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Delightful Delius

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 07/14/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After finally tracking down all of the increasingly rare Beulah label discs of Anthony Collins' Sibelius Cycle (originally made for Decca in the 1950s), I knew I had to try and find other recordings by this remarkable conductor. The problem is there aren't very many on disc -- an Elgar CD on Beulah, Mozart's 40th Symphony on an OOP Disky/Royal Classics title, a Testament CD with Friedrich Gulda performing Mozart Piano Concertos 25 & 26, and a recording with Moura Lympany of Rachmaninov's 3rd Piano Concerto on an "Original Masters" reissue is about it! (Feel free to consult my reviews of the latter two CDs.) Then I stumbled on this Import Decca disc from the "Eloquence" series of Collins performing the music of British composer Frederick Delius. Delius is a bit of an acquired taste for many, and others simply see him as a lesser composer, but I've always enjoyed his music. Many of his best works are featured here, including "Paris" and "In a Summer Garden," but these are by no means the equal of definitive performances by Delius' champion Sir Thomas Beecham. The mono sound (made in 1953-54) is good and Collins' performances are solid, but unless you are a serious collector, start with Beecham, and if you discover that you truly love Delius, then try Collins or Barbirolli."