Song of Farewell (1982) - Trailer

The acclaimed documentary Song of Farewell, produced by Yorkshire Television and first screened on ITV in 1982, is the tale of two Yorkshiremen, recounting Scarborough-born Eric Fenby’s legendary collaboration with the blind and paralysed Frederick Delius in the last six years of the Bradford-born composer’s life in France. In the last 40 years it has had screenings around the world.

When he was over 70 years old, Eric Fenby agreed to place on record his final thoughts on music of Frederick Delius, and to describe the part he played in the composition of his final works. It was an emotional experience to re-visit the locations of the story - Scarborough, Paris and London - and to recall his occasionally stormy relationship with Delius.

The film’s Producer/Director Nick Gray will introduce this screening. Nick says that: “This will be a homecoming for Song of Farewell because filming started in Scarborough exactly 44 years ago, in November 1981, with Eric Fenby describing his musical upbringing. At the time there were high winds and tumultuous seas, which suited some of Delius’s music, highlighting Fenby’s achievement of, as he says in the film, ‘catching these last notes of Delius before they flew away’.”

“A melancholy and moving programme, elegiac in tone, stunningly photographed, and directed with a grace which perfectly complemented the music of Delius.” – The Times

“After the Ken Russell drama-doc a few years back you’d think there was no more to be said, but there is, and Yorkshire have said it splendidly with the music of Delius and Graham Barker’s camerawork.” – The Sunday Times

“‘Song of Farewell’, produced and directed by Nick Gray, was full of love and pain and photographed with great lyricism.” – The Guardian

Tickets: https://sjt.uk.com/events/song-of-far...