Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra & Sir Mark Elder - Delius: A Mass of Life (2023) [Official Digital Download 24/192]

Roderick Williams heads up the cast for this new recording of Delius' A Mass of Life with the Bergen Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Mark Elder. Accompanied by soloists Gemma Summerfield, Claudia Huckle and Bror Magnus Todenes, the Bergen Philharmonic Choir and Edvard Grieg Kor join Collegium Musicum Choir to complete the tour de force needed to perform and record this monumental work.

"For me, Delius’s music is particularly beautiful," says Sir Mark Elder. "Delius was concerned with man's relationship with the world around him. He explored and was inspired by the forces of nature, our dependence on it, and its function as a model for the good.” Sir Mark Elder began his tenure as Principal Guest Conductor of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra with a performance of Delius’s A Mass of Life, described by Elder as a rarely performed masterpiece and a celebration of the human spirit. It was while he was in the Norwegian mountains that Delius came across Nietzsche's Also sprach Zarathustra, which became a direct inspiration for A Mass of Life. The result is a wonderfully expressive and strikingly beautiful musical celebration of life.

Born Fritz Delius to German parents in Bradford, England, any links to that country are offset by his various attachments to America, France, Germany and of course Norway.

Norway?its people, landscape, language and literature?never loosened its grip on Delius's imagination so Norwegian label Lawo Classics is the perfect partner to be able to bring this new recording to life.

The extent to which Norway's natural environment fired Delius's musical imagination is evident in A Song of the 5 High Hills, for orchestra and wordless chorus, and in his love letter to Norway's cool, clean air and majestic scenery, the orchestral tone poem Eventyr. A Mass of Life also owes its existence to Norway.

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, a Norwegian national orchestra, dates back to 1765. Edvard Grieg served as its artistic director from 1880 to 1882. Edward Gardner is Chief Conductor and Sir Mark Elder is the orchestra's Principal Guest Conductor.

The Orchestra was nominated Orchestra of the Year 2020 by Gramophone and won two Gramophone Classical Music Awards in 2021: Recording of the Year and Opera Award Winner for Britten's Peter Grimes.

Roderick Williams needs no introduction as one of the most sought-after baritones of his generation who enjoys relationships with all the major UK and European opera houses.

Roderick Williams, baritone
Gemma Summerfield, soprano
Claudia Huckle, contralto
Bror Magnus Tødenes, tenor
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Edvard Grieg Kor
Collegium Musicum Choir
Bergen Philharmonic Choir
Sir Mark Elder, conductor

Tracklist:
01. A Mass of Life, RT II/4, Pt. 1: I. Animato—O du mein Wille!
02. A Mass of Life, RT II/4, Pt. 1: II. Erhebt eure Herzen, Brüder, hoch! (Recitativ)
03. A Mass of Life, RT II/4, Pt. 1: III. Andante tranquillo con dolcezza—In dein Auge schaute ich jüngst, O Leben
04. A Mass of Life, RT II/4, Pt. 1: IV. Agitato ma moderato—Wehe mir! Wo ist die Zeit hin?
05. A Mass of Life, RT II/4, Pt. 1: V. Andante molto tranquillo—Nacht ist es
06. A Mass of Life, RT II/4, Pt. 2: Introduction
07. A Mass of Life, RT II/4, Pt. 2: I. Con elevazione e vigore—Herauf! Nun herauf, du grosser Mittag!
08. A Mass of Life, RT II/4, Pt. 2: II. Andante—Süsse Leier! Ich liebe deinen Ton
09. A Mass of Life, RT II/4, Pt. 2: III. Lento molto—Lasst vom Tanzen ab, ihr lieblichen Mädchen!
10. A Mass of Life, RT II/4, Pt. 2: IV. Lento—Heisser Mittag schläft auf den Fluren
11. A Mass of Life, RT II/4, Pt. 2: V. Allegro ma non troppo—Gottes Weh ist tiefer, du wunderliche Welt
12. A Mass of Life, RT II/4, Pt. 2: VI. Largo con solennita—Kommt! Lasst uns jetzt wandeln!


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