Editing Frederick Delius (section)

===Florida===
Whether the move to America was Julius's idea or his son's is unknown.{{refn|The composer [[Peter Warlock]] (real name Philip Heseltine) wrote in 1915 that the idea was Frederick's, rather than Julius's, but cites no authority for the statement.<ref name=heseltine/>|group= n}} A leading Florida property firm had branches in several English cities including Bradford; in an article on Delius's time in Florida, William Randel conjectures that either Julius Delius visited the Bradford office and conceived the notion of sending his wayward son to grow oranges in Florida, or that Fritz himself saw it as a way to escape the hated family wool business and suggested the idea to his father.<ref name=randel>{{cite magazine|title= Frederick Delius in America|last= Randel|first= William|jstor= 4247665|magazine=Virginia Magazine of History and Biography|pages=349–66|date= July 1971|volume=79}} {{subscription}}</ref> Delius was in Florida from the spring of 1884 to the autumn of 1885, living on a plantation at Solano Grove{{refn|{{Coord|29|52|29|N|81|34|34|W|type:landmark_region:US|display=inline|name=Solano Grove}} between [[Picolata, Florida|Picolata]] and [[Tocoi, Florida|Tocoi]]|group=n}} on the [[Saint Johns River]], about 35 miles (55 kilometres) south of [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]]. He continued to be engrossed in music, and in Jacksonville he met Thomas Ward, who became his teacher in [[counterpoint]] and [[musical composition|composition]]. Delius later said that Ward's teaching was the only useful music instruction he ever had.<ref>Beecham (1975), p. 28</ref>

[[File:St johns map.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Map of Florida's [[St. Johns River]] in 1876; Delius' house at Solano Grove lay between [[Picolata, Florida|Picolata]] and [[Tocoi, Florida|Tocoi]] on the east bank]]
Delius later liked to represent his house at Solano Grove as "a shanty", but it was a substantial cottage of four rooms, with plenty of space for Delius to entertain guests.{{refn|The building fell into decay after he left it, but it was rescued by [[Jacksonville University]] and moved to the university campus in 1961 and restored.<ref name= F257>Fenby (1981), p. 257</ref>|group= n}} Ward sometimes stayed there, as did an old Bradford friend, Charles Douglas, and Delius's brother Ernest. Protected from excessive summer heat by river breezes and a canopy of oak trees, the house was an agreeable place to live in. Delius paid little attention to the business of growing oranges, and continued to pursue his musical interests. Jacksonville had a rich, though to a European, unorthodox musical life. Randel notes that in local hotels, the African-American waiters doubled as singers, with daily vocal concerts for patrons and passers-by, giving Delius his introduction to [[Spiritual (music)|spirituals]]. Additionally, ship owners encouraged their deckhands to sing as they worked. "Delius never forgot the singing as he heard it, day or night, carried sweet and clear across the water to his verandah at Solano Grove, whenever a steam-ship passed; it is hard to imagine conditions less conducive to cultivating oranges – or more conducive to composing."<ref name=randel/>

While in Florida, Delius had his first composition published, a polka for piano called ''Zum Carnival''.<ref name=randel/> In late 1885 he left a caretaker in charge of Solano Grove and moved to [[Danville, Virginia]]. Thereafter he pursued a wholly musical career. An advertisement in the local paper announced, "Fritz Delius will begin at once giving instruction in Piano, Violin, Theory and Composition. He will give lessons at the residences of his pupils. Terms reasonable."<ref name=randel/> Delius also offered lessons in French and German. Danville had a thriving musical life, and early works of his were publicly performed there.<ref name=randel/>