"Florida Suite" for Orchestra - Frederick Delius

Ulster Orchestra conducted by Vernon Handley.

I - Daybreak. Andante moderato - Pochissimo animato - Tempo primo - Dance. Allegretto - Tempo I - Andante: 0:00
II - By the River. Andantino: 11:16
III - Sunset. Moderato - Poco più animato - Molto più lento, tranquillo - Near the Plantation. Allegretto - Più animato - Molto agitato - Con fuoco - Molto tranquillo - Più lento: 17:59
IV - At Night. Andante moderato - Più tranquillo: 28:37

Delius' Florida Suite was composed between 1886-7, while he was studying in the Leipzig Conservatory. It was premiered on spring of 1888, performed by the musicians of the band at Bonorand's restaurant in the Rosenthal Park conducted by Hans Sitt. It was a private performance whose attendees were Edvard Grieg, Christian Sinding and Delius himself, who paid the musicians with a barrel of rum. It was not performed again until 1937, three years after his death, when Sir Thomas Beecham performed it with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

The work was inspired by the bright landscapes and balmy weather of Florida, which he experienced while spending time managing an orange grove between 1884-5 near Jacksonville, centred around the St. Johns River. This new setting, full of tropical beauty, sultry heat, and naturally vibrant colours and smells, jolted Delius into realizing his true calling: music. It was when he was sitting on the verandah of his splendid plantation house on a warm summer's night. Through the lush gloom of swamps and orange trees floated the richly harmonized voices of the black plantation workers, singing a traditional song.

The first movement is structured as a rhapsody. It begins with string tremoli and texture effects that represent the sun rising in the sky and light spilling onto the brilliant oranges and greens of the plantation. A lyrical theme is presented by the clarinet with voluptuosity, blossoming in a richly coloured passage of great beauty. The second section then begins, a dance titled "La Calinda". Delius liked this second part so much that he reused it as a dance in his opera "Koanga". The horn briefly recapitulates the lyrical theme, leading us to a calm coda.

The second movement is written in ternary form. It opens with undulating lines on the wood that represent the St. Johns River. A romantic and opulent main theme is then presented by strings, expressively unfolded. The central section begins with a lyrical second theme on the cellos, before the main theme is brightly recapitulated. The calmness and steady rhythm of this movement guides the music into a peaceful end.

The third movement is also rhapsodic in nature. It begins with a lyrical theme on cellos as the suns sets on the horizon. An exuberant climax is reached, after which a dance theme is introduced of Spanish origin, representing the black workers lively dancing in the plantation. It is calmly recapitulated after an energetic climax, before the lyrical opening theme lusciously reappears, which leads us to a calm conclusion.

The fourth movement is a nocturne in two parts. It opens with strings tremoli, clarinet and horn quartet presenting a slow, contemplative theme in form of a spiritual. It is richly exposed with nocturnal colours. A second theme in form of a delicate love song is then presented by strings, fleshed out in a romantic and expressive manner. The horns recapitulate the opening spiritual, before a peaceful coda ends the work lyrically.

Picture: "Fort George Island" (1880) by the American painter Thomas Moran.

Musical analysis mostly written by myself. Sources: https://bit.ly/3mPPZd7 and https://bit.ly/3KDqYda

To check the score: https://bit.ly/3GK2P3h