Eric Fenby
He became the hands and ears of a dying composer, transcribing the music Frederick Delius could no longer see or write.
1906–1997 (age 91)·British composer·Birthday: April 22·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Eric Fenby's life took a sharp turn in 1928 when, as a young and frustrated music student, he answered a newspaper advertisement. The ad sought an assistant for a composer, who turned out to be the ailing Frederick Delius, blind and paralyzed by syphilis. Fenby moved to France and embarked on a grueling, deeply personal six-year project. He became Delius's amanuensis, a human conduit for the composer's final creative surge. Fenby would sit for hours, painstakingly interpreting Delius's verbal instructions and piano-tapping into fully realized scores for works like 'A Song of Summer' and the opera 'Margot la Rouge.' This extraordinary partnership, fraught with artistic tension and emotional strain, saved a vital chapter of British music from silence. Fenby later forged his own career as a composer, teacher, and broadcaster, but his legacy remains inextricably linked to his act of selfless musical preservation.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Eric was born in 1906, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Eric Was Born
The biggest hits of 1906
Eric's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1906Born
San Francisco earthquake devastates the city
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1911Started school
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1919Became a teenager
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Could drive
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1924Could vote
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1927Turned 21
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1936Turned 30
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1946Turned 40
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1956Turned 50
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1966Turned 60
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 70
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 80
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1997Died at 91
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
Key Achievements
- Acted as amanuensis to Frederick Delius from 1928 to 1934, enabling the completion of late works like 'A Song of Summer.'
- Authored the memoir 'Delius as I Knew Him,' a definitive account of their unique creative partnership.
- Served as the Director of Music at Harrogate College for many years, influencing generations of students.
- Was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to music.
Did You Know?
He initially applied to the newspaper ad thinking he would be assisting the composer Percy Grainger.
The process of working with Delius was so stressful it led to a nervous breakdown for Fenby.
He composed the film score for the 1934 movie 'The Turn of the Tide.'
Fenby was an accomplished organist and served as the organist for St. Oswald's Church in Durham.
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