While spring and summer sang: Thomas Beecham and the music of Frederick Delius

Sir Thomas Beecham is often described as having 'championed' the music of Frederick Delius, and this is no exaggeration.

From the moment he heard Delius's music as a young man, Beecham was captivated by its strange, romantic beauty, and its hold on him remained firm.

During the next 50 years, he promoted Delius's music through a series of unrivalled performances, unearthing early pieces, arranging others and recording most of them, sometimes more than once.