr IfrTU pro"tQCral elU.".U'm .mah .1 he. CuU. ,.... or ,Ihet: opJ'lOr.IIlIlItl.. 10 till I!\'U)' corner or their thclltresullrln3 ollr Whole \'lalt."

SIr fIbomu hac1 A pxlCl worcl to .y forLondon' a\ldlfncea,

'''nle rnwta at th.. MUOI\ In Londonhue ellcel'\:lecl the expecta\lona oC the

A NOTE ON. 'KOANGA' '

OPERATIC STORY-TELLING

Last week a corrcspondent suggestedthnt it would be a ptrblic servlce jif. TheTlmes would publish a ioncise account ofthe -story of Dclius's Koanga bdfore iBp.roduction nt Covent Oarden. The sugges.tion was not taken for the txcellent r"iionthat we did not know it . Nor did wepart icularly want to know it beforehand.There is a gtrod dehl to be said for. takingthe stoty of an opera straight from thcslage, ahd it is an exercise which opcrdticaudiences too'rarely get. The f ini-nightaudience at a new play.expecls tb do so.T'he f lrr t quett ion to bo askid i t : boer thcplay tell its story ? Possitrly that ought notto be the first question in the musicaltheatre, but i t is at any rate a questlon theanswer to which counts for sdmethir{g inthe judgment of a new opera.

Pttrveyors of opera in this countryselm to have made up their minds notonly that an opera cannot be expected totell its own story at a first hearing, butlhat, however oftcn an opera is given, the,public will never learn the story from thesimple prbcess of r[atchirtg aild lislening.Thcre seerl to be two rehsons for that. Thepurveyors alwiys thlnk of therhselves asconducting a mission to the heathen, andirnafine thcmselves to be filli-ng 'theiropera house with possible conv€rts to thcoperatic faith. So Covint Garden prirltson its programmes a synopsis of tht opetastory of the night, and the audiehces, whohave come, as most audiences do, becausethey know Wagner or some other favouriteby heart, rcllive the tedium of the lohgintervals by reading the synopsis to seehow funny it is. Th'erc is also in themajority of cases at' Covent Garden,though not so much just now, the fact thatoperas are performEd in langueges whlchthe nraycirity of the hearers do not under-sthnd. A synopsis may help them to pre-tedd to do so.'I'his

season, however, opened with anopera, written to an English text, whichwas not generally known because it hadnot been. widely circulated beforchand.We will confess that, probably in commonwith many others who were going to hearKoanga for the fifst time, we took aglarlce at lleseltlne's well-informed book

51

on Delius to see what he had to say abouti t . F inding that he had nothint to !ay,we came to the conclusion that there mustbe some good reason why we should. nbtbe told what it was all about. Heseltincmay have refrained for the same rialonwhich withheld us frcim satisfying Ourcorrespondent. IIe had. never seen theopera performed, and his pcrusal of thescore led him to judge that the text andcons t ruc l i on a re " .dec ided ly 'opera -t r ical . '

What did hc mean by that ? Surely,what thc hearer has found thir weck,that the story of Koanga is o[ thekind which dist racts the at tent ion both ofthe composer and the listener from theopera itself. The writer of the text (C. F.Keary) thought of the kind of thing whichhas gone to thc making of a thousandother, opcras-t[ue love and false love,heroisnr and v i f la iny leading to v io lentact ion, murder, and suic ide. . Del ius,having unfor tunnlely lc f t h i r l i fc of con-templnt ion in Flor ida and retu ined toEuropc, took al l that for granted as anecessary concomitant of an opera, andstudied lo express il in ways that hadbecome time-honoured by the usage ofotlrer European composers. But the lifeof contemplat ion was his real l i fe and i trvas that which he wanted to make thereal subject-mirlter of an opera about theSouthern plantat ion of h is drcams. Con-.sequtnt ly . as has been pointed out ,thc mciments in Koanga which makei t s t i l l a l iv ing work of ar t are thosc inwhich the composer shakes himself freeof the facts of the story and takes a deepbr iath of that a i r which he had inhaledwhcn he was supposed to be plantingortrn8e3. There arq a few pagci in Hesel-l ine's book oh Delius about his l ife at theSolano grovc which are a better prepara-t ion for hear ing Koanga than any synopsisof thc .story can be.

__ ln spi tc of thc hamper ing efTect ofKeary's story. Delius does in lact tell hisown- ;story of inner experience fairly con.clusively in Koanga, but minds iivetedon Keary are l iable to.miss Del ius. Thestage production at Covent Garden ir notvery helpfu l to Del ius. l ts devisers seemto havc said to themselves: This is not avery satisfactery op€ra, so let us see howlike a satisfactory opera we can makc itlook. The same thing happened atCovent Carden years ago with ,f Vii lageRomeo and Iuliet, with the result that-itwa3 not until after Delius's death, whenSir Thomas Beecham, in collab6ration-withMr. Jack Gordon and in command ofthe students of the R.C.M., . gave th i

A NOTE ON"KOANGA "

•OPERATIC STORY­

TELLINGLast week a corre~pondent ~uggested

that it would be a pllblic servlce.if TIltTltrrt's would publish a concise accolmt ofthe story of DeJius's Koanga bc!fore itsp.roduction at Covent Garden. The sugges·tlOn was not taken for the txccllent reasonthat we did not know it. Nor did weparticularly want to know it beforehand.There is a gOod deal to be said for: takingthe s~oty of an opera straight from thestage, ahd it is an exercise which operaticaudiences too' rarely get. The first-nightaudien"e at a new play. expects tb do $0.The flr!lt quelltion to bo asked 11: boes theplay tell its story? Possibly that ought notto be the first question in the musicaltheatre, but it is at any rate a question theanswer to which counts for sdmething inthe judgment of a new opera.

Pllrveyors of opera in this countryseem to have made up their minds notonly that an opera cannot be expected totell its own story at a first hearing, butthat, however often an opera is given. the,public will never learn the story from thesimple prbcess of watching ar1d listening.Ther~ seem to be two reasons for that. Thepurveyors always think of themselves asconducting a mission to the hell then, andimagine themselves to be filli!lB ,theiropera hou~e with possible converts to theoperatic faith. So Covent Garden pril1tson its programmes a synol"sis of the opetastory of the night, and the audiences, whohave come, as most audiences do, becausethey know Wagner or some other favouriteby heart, relieve the tedium of the lohgintervals by reading the synopsis to seehow funny it is. There is also in themajority of cases at' Covent Garden,though not so much just now, the fact thatoperas are perforrnl:d in langUllges whichthe majority of the hearers do not under·sthnd. A synopsis may help them to pre·tend to do so.

This se!son, however, opened with anopera, written to an English text, whichwas not generally known because it hadnot been. widely circulated beforehand.We wilt confess that, probably in commonwith many others who were going to hear,Koanga for the fitst time, we took aglance at Heseltlne's well-informed book

57

on Delius to see what he had to say aboutit. Finding that he had nothing to say,we came to the conclusion that there mustbe some good reason why we should nbtbe told what it was all about. Heseltinemay have refrained for the same reasonwhich withheld us from satisfying ourcorrespondent. He had. never seen theopera performed, and his perusal of thescore led him to judge that the text andconstruction are ".decidedly • opera­trica1.'"

