O du mein Wille!
Erhebt eure Herzen, Bruder, hoch!
In dein Auge schaute ich jungst, O Leben
Wehe mir! Wo ist die Zeit hin?
Nacht ist es
Introduction
Herauf! Nun herauf, du grosser Mittag!
Susse Leier! Ich liebe deinen Ton
Lasst vom Tanzen ab, ihr lieblichen Madchen!
Heisser Mittag schlaft auf den Fluren
Gottes Weh ist tiefer, du wunderliche Welt
Kommt! Lasst uns jetzt wandeln!

Roderick Williams heads up the cast for this new recording of Delius' A Mass of Life with the Bergen Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Mark Elder. Accompanied by soloists Gemma Summerfield, Claudia Huckle and Bror Magnus T?denes, the Bergen Philharmonic Choir and Edvard Grieg Kor join Collegium Musicum Choir to complete the tour de force needed to perform and record this monumental work.

Born Fritz Delius to German parents in Bradford, England, any links to that country are offset by his various attachments to America, France, Germany and of course Norway.

Norway?its people, landscape, language and literature?never loosened its grip on Delius's imagination so Norwegian label Lawo Classics is the perfect partner to be able to bring this new recording to life.

The extent to which Norway's natural environment fired Delius's musical imagination is evident in A Song of the 5 High Hills, for orchestra and wordless chorus, and in his love letter to Norway's cool, clean air and majestic scenery, the orchestral tone poem Eventyr. A Mass of Life also owes its existence to Norway.

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, a Norwegian national orchestra, dates back to 1765. Edvard Grieg served as its artistic director from 1880 to 1882. Edward Gardner is Chief Conductor and Sir Mark Elder is the orchestra's Principal Guest Conductor.

The Orchestra was nominated Orchestra of the Year 2020 by Gramophone and won two Gramophone Classical Music Awards in 2021: Recording of the Year and Opera Award Winner for Britten's Peter Grimes.

Roderick Williams needs no introduction as one of the most sought-after baritones of his generation who enjoys relationships with all the major UK and European opera houses.

This stunning new recording is available at a special price.