Frederick Delius - Songs of Sunset (1907)
A beautifully sweet set of songs, especially the endings of each. Delius and Messiaen probably could've been good friends with all the major sixth chords... 00:00 A song of the setting sun! [An initially sweet and quiet chorale, moves around nervously with heavy chromaticism] 03:26 Cease smiling, Dear! [A bright, romantic duet of soprano and baritone solos] (4:45 rather more animated) 08:12 Pale amber sunlight falls [Slow and mysterious. Beautifully warm chorus enters alongside brilliant rays of flutes] 12:38 Exceeding sorrow consumeth my sad heart! [An anguished soprano solo] 16:20 By the sad waters of separation [A lamentful baritone solo] 21:08 See how the trees and the osiers lithe [A light-hearted choral march decorated with impressionistic ornamentation] 24:43 I was not sorrowful, I could not weep [Baritone solo, gorgeously subtle orchestration around it. (Reminds me of one of the Genshin Liyue tracks actually)] 27:53 [The ending of the section is just heart-achingly gorgeous] 29:26 They are not long, the weeping and the laughter [Solo soprano and baritone combine with the chorus for a grand final song, ending calmly and sweetly in a dream] Composer: Frederick Theodore Albert Delius (January 29, 1862 – June 10, 1934) Orchestra: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Richard Hickox Choruses: Waynflete Singers, Southern Voices, Bournemouth Symphony Chorus