What did he mean by that? Surely,what the hearer hns found this week,that the story of Koonga is of thekind which distracts the attention both ofthe composer and the listener from theopera itself. The writer of the text (C. F.Keary) thought of the kind of thing whichhas gone to the making of a thousandother, operas-t{ue love and false love,heroism and vinainy leading to violentaction, murder, and suicide.'· Delius,having unfortunately left his Ji(e of con­templation in Florida arid retu"rned toEurope, took all that· for granted as anecessary concomitant of an opera, andstudied lo express i't in ways that hadbecome lime-honoured by the usage ofother European composers. But the lifeof contemplation was his real life and itwa~ that which he wanted to make thereal subject-matter of an opera about theSouthern plantation of his dreams. Con-.sequcntly. as has been pointed out,the moments in Koanga which makeit still a living work of art arc those inwhich the composer shakes himself freeof the facts of the story and takes a deepbreath of that air which he had inhaled'Yhen he was supposed to be plantingoranges. There ar~ a few pages in Hesel­tine's book oh Delius about his life at theSolano grove which are a better prepara­tion for hearing Koa"ga than any synopsis.of the ·story can be.

In spite of the hampering eITect ofKeary's story. Delius does in fact teU hisown story of inner experience fairly con·c1usively in Koatlgn. but minds rivetedon Keary are liable to .iniss Delius. Thestage production at Covent Garden is notvery helpful to Delius. Its devisers seemto have said to themselves: This is not avery satisfactory opera, so let us see howlike a satisfactory opera we can make itlook. The same thing happened atCovent Garden years ago with A Yillag~

Rom~o and JII/iet, with the result that itwas not until after Delius's death, whenSir Thomas Beecham, in collabbration.withMr. Jack Gordon and in command .ofthe students of the R.e.M., gave the

58

opera there, that London audiences gotafty true conceptlon of what'was Delitrs'roullook on the operatic form.

The operatic composer's relation to hisl ibrett ist is a perennial probl im. WagnersolvCd it by assuming both oflices. Verdihardly atremptad to solvi. i t t i l l Boiro didso for him, and Hofmannstlpl accepted asimilar rcsponsibi l i ty towards jStrauss.Mort comporers, and Dclius was one o[them, wander through life irakinir thebest of bad iobs, the badnes's lying ii thefact that t [e l lbrctt ist doep not know what,the composer wants to sry. In opera thecomposer is t t ie person who hai got tosay things - and the l ibrett ist is meielyaltopding him an occasion for his speech.The latt tr is not, ai in a play, tel l ing hlsown story. T'[at is why to fasten theatlenl ion of the l isteher on the contents ofthe book is alwayg dangerous, end ntey befatal. The ideal opera ,and orrcra-bro-duction throw. ihe emphasis in

-the i ight

ptaqg pp rs ' to

tcl l the t istener vtrrf isprimary and what secopdary in the com'poser's cxperience, add the listeher'spleasurc in the opera l ies in making thatdiscovery through the loint work

-of its

iplerpreters.

( l o r r rpose t l l r t ' l \ \ ' e ( ' l t l s l l l l l r t l l $117 an r lo r l 4 l r r r r l l 5 ' l r t r . r t l t t l e r l t t t l i l t t c l t c l ( 1 , l t tt l u | l r r i r t r l , ( r \ t ' r ' : l l l \ t l t l l s 0 l l 0 , l l l t t l t t t t ] q l c. r ( " l i o d t r g l t , " s o . I r ] r 0 s o l l 0 l l l 0 y l t t t l g cI r ' o r r r l l r u - r . . ' l r r ] l r i l i { l l t escn tn t l o t t , hnsr ro t r r r t t t : l r I n co t r t t l t o l t t v l t l t t h0 l l lB tu re rl ) r l l l r r s r v l l l r r v l t o l t t s ' e l t nve beconrof l r r r r l l l r r r I n t h o c o t l e e r l h a l l .l l r r t l u r t b t e d l y l t l s l l t o t n t t s l e o l i lI r r ; t s l e t ' .' l

t r o l o l r r u l r r I c l t r r l t t s e t l s e l n b l 0 sl o u ' n r r l s l l t e e r r r l o f l l l i r l l r s t t t c l , f o t 'r ' s f l n r l l e . n r o t r u l l t t r l l r v l l h o e o l l d l l yi r r r r l t r r l l l l i t t r c e t r l t l t l t l r l r ' l t o - n l t r ls l l : ' l n l l l - l e c l r t l l r ' t t l r ' 1 ) t r r P i l l ' 1 5 6 1 1 t r ' l l l t\ \ ' u g n e r ' 1 t 1 1 6 ' t l r e l l r l e r \ e t ' d l : n n r l t h r ls { ,11 r r i 1S n r r ' l r n la lS \ \ Ov0n r r ' l l h Or ' l l l r r r o < s r u r r l c , ) t r l l l r t t l l y o f r ( ! S o t t r c ot l t i t l s l t ( ) t , l r f s l l e t t r ' r , I o t ' e v t ' t ' t l r o s o ( l lr r r r v s r r r l r t ' c t t t r t l t r ) t v l r o l e t t r l t o < l l s t t t l s ' ;O c l i n s r r s n s ( t l t o l g t o p l r t g n t t t n l c u r .

c o M P o S E n ' 8 0 n A F T .l . l l i e t l r e s ! ' r n p l r o t t l c ; r o e l n " l ) n r l s , "

r r ' l r l l l r d n t e s l r n l r r t l t e s n n l 0 p e r l o d ," l i o a n g ! r " o l f e r s s l n r t l l t r g p r o o f t h u tl ) r ' l l r r s ' r v n s l t t 6 6 r l ; r l r l e p o s s e s s l o n o lt l r t t I ' on tpose t "s c l i t f t l o l tR t re fo ro l t ns ' r ' o l c l l t e ' r l o r l t s t r ; l o l t u l t l e l r l r l s r r ' l de l 'f n n r o t l e l l o t t r J s . \ \ ' l t ; r i l r e l t n d 5 ' e t . t on c l t l e v e l t t l l t o s o r l l t l ' s \ \ ' 0 s I n er r ; t p l l t ' i t l l o t t o f t l r n t c r r t I t t o t l e e p e r w e l l so i 1 ' 6 s 1 r ' t ' t t t l t l p l r l l o s o ; ' l r r ' ' r v l l l t l n l t l t t t .

( ) n c s l r l k l l r g t l r l t t 1 1 i t l r o t t t " l ( o n l t g n "l s l l r c s 1 l u ' l t t g t t s c o f J r l r t t r l i t f l o l t l l l l l c $ '' l l r e " , ' \ p n , r l i l r : h l t r " v n t l n t l o t t g l l { l \ ' € l l lt f l 0n r r r (o t r r l r l n r t l l t t ( ) t (1 " t l l gge t ' "

b tood . ' t l r o fes t i r l r r rus lC r r ' l t l c f t

a c t ' o n r p n t r l a s t l t e r r e t l t l l t t g o ( l { o a t t g nn r r r l I ' t t l t t t . t ' t ' i t s { ) f ; t t ' f r o t t t b e l t r gr rcg t ' o l t l l s t ' a r : l l . v l i t t rope t tn -n l tnos tI r n i i s l s n - l n r l e c c l , l t t t t t l l i c s o l ) e t h l n k 0 tt l l zo t n t l t l n bes t .

