Frederick Delius Eine Messe des Lebens (A Mass of Life)

"For me, Delius’s music is particularly beautiful," says Sir Mark Elder. "Delius was concerned with man's relationship with the world around him. He explored and was inspired by the forces of nature, our dependence on it, and its function as a model for the good.” Sir Mark Elder began his tenure as Principal Guest Conductor of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra with a performance of Delius’s A Mass of Life, described by Elder as a rarely performed masterpiece and a celebration of the human spirit. It was while he was in the Norwegian mountains that Delius came across Nietzsche's Also sprach Zarathustra, which became a direct inspiration for A Mass of Life. The result is a wonderfully expressive and strikingly beautiful musical celebration of life.

Sir Mark Elder is one of the leading conductors of our time, and is Music Director at the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester as well as Principal Guest Conductor of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Roderick Williams is currently one of the most sought-after baritones, performing with leading orchestras and in renowned opera houses. Gemma Summerfield is considered one of the most exciting young singers today, and sings both opera and concerts with orchestras. Claudia Huckle is an in-demand contralto who sings with leading orchestras and has appeared on several critically acclaimed recordings. Tenor Bror Magnus Tødenes has sung with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra on several occasions and is considered one of Scandinavia’s most gifted singers. Three choirs participate in this recording, conducted by choirmaster Håkon Matti Skrede. These brilliant Bergen choirs have made a name for themselves with several major performances, not least Britten's Peter Grimes, Wagner's Parsifal, Brahms’s A German Requiem, and Mahler's Symphony No. 2.