Delius’s masterwork, Eine Messe des Lebens (A Mass of Life), is one of the greatest and yet most underperformed choral works in the entire repertoire. This tremendous piece is largely unknown by choirs worldwide, and yet those who have heard and sung it proclaim it a truly wonderful experience.
Join Ben England BEM via YouTube livestream for a fascinating talk on Delius and this underrated masterpiece!
Ben has become a true expert on A Mass of Life and has taught it to Choir of the Earth singers since July. He recently returned from leading the Bergen Philharmonic Chorus in a weekend of intense rehearsals ahead of the Norwegian premiere of this amazing Mass, which will be performed by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus under Sir Mark Elder on 22-23 September 2022. Following these live performances in the Grieghallen, Choir of the Earth will commence recording for the world’s first truly blended performance of live and digital singing, due to premiere in early 2023!
In this live talk on Delius and his Mass, Ben will cover:
● An introduction to Delius
● Delius in Norway and his friendship with Grieg
● Also Sprach Zarathustra
● The Composition of A Mass of Life
● Exploring A Mass of Life
● Critical reception & obscurity
● Coda: A Mass for our times
Attendance costs £6 and tickets are available from our website.