t ) t t t l t r t t l r l s l l t l c t l r t r l e i r r l k I \ l r .I i r l c I ; e i rh l ' , r , , l r o , r ( : l ed 0s [ )e l l r r s ' sn n t a n u 0 n s l i d r r r l l r g h l $ p t ' o l r n c t e d l a s ll l l l r c s s . l r t o d c t l t e l l r t e r e s t l l l g d l s e J o s t t r ct l rn t ce r ta l t l t t t r t s l c fo r s rna l l o rc l l es t r t tl r r l he l ns t oe t \ \ ' 0s ( l l c tn ted by l l t 0i o , n n o s e r . l r o t t r t d e n s w h l c l t l l e c u l l e df r o r r i " I r n t c l l n , " l r l s f l r n t o p c r n - l l '

' l he ncw ope r t t \ \ 83 g l ven ^ a t ' le r r t l t u s l n s l l c r e c e ; ' l l o n . A t t l t o f l r c ti n ie r i n t l he re ( ' e t o fou r cu r ln ln i .i t t u i l c - l o te , ' s f i r ese f l t l r t c l t t ded Lady

Sr iou ; r l en , - t , ady V lc to l Jp Pagg t , t l t e

C o r r n t o s s ' o f J e r i e y , a r r r l $ q D u c h e s s ^ o fl t r r l l a n t l . L a d y C t l r t n r r l , \ l t l ) o p 0 r t y '

o e e u P l e t ! t l t c l l o l o l b o r .

A H I T O H .

l ) r r I l r r g t l t e l l r l r t l n c t l h e r o w 0 t n

t r t i c t r . ' 1 1 ' l r o

t t t t t a l c s r r d d e n l y c 6 0 5 0 d

r l r t r l t t g l l t o l r i t t t s l t l r ' r t t f t t J t t t t h o t l r l t

The Times,28 September I 935

Delius OperaBrosdcast.

Koangq' Giuen ACouent Garden.

L l t r l t r i ; . i l r t S l ( r l i r v l l ( r l n ( l t r t r ) t t tt i r r r r l t ' r r u l l l r e l l t s t l i t t g l t s l r l r { : l l o r t t t -r l t r ( c r . ' l " N r ) i t t t l ' ; t , ' t l j t r : t l C r i C l ' l | ) t ' l i U S Sr . t r r ' l r r , l ) t . t i t ( r l S o t l l l l , \ t t t t r t i l i J t r l , l t r l t l : t -t i r r r r l i t u l t r l h d l r ; r r l o l r l t l r r l s t r I t t o l r l t :s l ; r t c S t t i l r l

' r ' l ' l l { ' l o l e l : i { ' r ' t s , l { l l \ 0

l i . l r ) U r . r s l r r l l r : l i l t s ' s t r t t l l l e \ \ ' c $ lt l i r l l i l g ; t l , r n n r i s l t t g I r ) t r t l : t s l 0 o ( l l t r lr ' , t l t r , l i t , r r r e i r r s l ( r t ( ! f t t t ' t l t e n l l t t t l r ' - rt r . ' r t r ' l t t l t r r u I l t r . ' n S i t '

' l l t t ) l l t t t s

l l l t ' r ' l r r r t r r ' s ( r , n l l l i l t t Y s c l s l o t t l t o t l l l s

I ' t ' o v i t t t . ' l i t I l r l t t t ' .

58

opera there. that London audiences gotany true conception of what'wa!I Oelius'souUook on the operatic Corm.

The operatic comp05er's relation to hi~

librettist is a perennial problem, Wagnersolved it by assuming both offices. Vt:rdihardly attempted to solve,it till Boito didso .for him, and Hofmannstl¥tl accepted asimilar responsibility towards; Strauss.Most composers, and Delius was one ofthem~ wander through life making thebest of bad jobs, the badness Jying 'in thefact that tlte-Jlbrettist doe~ not know what.the composer wants to say. In opera thecomposer is tile person who has got. tosay things and the librettist" j!l' merel'yaffording l}im an occasion Cor his speech.The latttris not. a! in a play. telling hisown stoty. T\1at is why to Casten theattention of the listener on the contents ofthe book is always dangerous. and n1l\Y befatal. The ideal opera ,and opera-pro­duction thro~, the emphasis in (he rightpla<;e s~ as to tell the listener \Yhat is"rimary and what seco~dary in. the com~Poser's experience. arid the listener'spleasure in the upera lies in making thatdiscovery through the joint work of itsblterpreter~s~.~~~~~~~

The Times, 28 September 1935

Delius OperaBroadcast.

•, Koanga ' Given At

Covent Garden.1.:1,,1 1I1~"I'::; I (:I:I,v I r \'111 1:U\'I~lll

1;:11111'11 \)1 III~ Il ..~t 1:lIgll~1I 1'I!rlorlll­:1I11'C t." .. 1\1):1":,.':1," FJ,~derit:l-; )eJiU:;:',':td,\ "pl'la 01 ~1I11"1 ,\IIIt.'ril'OJII ,01,1111:)­'if'" lifl~ I" 1I1C \>;111 old !l1l\':; ur 1101,1(':-la\'t'5 111111 '1'I'lId o\('r~;i,I'''~. 1;:l\Cli"reuerc; III "':,1 i IlS':-; IIHll\c \\'r.~r

Ilidli'l~ a rllllll,i:·dilg r()I'~':lc;lo oC Ill,)1'.\l'l'ril'Il'·c ill ~1(l"1! ror tllClI1 III 1I1'J111.':1 I' 'Ill IlIe )\ 11l~1I Si r TIIl)JIIHS

11I'1'I'hlllll':; rUIII!'a,,)' sets fOlth 011 Il~

I','o\'i "r1 a I 10111',

<:OIIlJlllScd 11('1\\'0.('11 J~~j 111111 t~!17 nndollJ{IIIIIlly 1'1 (Jdlll'('t1 tit [~Ibclrcld. III':1'1'1111'11\' Oll'r :\1' \ I~rtrs ngll , Ihe 1I111r;lcor' .. I\oli,;ga," !\O r;)\, (IS 0110 lll(lY Judgerr011l tile \':II't~Il~~;" pll'sr.ntnllon, hasllot 11llll:h In com'moll with the maturerIll~ltlls wll1l whom wc hove becomorallllllllr In 1110 concert hill\.llllllotlutcdly It Is t!10 music o( aIII:Isle!'.

'11'0 ~oln u1111 CllOfu5 cnsemhlc!Ilfl\\'lllds thr. ('lld nC 'he I1r~l lIet, Cor1'~llltlple, Bro hullt lip wllh n solldtlynlld IJrl 11111 1Ir(' \\111\'11 11)\'1\0 - nll,1:'1\:-lnI11-1('('IIII",,,1 f'Oll\flal'l~OIl wllll\\'llgnl'l' ,,"d 'tlte lalrr \ ('I'd I : nnl1 lhll!="Ol'\' II!= n \\'holl' I~ \\OV£l1l with l\,k'"II'<'!;' 111111 (,')IIIII1t1lly or rl'50Ilr('1l111011 ,,',ollld sHell"" for rVI'r ll,oso (IrIl1lV ~1I('1I 1'~1Il1l11l' who 10.1IIt to <I1!'IllIF';UI'IiI/!; 1I~ n !S(lrl (If J!rnplng nmnteur,

COMrOSEn'S OnAf'T.1.I1\{~ the ~}'lTlphonlc pO('1O .. 1'01'15,"

