Delius, << DEE lee uhs, >> Frederick (1862-1934), was an English composer. He wrote in many forms but is best known for compositions that combine chorus, vocal soloists, and orchestra. These works include Sea Drift (1906), based on the poetry of the American poet Walt Whitman; and A Mass of Life (1908-1909), based on texts by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Delius also composed chamber music, concertos, operas, songs, symphonic tone poems, and incidental music for plays. Important works include On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring (1913), Summer Night on the River (1913), and Fennimore and Gerda (written, 1909-1910; performed, 1919). Delius’s finest music generates emotional power by blending simple melodies with rich and subtle harmonies.
Delius was born on Jan. 29, 1862, in Bradford. His given and family name was Fritz Theodore Albert Delius. In 1884, he moved to Florida, where he was influenced by black folk music. After living in Virginia in 1885, he returned to Europe in 1886. In his mature style, he combined this influence with elements from such European composers as Claude Debussy, Edvard Grieg, and Richard Wagner. He died on June 10, 1934.
