‘This is the only piece of Delius that I perform. The reason for this is intimately tied up with the very first time that I heard this piece. From the age of 12 until 18, I studied with the greatest of English violinists, Ralph Holmes, who died tragically young in 1984. Ralph remains for the authoritative violin voice for Delius’ works for violin. His extraordinary disc with Eric Fenby (Delius’ amanuensis) and the recording of the works for violin and orchestra, recorded only a few months before he died, set a new standard for these works, despite the extraordinary performances that preceded him, by Albert Sammons and Jean Pougnet. Never has the violin sounded more human, more alive, more fragile … and more mortal.
Shortly after I began studying with dear Ralph, he gave a 25th Anniversary performance at the Wigmore Hall, a programme which included a magisterial performance of Delius’ 3rd Sonata. The pianist Geoffrey Pratley, who was so kind to me in my teens, played. After Ralph’s sudden death, we gave memorial concerts, playing some of the repertoire he loved, particularly the Britten ‘Suite’ Op 6. But I would not presume to have played Delius.
But one thing remained in my mind. As an encore, Ralph announced ‘…and now, Delius’ ‘Lullaby for a Modern Baby’ – it says to be hummed or played…I think you will all prefer it if I play.’ I have never forgotten that 90 seconds of perfection.
Years later, Roderick Chadwick and I were preparing to give a concert at Edvard Grieg’s house in Bergen, ‘Troldhaugen’. We built the programme from pieces by Grieg’s friends – whose portraits surround his piano in the music room where we played, including, of course, Delius. For the first time, I played this Lullaby. And then we recorded this a few years later.
If you want to hear it done properly, there is one recording of Ralph playing it with the wonderful pianist-composer Peter Dickinson, who would became a great friend and collaborator of mine in later years. Peter left us in 2023.’