\\'1111'11 rlnl('S rrolll tIll' snnlP p(lrll)~," I\O:lIIg11" orfer!; slnrtllTlg' proOf thulJkllll~ \\'I\~ III COI11)1II'IO rosscf;c;lon or'hr. I'OIllPOSr.r'S era rt I()II~ tJerorohnwrote Ihe \\'01'1<3 IIpon \"'deh 11I~ widerrll'"0 <1epl'lIl1s, Wllat lie hnd yel tonclllcvc In those day~ was theIlJlpllra!lon or that ern rl 10 (I('('per wellsor I'oelr~' lint! rltllo~opll,v \\'IIIIln hill!,

ClIIC slrlklnl{ Ihlllft ahoul .. I\onnga "Is 111(' spllrlll~ IIC;'" or pla/ltnlloll 11I1l(,~,Tile" ,\ppalac:hln" vflr/nUNlS 11I1\'e IIIIh('llI n /.:Olll! «11'111 fllOlt' .. nl~~cr ,.blood. Tlto festal music \\'hlchAct'olllpnlllr.s the wcddlllg or I\oollgnnlld PnllllHa SI) far from hclltgIIf'grold' Is' rndl.v ElIf'opelJn-nltnOf.lP"f'i~lon-lnclecd. It 1l1ll!;CS one Ihl nk o(BI7.l"t nl. hlR hC'sl.

''''I'ltl~ his Inlcrllllln tnll( ~Ir,Eric Fr.nh". ""ho Ilcled ns [JflIlIlS'Snmalluensls dllrlll~ illS protrnctcd ·lastIIlllc~s, 11Iode tile Ifltcrcst\n~ dlscloslITetllat certain music for small orctlcstrnIII the' last net wos dlctnted by the('omposcr. (rolll ldC'ns which he culled(1'0111 .. Jrmclln," hl~ Orr.t opcrn.-H.

The lIew opel'll \\89 Riven nncllthuslnsllc reception, At tha nr~lIntenal there w£'ro' (our curinlne,Mtlslc-!over!\ pref.l"llt Included LndySnowden,. Lady \'Irto~nPORet, theCountess or Jet sey, lllHi Duchess or[{\llland. Lady Cunn.rd. ~v lh n porty,oecllplcl1 .tlle 1\0)'01 box,

it HITOH.ntll'llIR the third nd there v.'n~ n

hitch, The 1ll1lf;1r. 511ddcnly cMscddllrllll; tllO lrall51tl011 flom th& firtH

59

t l cenc g la r l e l n t l t o f o r ( : s t t o l l r o seco r t r ton t l r o l t l u r r l n t l 0 r r .

' l l r o d rop . cu r to l l rr v n s l o t r e r c r l a t t l r e t l n r e ,

S l r ' ' l ' ho rnns Uue r : l r n tn 601 .1 t o a

repo r l eg l a te r : " \ \ ' hn t happono t lr r p ; l n r c r t f l y t t a .q t l t n t t f r a ro w ts 6Omeh r e n k d o r v r r l r r l l t o r r r c c l r n n l s n l o n t h 0s t r rgn . I r vns conduc t l ng . B \ ' 0 r y so l tp l eco o [ t n r r s l o \ t l t cn t l r e r s \ \ ' s s guch oro rv f l o rn t l r o s tngo t l r o t I had t o e top .I J r r r t t lo rvr r u l l ' l )0 ton nnd rvent on t l tos tngo l o sc0 r r l r o t l t r t ' a s o l l obo r r t . Il o l r l t l r c l n l o . s l o1 l - l r vo t r ' t sny e rac t l yu l . r i r t I sa l r l -a l rd t l ro no lso ceasod.' l ' l rer r

I tvet r t bnc l r lo tny p l0 , lo ln t t reorc l rest ru nnc l re .c t !n led t l t0 rnus l0

" ' l ' f re

dnUslc rv l t lch I wos, 'hhoul , 16p lnv r r ' l rer r lhe n0 ls0 begnn wps l lo tI r r c l r r r l r ' r l I n l l r e op0 t ' n bv De l l t t s . l t xo6

Yorkshire Observer,24 September I 935

MUSICAL TOPICSBroadcast Opera rnll Koanga

byProfessorFH Shera

(S hffi eld Tblegrap h, 22 Octob er I 9 3 5, p.5)

To hear an opera for the first time by wireless even with the score open infront of one is clearly not the ideal way; but it is a way which must needssuffice for a good many of us, and I should be the last one to deny itsadvantages. Apart from the obvious material ones - the avoidance of expense andpossible discomfort in connection with transport, seating and ventilation - thefollowing of the score ensures that the words, at any rate, are understood, anda good deal of the music heard. The reader will note the qualification of thelast phrase. Whatever the cause, I have heard far better broadcasts from CoventGarden than that at the premidre [sic] of Koanga on September 23rd. Thedeficiency is more likely to have been technical than the fault of Delius'sscoring, though it must be remembered that Koanga is the work of a relativelyyoung man. And the music being, as far as could be judged, conceived on thepiano and transferred to the orchestra, the'thin'effects may have been simplythe result of immaturity. This is one of the points that only direct experiencecan decide.

r r l t r r ssnge I r o tn l ) e l i r r s ' s r vo r l tS r vh l chI l r n t l l r t r : l u r l c r l n r1 ' se l l du r l n frn l t on l ' sn l s n t t l t l s I ' o l 1 t , bOca t r so it l r oug l r t l . t . r vas - l l t t l r r g t he r0 du r l l r gf hc t r aDs t t l o r r f r o l n t l r e one sceno tot l r e o l l t e t ' .

" \ \ ' l ro t \ I wanter l lo achtevs \ \ 'osru l t r ed h . v l ho l r o l se on t he s tngo . I a r r rno t sn l ' l ng t l u ' ns r i r r vone ' s f nu l t . I i ve r y .O l re \ \ ' ns n r l t t l l r ; t l r l n , l l r e l ud lng t l i eo r r l l es l l ' n n l t t l s i l r ge r s , ' i r en ra r l i ed S l r' l ' ho t t t t r s .

\ \ ' f r e l l l l t e l t r t t s i e t qBS r csumt ,d l hoa u r l l e r r c c o ( ' c u l r l e ( l . t l t f t l r s e a l s n n d l l r ao | 0 t : t \ \ ' t ' l l t ( f t l t t t t l t r l 0 r t ' t t p l e t l l l ' t O l l Sr ' n r r r : l us l o r r . l l r r t l r r t l r e fO ] .e r a l l e r .t \ ; t t r l r l i l l l e g t r r r t l ' l r r l ; ' n r t l r l e s l O o r l f O fn l on i { l l r r r r r r l l s c r r ss l r r g l l r o decu f rene0 .

1\ pn~sngc frOITl /)rlills's worl{s whIchI hod Inc:ludrrl m)'seIr duringrnIH'Il"snls nt t1IJ~ 11011lt, bocouso IthOllgJlt It was fltllnn \here duringfhe transitloll frolll the onesceno totile ot"H .

.. \Vhnt\ J wa nle" to achieve wn5rullled hy tho lIol~.0 on the ~tnRo. I 8.111nol 5nyln~ It wn!' flll)'onc's. fnull. EverY.olle wa~ ndllll ralllf', IlIcludlng t1ieorrhr.!'1 rn nntJ sillgers,'; rcmnrl.;ed SirTholllllS. .

