The Great Composers

Beyond any shadow of a doubt this Ken Russell trilogy is a feast for any open-minded lover of classical music. This is the music the late and inspired writer/ director truly loved. Showcased here are three 'greats', namely Edward Elgar, Claude Debussy and Frederick Delius.

The three films on offer are all markedly different in style, which makes for even more intriguing viewing. All were made for BBC TV in the 60's. The first, ELGAR (1962) was made for the then very powerful Huw Wheldon's artistic documentary series Monitor. As Russell explains in an Extra he managed to sell Wheldon on the idea mainly because of the Malvern locations, not the composer. Wheldon then wrote and voiced the narration though his authoritarian tones are not suggestive of an actor. As is usual with Russell it is a pleasure to look at but is nevertheless pretty straight laced inasmuch as the director had to work to a format. Elgar was not quite so fashionable at the time and the film did to an extent cause a re-evaluation of one of England's greatest composers who was seen at that time as overly patriotic. This informative insight into the man's life is well shot by Ken Higgins and we are treated to an abundance of the man's music.

The second entry, another Monitor sans Wheldon affair was made three years later, titled THE DEBUSSY FILM – co-written and partly narrated by Melvyn Bragg. It is a full-length piece about the French composer Claude Debussy and simply couldn’t be more different in its approach. Here, Russell is not working to a format and thus is clearly in his element… not then an altogether easy film for the rigid conformist. It is a film within a film and we witness a 'fictitious' director (actor Vladek Sheybal) making a film about Debussy (a young and sober Oliver Reed, like Sheybal another fave of Russell). It is Reed and Russell seemingly dominating the film and Vladek (playing the director part) has considerably more to say. We have a veritable cinematic feast on offer with a bit of everything thrown in from a number of styles and genres; you name it and here it is! There are some spectacular photographic shots on offer - Russell always had a true artist’s eye. We are treated to the usual plethora of zoom shots (one must assume Oliver Reed was a good swimmer with regard to one shot in particular).
It ends with something like a gothic horror, what with Debussy having turned into E. A. Poe's ‘Roderick Usher’ and is filmed in an appropriately desolate mansion. Debussy was working on an opera based on ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’ when he died. ‘The Debussy Film’ is a fascinating and highly unusual piece that makes you want to see it again just after watching it.

The third film, THE SONG OF SUMMER, may perhaps be the best known and caused considerable excitement when it was first screened. It features a strong performance from acknowledged stage actor Max Adrian as the composer Frederick Delius. This is a pretty straightforward look at the man's last years in France (unlike the almost surreal touch of the Debussy film) and makes for easier viewing for the more conservative cineast. By the early 20's the tertiary effects of syphilis which Delius had contracted in 1880’s Paris had begun to kick in and it was not long before he was completely blind and totally paralyzed. Enter his young artistic assistant Eric Fenby (Christopher Gable), himself a not ungifted musician, who goes to France to be with Delius in his declining years. It is here where the former serially unfaithful composer lives with his long-suffering German wife Jelka (Maureen Pryor). Things are far from easy at first as Fenby finds it a little difficult to understand Delius' humming notation and the German musical scale (which Delius is using) is dissimilar to his English method. Fenby, by the way, is in the house to assist Delius in writing more of his epic compositions. Eventually a deep friendship evolves despite Delius' atheism and Fenby being a devout catholic. We even have a brief visit from Delius' pal and kindred spirit, the boisterous Percy Grainger (David Collings), forever identified with ‘English Gardens’. Percy sympathizes with Fenby's dedication to the not exactly easy-going Delius. History tells us that Fenby was responsible for some remarkable work with said composer and it was also him that he wanted to be present at the end.
This film was written by Fenby in collaboration with Russell and is based on his book; therefore it would appear to be a pretty true account. Once again, the film is a pleasure on the eye and is nicely acted all round.

This DUAL FORMAT EDITION contains a staggering amount of Special Features:

• Newly remastered and presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition
• Land of Hope and Glory (1931, 3 mins): footage of Sir Edward Elgar conducting the LSO at the opening of the new HMV (now Abbey Road) studios
• Elgar and the Three Choirs Festival (Harold Brooke, 1929-1932, 9 mins): amateur footage of Elgar at home and at the Three Choirs Festival
• Michael Bradsell Interview (2015, 10 mins): the film editor talks about working with Ken Russell
• Ken Russell and Michael Kennedy audio commentary for Elgar (2002)
• Newly commissioned commentary by Kevin M Flanagan for The Debussy Film
• Ken Russell audio commentary for Song of Summer (2002)
• 30-page illustrated booklet with new essays by Kevin M Flanagan, John Hill, John C Tibbetts, Paul Sutton and Michael Brooke, and full film credits