Born Fritz Theodore Albert Delius (his parents were German), his father Julius had hoped that the young man would follow him into the family's wool business. There didn't seem any chance of that, but as Julius was fiercely opposed to his son's intention to take up music as a career (despite being a musician himself), it was decided to send Fritz to Florida to work on on orange plantation. This was in 1884.
At the plantation in Solano Grove, south of Jacksonville, Delius's became increasingly dedicated to composing, and in Jacksonville, he met Thomas Ward, who was to become his teacher, and greatest influence. It was while in Florida that Delius had his first composition published, a piece for piano called Zum Carnival.
By 1886, it had became clear to Julius Delius that Fritz was not going to be swayed from a musical career, and he allowed his son to return to Europe. After studying in Leipzig, Delius moved to Paris.
While in Paris, he met Jelka Rosen, a painter, and in 1903, they married. The couple moved to Grez-sur-Loing, a small village outside the French capital. Other than a short period during the First World War, they were to spend the rest of their lives there.
During his later years, afflicted by syphilis, Delius was unable to compose himself. However, he was befriended by a young English composer, Eric Fenby, who became his amanuensis, spending much time at the Delius house.
On June 10, 1934, Frederick Delius died at home. He was buried in Grez-sur-Loing, but a year later, his body was disinterred, and reburied in St. Peter's churchyard, in Limpsfield, Surrey. This was at the request of his good friends, the musicians Beatrice, May, and Monica Harrison. Sadly, Jelka was to die two days before the reburial.
Delius' best known works include The Florida Suite, the operas Koanga, and A Village Romeo and Juliet, and the wonderfully melodious On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring.
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