Whell fhe music wns rr.!;ump,d Ihoaw/lcllrc occupled.f1lplr ~('n'fi nnd thenprra """Ill (Ill Illl.ltd('"rllp'c<lly to tt~

f'.nllclll~lnll. 111ft III Ihe roy(!r nrter·\\;11'1'" 'it"1'! r:nlll/',C; ,If proplc l'IOO" forn lon~ flflll! dISCllc,t,llIg '"0 dccurrcnc~.

•

59

Sr.CIIC glade In tho rOr(:f>t lo nlo sccoIH1011 thn plulltnllOIl. TlJo drop·curta.ln\\'115 lowrrcrJ at tl1r tlmc,

~II' Thollln~ 1Jl'('clJam finlt1 to 8rrportl:'r )ntN: .. Whnt hRppenednppnrcnlly \\'a~lhnt thero Wl\S fiOmehrcnl<dowlI III the 111(\('lInnI501 on tho!\llIgr.. I Wll~ conducting. a "cry 80ftplec~ or 1Il1l~lo wllclI there was ~uch nrow rrolll 1110 sln.'lo thtll I JHl.d to 6tOp.I pilL dowlI lily horon nnd wenl on tho5tngo to ~co whot It was oil about.Jlold 'htlll lo.stop-I won't My ~~nctly

",I HI t I sahl-Anrl tfln nol!\o CA3~d.

Tlicl1 I wellt bncl{ 10 my plo...~o In theordll'!slrn llnd rC~llnH'd the mnslc

.. The <fnU~lc which I WO!\. 'hhout· toplny when Ihe nol~o hC'(lnn wp.~ notlnclllfkd In tile oprl'n bv Oclllls. Jt wa.s

Yorkshire Observer, 24 September 1935

MUSICAL TOPICSBroadcast Opera and Koanga

by Professor F H Shera

(Sheffield Telegraph, 22 October 1935, p.5)

To hear an opera for the first time by wireless even with the score open infront of one is clearly not the ideal way; but it is a way which must needssuffice for a good many of us, and I should be the last one to deny itsadvantages. Apart from the obvious material ones - the avoidance ofexpense andpossible discomfort in connection with transport, seating and ventilation - thefollowing of the score ensures that the words, at any rate, are understood, anda good deal of the music heard. The reader will note the qualification of thelast phrase. Whatever the cause, I have heard far better broadcasts from CoventGarden than that at the premiere [sic] of Koanga on September 23rd. Thedeficiency is more likely to have been technical than the fault of Delius'sscoring, though it must be remembered that Koanga is the work of a relativelyyoung man. And the music being, as far as could be judged, conceived on thepiano and transferred to the orchestra, the 'thin' effects may have been simplythe result of immaturity. This is one of the points that only direct experiencecan decide.

60

PART OFEFFECT MISSED

But assuming that the listener at home gets a performance which is wholly

satisfactory on the musical side, to receive his first impression by wirelessmeans that he is all the time missing about 40 per cent of the effect designedby the composer. This is a platitude, but it is too seldom remembered. The

composer of an opera writes with a picture of the stage, with its scenery,cosfumes and gesfures, before his mind; and no imaginative picture can replace

the real one.The case is not on all fours with that of the symphonic poem, though at first

sight it might seem so. The composer of a symphonic poem is illustrating a

series of actions; but he knows that he will have no stage to help him, and two

consequences inevitably follow. His music must be more graphic, and it mustmove more quickly. The frrst of these requirements may be disputed but only, I

thin( by those who in any case regard the symphonic poem as a degenerate formof art. The second should be clear enough. The imagination works at enormously

high speed, and as it visualises the programme of a symphonic poem, it canfollow a far swifter progress than is possible to opera.

FIRM ILLUSTRATION

The cinema provides a useful illustration, for the normal tempo of its actionis considerably more rapid than that of the stage; and the normal tempo ofopera is considerablyslowerthanthe spokendrama.In Miss Grace Moore's hlm,'On

Wings of Song', it is interesting to note the skilful choice of an operaticexcerpt. 'La Bohdme' is one of the most concise operas ever written. All in allit plays less than two hours, and the second act is over in 20 minutes. (The

superior person may object that this is due to the scrappiness of Puccini'sideas, or in his poverfy of resource in developing them; but that is anotherstory.) The latter part of the first act, from Mimi's arrival, never drags in agood stage performance. On the screen, by comparison with the normal tempo offilm-action, it is only saved from unendurable tedium by the admirable singing

of Miss Moore and her excellent colleague.These discursive remarks will perhaps show why it is desirable to write with

reserve about an opera heard for the hrst time under broadcast conditions.Just as music is writtem to be heard and not to be read, though the ability toread it undoubtedly sharpens the sense of hearing, so opera is meant to be seen

as well as heard, though to hear and read it may be a useful preparation for

the direct experience; and the reverse order is undeniably the better.

THE LIBRETIO

One of the principal factors in the whole, however, can be briefly considered

without great injustice; the libretto. Here again, it may be argued, the frnalproof of the pudding is in the eating; but certain points were prominent.

On a general view, the story of Koanga is not essentially gripping. The noble

savage, prince and priest of Voodoo has a certain significance, and there is at

60

PART OF EFFECT MISSED

But assuming that the listener at home gets a performance which is whollysatisfactory on the musical side, to receive his first impression by wirelessmeans that he is all the time missing about 40 per cent of the effect designedby the composer. This is a platitude, but it is too seldom remembered. Thecomposer of an opera writes with a picture of the stage, with its scenery,costumes and gestures, before his mind; and no imaginative picture can replacethe real one.

The case is not on all fours with that of the symphonic poem, though at firstsight it might seem so. The composer of a symphonic poem is illustrating aseries of actions; but he knows that he will have no stage to help him, and twoconsequences inevitably follow. His music must be more graphic, and it mustmove more quickly. The first of these requirements may be disputed but only, Ithink, by those who in any case regard the symphonic poem as a degenerate formofart. The second should be clear enough. The imagination works at enormouslyhigh speed, and as it visualises the programme of a symphonic poem, it canfollow a far swifter progress than is possible to opera.

FIRM ILLUSTRATION

The cinema provides a useful illustration, for the normal tempo of its actionis considerably more rapid than that of the stage; and the normal tempo ofopera is considerably slower than the spoken drama. In Miss Grace Moore's film,'On Wings of Song', it is interesting to note the skilful choice of an operaticexcerpt. 'La Boheme' is one of the most concise operas ever written. All in allit plays less than two hours, and the second act is over in 20 minutes. (Thesuperior person may object that this is due to the scrappiness of Puccini'sideas, or in his poverty of resource in developing them; but that is anotherstory.) The latter part of the first act, from Mimi's arrival, never drags in agood stage performance. On the screen, by comparison with the normal tempo offilm-action, it is only saved from unendurable tedium by the admirable singingofMiss Moore and her excellent colleague.

These discursive remarks will perhaps show why it is desirable to write withreserve about an opera heard for the first time under broadcast conditions.Just as music is writtem to be heard and not to be read, though the ability toread it undoubtedly sharpens the sense of hearing, so opera is meant to be seenas well as heard, though to hear and read it may be a useful preparation forthe direct experience; and the reverse order is undeniably the better.

THE LIBRETTO

One of the principal factors in the whole, however, can be briefly consideredwithout great injustice; the libretto. Here again, it may be argued, the finalproofof the pudding is in the eating; but certain points were prominent.

