The Delius Society Journal Autumn 1997, Number 121 Eric Fenby Tribute Issue The Delius Society (Registered Charity No. 298662) Full Membership and Institutions £15 per year USA and Canada US$3l per year Africa, Australasia and Par Easl £18 per year l'residc11t Felix Aprahamian, I Ion D Mus, I Ion FRCO Vice Prcside11ts Roland Gibson MSc, PhD (Founder Member) Meredith Davies CBE, MA, B Mus, FRCM, l lon RAM Vernon I IandJey MA, FRCM, D Univ (Surrey) Richard Hickox FRCO (CHM) Rodney Meadows Robert Threlfall Clin i mta 11 Lyndon Jenkins Treasurer (to whom changes of address and membership queries should be directed) Derek Cox Mercers, 6 Mount Pleasant, Blockley, Glos GL56 9BU Tel: (01386) 700175 Secrl'fary Anthony Lindsey l The Pound, Aldwick Village, Wesl Sussex P02l 3SR Tel: (01243) 824964 l~ditor Roger Buckley Magpie Shaw, Spcldhursl, Kenl TN3 OLE Tel: (01892) 863123 Fax: (0171) 935 5429 email: RJBucl<lcy([' aol.com -----Eric William Fenby----- 22 April 1906 - 18 February 1997 IRoger Fen byI DEDICATION This special edition of the Delius Society Journal is dedicated with love, admiration and respecl to the memory of Eric Fenby, our first President, amanuensis, friend and confidant of Frederick Delius. A letter from Mrs Rowena Fenby..... ......... ..... .... ...... .. .. ... ... .. .. ... ... .............. .... 7 TRIBUTES Lord Menuhin.................................................................................................... 8 Felix Aprahamian (represe11ti11g tl1e Delius Trust)........................................... 9 Shirley Arkush............................. .... ......... .... .. .. .. .. .... ... .. .... ..................... 12 Nan Armitage..................................................................................................... 13 Charles Barnard................................................................................................. 15 Roger Buckley..................................................................................................... 16 Lionel Carley....................................................................................................... 17 Paul Chennell.................... ...... ..... ........ ........................ ............. .... ..................... 18 Fred G Cle1nenls................................................................................................ 19 I Jenry Cornely........... ......................................................................................... 19 Derek Cox............ ............................. .................................................... ............... 22 Jeanne Donahoo................................................................................................. 24 Jeff Driggers........................................................................................................ 26 Elena Duran............. .. ................................. ........................................................ 27 Bill Early............................................................................................................... 29 John M East......................................................................................................... 30 Diane Roselyn Eastwood.................................................................................. 30 Michael En1merson............................................................................................ 31 Joyce Eynon........................................................................................................ 31 Roland Gibson.................................................................................................... 32 Michael Green..... .. .................................................................................. .. ......... 33 Thomas H Gunn................................................................................................ 33 Lyndon Jenkins.................................................................................................. 34 Katherine Jessel.................................................................................................. 35 Franklyn A Johnson.................................................................. .. ....................... 37 Frances Bartlett Kinne....................................................................................... 37 Richard Kitching.................................................. .............................................. 38 Patricia Labislour................................................................................................ 38 Michael Lester..................................................................................................... 39 Frank Lieber................ ........................................................................................ 42 Anthony Lindsey................................................................................................ 42 George Little....................................................................................................... 43 Tasmin Little....................................................................................................... 45 Stephen Lloyd.................................................................................................... 46 John Michael Luther.......................................................................................... 49 Bill Marsh............................................................................................................ 50 Keith Marvin...................................................................................................... 52 Rodney Meadows.............................................................................................. 53 5 Tony Noakes....................................................................................................... 54 Brian Radford.................................................................................................... 55 Robert F Sandlin................................................................................................ 55 David Tall............................................................................................................ 56 Robert Threlfall.................................................................................................. 57 Julian Lloyd Webber.......................................................................................... 59 John K White...................................................................................................... 60 OBITUARY NOTICES The Times............................................................................................................. 63 Tlie Daily Telegraph............................................................................................. 65 I11depe11de11t............................................. ............................................................. 68 Tire Guardian....................................................................................................... 70 Yorkshire Post....................................................................................................... 73 Scarborough Evening Neivs................................................................................. 74 Nw York Times................................................................................................... 75 Florida Times-Union............................................................................................ 76 Plwlugrnphic credits, where nvni/11/Jle, refer i11 ench cnsc to the s11pplicr, 1111d not 11rcessnrily lo the pl1ologmpl1ct fro11/ cover: pilotogrnpil rourtcsy of Brinn Rndfurd Renr cover: Rowena a11d [ric fc11by at Shccpsco111be, (11/y 1987 [Bria11 Radford/ A letter from Mrs Rowena Fenby Dear Delius Society Members, Eric pnsscd nway remarkably peacefully al home, just after one in the morning o{ February 18lh. IIis passing was as gentle as any final note of Delius. After a private family service, my dear Eric was buried at St Laurence's Church, Scalby, just outside Scarborough, which was our parish church for most of our years up north. 1 Iis father and mother are buried there loo, and his friend since childhood, Tom Laughton. Throughout this very sad and difficult time, the many messages, cards and letters of sympathy have been a source of much consolation to me and the family. We send our heartfelt thanks to you all. Affectionately always, Rowena 7 Eric: W!I$ the gantlo~t 1ntormcd11iry between Cruator nnd mon. He uid 11ot l•~Cnbo to himself 11 title • "vicar", "oracto• he wlls simply n 11uman bCllng 01 gro111 1,Q11altlvlTy, d11v1111 l;ly tuv& ond resp111;t, 10 sorve 1111d to Interpret a particular fount of crnatlon. 'fhu llKtroordirinry d0oroo of idflritlt1catlon ho ochlovnd with Ooliu& not 0111y l1Gsurnd us and all mu~ioal ond liumnn howdity thu scoroe o1 boautltul music which would otherwise hnvo boon nssurodly loM, but as long 11s Eric lived provided us with tho "echo" or Oolius' actuol presence. It was quite wonderful to work wlH1 Erle on tlie th1ee sonatas and on tM two co11cotti. i:von moro than with the living composer himself, wno oluJO 111moins wruppod in the dream und Is usu11lly undomand1"g 011d contllnt, ilc;r.;viJino t() wldo margins or interpreunlon. oven In moncrs or uunpi, htlffl wos lluthorlty itsolf from one who kntiw. The maotl11g with Dellu~. which I lost out ot shynoss whon Elga1, staying with my family ot Ville d'Avn1y, whon wo prosoncod his cor1corto to Paris