Disappointing Delius

Ogawa and Stott perform Delius' arrangements for piano duets by Peter Warlock

Composer: Delius
Repertoire: Arrangements for piano duet by Peter Warlock
Artists: Noriko Ogawa and Kathryn Stott
Rating: 3/5
Genre: Instrumental
Label: BIS-CD-1347

Here’s a curiosity: Delius orchestral masterpieces, including On hearing the first cuckoo in spring, North Country Sketches and In a summer garden, played as duets. The character of Delius’s sound world relies so heavily on orchestral timbres that, despite the apologia in the booklet and my unbounded admiration for the artistry and initiative of these two pianists, only the two Dance Rhapsodies really work convincingly.