On a general view, the story of Koanga is not essentially gripping. The noblesavage, prince and priest of Voodoo has a certain significance, and there is at

6 l

any rate no merely theatrical clap-trap about his sinister imprecations. But asa tragic figure he lacks impressiveness. It is not easy to recall a good all-round analogy. He is intended to inspire pity and terror; most of the heroes oftragic opera are intended to inspire one or the other. But Koanga inspires lesspity than, say, the Dutchman; and he certainly inspires less terror than the

malignant Kaspar in'Der Freischutz'.The rest of the characters are the merest type-figures. In visible

performance the actors may be able to give them the semblance of life;musically, not one of them seems to have a particle of individuality.

DISCPLINE FOR LISTENER

The charm of 'Koanga's'

libretto (and charm it certainly possesses) should liechiefly in its exotic and tropical setting. And the general atmosphere is, one

imagines, particularly well-suited to the lush luxuriance of Delian harmonies.On the other hand, it needs a little self-discipline in the listener if, whenhe hears the girls talking to

'Uncle Joe' and catches echoes of the idiom of

the late Stephen C Foster, not to think of burnt cork and the seaside inAugust. (Why are uncles - and aunts - so singularly inappropriate to tragicopera?)

It remains to add a few words about the music, though the warning must berepeated that it may not have come through perfectly, and that in any case onlythe most provisional estimate can be made before it is heard in thetheat re . . .

The vocal writing for the soloists is not often grateful; Palmyra, theheroine, is better treated than the other characters; but I cannot think thateven she had cause for excessive gratitude. The accentuation of words issometimes casual, and there is a lackof inevitabilify in the melodic curves.

CHORUS WORK A DELIGHT

The chorus, however, has an abundanceoftuneful andlovely music. Deliusbeingessentially a harmonist seems to be more comfortable with a chorus which he can(and often does) see instrumentally, than with an accompanied solo. Every barof the chorus work is a delieht to the ear, and there are several fineensembles.

The orchestral interludes, and the orchestral part generally, are authenticDelius; now again, perhaps, they recall Grieg more definitely than the laterworks; but they are none the worse for that.

So much for first impressions. Many of them will no doubt be contradicted inthe theatre, but they may have some usefulness in showing the limitations ofbroadcast reception and on fomiting the keen listener to hear the

'real thing'

for himself.

61

any rate no· merely theatrical clap-trap about his sinister imprecations. But asa tragic figure he lacks impressiveness. It is not easy to recall a good all­round analogy. He is intended to inspire pity and terror; most of the heroes oftragic opera are intended to inspire one or the other. But Koanga inspires lesspity than, say, the Dutchman; and he certainly inspires less terror than themalignant Kaspar in 'Der Freischutz'.

The rest of the characters are the merest type-figures. In visibleperformance the actors may be able to give them the semblance of life;musically, not one of them seems to have a particle of individuality.

DISCIPLINE FOR LISTENER

The charm of 'Koanga's' libretto (and charm it certainly possesses) should liechiefly in its exotic and tropical setting. And the general atmosphere is, oneimagines, particularly well-suited to the lush luxuriance of Delian harmonies.On the other hand, it needs a little self-discipline· in the listener if, whenhe hears the girls talking to 'Uncle Joe' and catches echoes of the idiom ofthe late Stephen C Foster, not to think of burnt cork and the seaside inAugust. (Why are uncles - and aunts - so singularly inappropriate to tragicopera?)

It remains to add a few words about the music, though the warning must berepeated that it may not have come through perfectly, and that in any case onlythe most provisional estimate can be made before it is heard in thetheatre...

The vocal writing for the soloists is not often grateful; Palmyra, theheroine, is better treated than the other characters; but I cannot think thateven she had cause for excessive gratitude. The accentuation of words issometimes casual, and there is a lack of inevitability in the melodic curves.

CHORUS WORK A DELIGHT

The chorus, however, has an abundance oftuneful and lovely music. Deliusbeingessentially a harmonist seems to be more comfortable with a chorus which he can(and often does) see instrumentally, than with an accompanied solo. Every barof the chorus work is a delight to the ear, and there are several fineensembles.

The orchestral interludes, and the orchestral part generally, are authenticDelius; now again, perhaps, they recall Grieg more definitely than the laterworks; but they are none the worse for that.

So much for first impressions. Many of them will no doubt be contradicted inthe theatre, but they may have some usefulness in showing the limitations ofbroadcast reception and on fomiting the keen listener to hear the 'real thing'for himself

62

LAMBERT AND DELIUSA recording of Delius bought by many music-lovers on 78s was Constant Lambert's12" plum-label HMV of l^s Calinda from Koanga, coupled with the Intermezzo andSerenade from Flassan.rE (Indeed, it was the first record I ever bought.) And itwas not deleted until Febru ary 1957 and immediately reappeared on a

'45'. Yet

Lambert did not conduct much Delius nor did he have much to say about thecomposer in his book Music Ho!. though he concluded that ultimately Deliusallowed harmonic considerations excessive weight in his music. However, hecertainly appears sympathetic to Delius in his press criticism.

It was Angus Morrison who first drew attention to the parallel betweenDelius's experience of hearingNegro voices singingduring summernights on hisFlorida plantation, and Lambert's moment of

'true inspiration' when he firstsawthe C B Cochran reviewwhich included the Plantation Orchestra, which gaveLondon its first sight of the troupe of coloured artists who later achievedfame as the'Blackbirds'.le As Richard Shead points out, Lambert's harmony inhis choral writing in his celebrated work The.Rio Grande is not without itsdebt to Delius. Indeed, Christopher Palmer has drawn our attention to theparallel between the final passage of The Rio Grande and Delius's Appalachia,where both composers use a solo voice rising from within the chorus toarticulate highly ch arged emotion.20

Many of the composers who were friends and associates of Lambert, manychampioned by Lambert in his role as conductor, wrote within the shadow ofDelian harmony,includingMoeran,Warlock,van Dierenand Hadley. Even Lamberthimself, when he reaches the climax of his greatest work. the choral

'masque'

Summer's Last Wiil and kstament, adopts the Delian device of wordless voicesat the climax of the first part.

So to read Lambert's contemporary reaction to Delius's operas as theyappeared on the London stage at the distance of only a year is to have aparticularly well-qualified reporter. yet one who had not experienced Deliusbefore the First World War and hence had no residual critical baggage of anearl ier era.

Reissued on CD. Testament SBTl0l4

Quoted by Richard Shead in his Constant Lambert, Simon Publications, 1973. p.38

Delius: Portrait of a Cosmopolitan. Duckworth. 1976. pp.38-9

18 .19.20.

62

LAMBERT AND DELIUSA recording of Delius bought by many music-lovers on 78s was Constant Lambert's12" plum-label HMV ofLa Calinda from Koanga, coupled with the Intermezzo andSerenade from HassanYI5 (Indeed, it was the first record I ever bought.) And itwas not deleted until February 1957 and immediately reappeared on a '45'. YetLambert did not conduct much Delius nor did he have much to say about thecomposer in his book Music Ho!, though he concluded that ultimately Deliusallowed harmonic considerations excessive weight in his music. However, hecertainly appears sympathetic to Delius in his press criticism.

It was Angus Morrison who first drew attention to the parallel betweenDelius's experience ofhearing Negro voices singing during summernights on hisFlorida plantation, and Lambert's moment of 'true inspiration' when he firstsawthe CB Cochran reviewwhich included the Plantation Orchestra, which gaveLondon its first sight of the troupe of coloured artists who later achievedfame as the 'Blackbirds'.19 As Richard Shead points out, Lambert's harmony inhis choral writing in his celebrated work The .Rio Grande is not without itsdebt to Delius. Indeed, Christopher Palmer has drawn our attention to theparallel between the final passage of The Rio Grande and Delius's Appalachia,where both composers use a solo voice rising from within the chorus toarticulate highly charged emotion.2o

Many of the composers who were friends and associates of Lambert, manychampioned by Lambert in his role as conductor, wrote within the shadow ofDelian harmony, including Moeran, Warlock, van Dieren and Hadley. Even Lamberthimself, when he reaches the climax of his greatest work the choral 'masque'Summers Last Will and Testament, adopts the De1ian device of wordless voicesat the climax ofthe first part.

So to read Lambert's contemporary reaction to Delius's operas as theyappeared on the London stage at the distance of only a year is to have aparticularly well-qualified reporter, yet one who had not experienced Deliusbefore the First World War and hence had no residual critical baggage of anearlier era.

18. Reissued on CD, Testament SBTlO1419. Quoted by Richard Shead in his Constant Lambert, Simon Publications, 1973, p.3820. Delius: Portrait ofa Cosmopolitan, Duckworth, 1976, pp.38-9

63

By CONSTAI\IT LAA{BERT

^An Early Delius OperaCC TZ OANGA," Delius's early

I\ opera, performed for thefirst timo in England at

Covent Garden last week, thougirltordly a stage Buccess as a whole,contains many superbly dramatismoments.

They occur when the curtain isdown or when the stage is plungedinto abnost total darliness.

This at first sight reads like a con-demnation of Delius as a stage writer.But a moment's thought will show thatnothing of the sort is intendecl.

Wagner is admitted, even by hisdetractors, to have at least a theatresense, and can anyone deny that Sieg-fried's funeral march (which, accordingto old opera conventions, is only aD" entr'acte ") is more dramatic than theactual murder of Siegfried which we see?

OPERAS AND NOVELS

OPERA is often nearer to the techniqueof the novel, where drama can be

achieved indirectly or by retrospect.To take, for example, the novels of

Conrad (who has more than one trait incommon with Delius). These works,always considered dramatic, are by manynow considered melodramatic, particu-larly by the type of crit ic who temper-amentally prefers an elaborate clescrip-t ion of nothing in part icular to asuccinct account of sourething ratherimportant.

Yet if rve examine them more closeiyrve find that all the murders, explosions,&c., occur as in a Greek drama, off-siage.

* * *'' r( "tT,1i' nt"i:."",l:" \t{,:iri,l1:",:tifor the student of Delius, and hence tlrer€asons rvhy it ultimateiy lails as anopera.

fn it rve see Delius strivins to establishboth the musical vocabuiarv and theoperatic technique rvhich he so maenifi-

cently achreved in " The Village Romeoand Juliet." a work which stands headand shoulders above the rest of the twen-tietn-century repertoire.

A6 in most transitional works, thetransition takes place before our eyes,and the later scenes of the opera aregreatly superior to the earlier. In thefirst act Deiius is hampered bv stiff andunwieldy libretto and by a cohventionaloperatic technique of a type he was soonto discard.

He rvas n€\'er much of a hand at dra-matic reeitatrve (the onlv bad scenes in" The Village Roneo "

-are the quarrel

scenes), and when it came to s'rit ing a setquartet or quintet he was about as bad asConrad when he tried to write a play.

I\Iost of the first act then must bewritten off as a faiiure.

NEGRO SONGSIXI ITII the second act things begin toY Y Iiven up. The negrd choi'uses,

reminiscent of " Appalachia," are charm-ing, and the Creole dances, in an unex-pected vein for Delius, are deiightful-gay, nostalgic, and as pretty .a-s a cigar-box l id.

But, more important than this, is thegrowing power shown in the solos forPalmyra and in particuiar Koanga. Infact, the only really weak spot in this actis the actual abduction of Palmyra, apassage which Verdi would have tnan-aged with consummate ease but whichDelius fumbles badly.

It is not until the third act. however.that we get an intimation of

-the really

great composer Delius was to become in afew years'' t ime.

Tire orchestral introduction to theswamp scene may be looked on by :omeas merely a successful piece of " tone-painting." But it is important to dis-t inguish i t f rom the purely landscape" tone-painting " of Lhe French iurpres-sionists.

If there is one trait which links Deliuswith Oonrad it is his. treatment of natureas a background to human emotion.Their wolks are neither portraits norlandscapes, but " Iandscapes withfigures."

The introduction to Act III., thoughapparently static, is in essence as dram-atic as any murder or suicide in Italianopera. * * *

63

Delius

By

An

CONSTANT•

Early

LAMBERT

Opera

" KOANGA " is a curiously transitionalwork. hence its unique interest

for the student of Delius, and hence thereasons why it ultimately fails as anopera.

In it we see Delius striving to establishboth the musical vocabulary and theoperatic technique which he so magnifi-

OPERAS AND NOVELSOPERA is often nearer to the technique

of the novel. where drama can beachieved indirectly or by retrospect.

To take. for example. the novels ofConrad (who has more than one trait incommon with Delius). These works,always considered dramatic. are by manynow considered melodramatic. particu­larly by the type of critic who temper­amentally prefers an elaborate descrip­tion of nothing in particular to asuccinct account of something ratherimportant.

Yet if we examine them more closelywe find that all the murders, explosions,&c., occur as in a Greek drama. off­stage.

"KOANGA," Delius's earlyopera, performed for thefirst time in England at

Covent Garden last week, thoughhn.rdly a stage success as a whole,contains many superbly dramaticmoments.

They occur when the curtain isdown or when the stage is plungedinto almost total darkness.

This at first sight reads like a con­demnation of Delius as a stage writer.But a moment's thought will show thatnothing of the sort is intended.

Wagner is admitted. even by hisdetractors. to have Itt least a theatresense. and can anyone deny that Sieg­fried's funeral march (which. accordingto old opera conventions. is only an" entr'acte") is more dramatic than theactual murder of Siegfried which we see?

NEGRO SONGS

***

W ITH the second act things begin toliven up. The negro choruses,

reminiscent of .. Appalachia," are charm­ing. and the Creole dances. in an unex­pected vein for Delius, are delightful­gay. nostalgic. and as pretty ,as a cigar­box lid.

But, more important than this. is thegrowing power shown in the solos forPalmyra and in particular Koanga. Infact, the only really weak spot in this actis the actual abduction of Palmyra, apassage which Verdi would have man­aged with consummate ease but whichDelius fumbles badly.

It is not until the third act, however,that we get an intimation of the !"eallygreat composer Delius was to become in afew years" time.

The orchestral introduction to theswamp scene may be looked on by ~orne

as merely a successful piece of .. tone­painting." But it is important to dis­tinguish it from the purely landscape" tone-painting" of the French impres­sionists.

If there is one trait which links Deliuswith Oonrad it is his, treatment of natureas a background to human emotion.Their wo~ks are neither portraits norlandscapes. but .. landscapes withfigures."

The introduction to Act IlL, thoughapparently static. is in essence as ciram­atic as any murder or suicide in Italianopera.

cently achIeved in "The Village Romeoand Juliet," a work which stands headand shoulders above the rest of the twen­~ieth-century repertoire.

AB in most transitional works, thetransition takes place before our eyes,and the later scenes of the opera aregreatly superior to the earlier. In thefirst act Delius is hampered by stiff andunwieldy libretto and by a conventionaloperatic technique of a type he was soonto discard.

He was never much of a hand at dra­matic recitatIve (the only bad scenes in"The Village Romeo" are the quarrelscenes), and when it came to writing a setquartet or 'luintet he was about as bad asConrad when he tried to write a play.

Most of the first act then must bewritten off as a failure.

***

&

TTIiFORTUNATELY,. the dramatic ten-(J sioo of this act was spoi led by a

long si lent pause and a piece of inter-polated music between the E,wemp sceueand the p lan ta t ion scene.

Not, only did this take away from theeffect iveness of the sombre six note t ieure(" and we are weary too ") which sh6ulclead as relentlessiy on to the deJxouement,

bu t i i an t ic ipa ted the rea l c l imax o i t iewori i- the orel 'restrai interiucie rvir ich r ire-cec tes lhe ep i iogue.

Th is in te r lude, recorded iu the De l iusSociet,y ai.bum, is enloyable eoough ir l theconcer! ha.i l , but, cannor be reai ly judgedunt r l i t i s heard in i t s t rue o lace . rhsthearre. I l sirorvs Deiius' i seniusio r euro t iona i perora t ion a t l rs beJ t andis a rvor thy to rerunner o i t he s rmr ia rln te r iude in " The V i l lase Romeo andJu i ie t " (The Walk to ' t l i e Parac i i seG a rdens) .

* * *fTHE scenery by )i ichoias de ]Iolas in-r troduced to us a taiented artist, new(as iar as I know) to the stage.

The swamp scene was altoeether excei-lent both in eonception and etecution.The other scenes, though pleasing inthemselves, were too " t ight " aud cai l i -graphic in styie ior their purpose. Theysucceeded in recal l ing the rarher " amus-ing " and parnstakrng manne! of theearly colonial painters, but did not pro-vrde a counterpart to Deiius's broaderand more atmospheric style.

The performance i tseif was adequatervirhouc being brr i l iant. Tbe orciresrra.r.rnder Sir Thomas Beecham. bore awaythe honours, and if they were ,.oo heav-var r imes, Sir Thomas cao irardlv bebiamed for concentrat ins on the chiefcentre of musical interest.

John Browniee as Koansa dominateda cas'v wir icir , apart frorn Oda Slobod-skaya as Paiml'ra, was inci ined to becolourless. The slave driver. in Dar-t icular. seenred curiouslv miid ancih r r u r a n i t a r i a n . b u r . t h e o . I t i s m u s i c h a snone oi i .he heavv brutal i tv- *- i th rvir icira comDoser hke Jlus.rorgsty would havebroughr , the ro ie to l i re .

Sunday Referee,2T September 1935

This history of Delius's opera Koanga has taken the story up to the CoventGarden performances of September and October 1935. Beecham then took theproduction into the provinces, touring to Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester,Bradford and Leeds. Coverage of these and much laterperformances, includingStanford Robinson's 1958 BBC broadcasts and SirCharles Groves' 1970 staging atSadler's Wells Theatre. will appear in later issues of theJournal.

Meanwhile. Leeds Youth Opera is producing Koongabetween 6th and 9th July 1994.This company comprises sixty-four young people between the ages of 12 and25who work to produce two full-length operas a year. They are accompanied by anorchestra derived mainly from Leeds Youth Orchestra. Recent productions haveincluded Akhnaten by Philip Glass, Sondheim's Sweeney Tbdd, Verdi's Macbeth,Bernstein's Candide and Bizet's The Pearl Fishers. Enquiries should beaddressed to the Honorarv Secretary. Martin Shaw.0532785236or0977 685101.

THE DELIUS SOCIETYEnquiries concerning membership of the Delius Society should be made to theTieasurer, Derek Cox, at Mercers, 6 Mount Pleasant, Blockley, Glos. GL56 9BU(0386 700175). Information on Society events may be obtained from the ProgrammeSecretary, Brian Radford, at 21 Cobthorne Drive, Allestree, Derby DE3 2SY(0332 552019 home. or0332 4242 ext. 3563 work).

64

U NFORTUNATELY•. the dramatic ten­sion of this act was spoiled oy a

long silent pause and a piece of inter­polated music between the swamp sceneand the plantation scene.

Not only did this take away from theeffectiveness of the sombre six note figure(" and we are weary too") which shouldlead as relentlessly on to the denouement,

but it anticipated the real climax oi t[18work-the orl'hestral interiude which pre­cedes the epilogue.

This int~rlude. recorded in the DeliusSociety album. is enjoyable enou~h in theconcert hall, but cannot be really judgeduntil it is heard in its true place, thetheatre. It shows Delius'5 geniusfor emotional peroration at Its best andis a worthv forerunner of the SImIlarinterlude in "The Village Romeo andJuliet" (The Walk to the ParadiseGardens). .

* * *THE scener]' by )i icholas de :JIolas in­

troduced to us a talented artist, new(as far as I know) to the stage.

The swamp scene was altosrether excel.lent both in conception and execution.The other scenes, though pleasing inthemselves, were too" tight" and calli­graphic in style for their purpose. Theysucceeded in recalling the rather" amus·ing" and painstaking manner of theearly colonial painters, but did not pro­vide a. counterpart to Delius's broaderand more atmospheric style.

The performance itself was adequatewithout being bnlliant. The orchestra.under Sir Thomas Beecham. bore awaythe honours, and if they were too heavvat times, Sir Thomas can hardly beblamed for concentrating on the chiefcentre of musical interest.

John Brownlee as Koan~a dominateda casu which, apart from - Oda Slobod­skaya as Palmyra, was inclined to becolourless. The slave dri\"er. in par­tIcular. seemed cunollslv mild andhumanitarian. but. then. l'lis music hasnone or the beavv brutality with whicha composer like :\Ius"orgsky would havebrought the role to lire.

Sunday Referee, 27 September 1935

***

This history of Delius's opera Koanga has taken the story up to the CoventGarden performances of September and October 1935. Beecham then took theproduction into the provinces, touring to Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester,Bradford and Leeds. Coverage ofthese and much later performances, includingStanford Robinson's 1958BBC broadcasts and SirCharles Groves' 1970stagingatSadler's Wells Theatre, will appear in later issues ofthe Joumal.

Meanwhile, Leeds Youth Opera is producing Koanga between 6th and 9th July 1994.This company comprises sixty-four young people between the ages of 12 and 25who work to produce two full-length operas a year. They are accompanied by anorchestra derived mainly from Leeds Youth Orchestra. Recent productions haveincluded Akhnaten by Philip Glass, Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, Verdi's Macbeth,Bernstein's Candide and Bizet's The Pearl Fishers. Enquiries should beaddressed to the Honorary Secretary, Martin Shaw, 0532 785236 or 0977 685101.

THE DELIUS SOCIETYEnquiries concerning membership of the Delius Society should be made to theTreasurer, Derek Cox, at Mercers, 6 Mount Pleasant, Blockley, Glos. GL56 9BU(0386700175). Information on Society events may be obtained from the ProgrammeSecretary, Brian Radford, at 21 Cobthorne Drive, Allestree, Derby DE3 2SY(0332552019 home, or0332 42442 ext. 3563 work).