Benjamin Britten

Benjamin Britten (Lowestoft, Suffolk, November 22nd 1913 - Aldeburgh December 4th 1976) is a Compositeur, Leader and British pianist , often considered as the largest British type-setter of the post-war period (and sometimes also like largest since Henry Purcell).

Biography

Born on November 22nd, 1913 with Lowestoft, in the Suffolk, it is sent in pension to the thirteen years age to the Gresham' S School of Norfolk. He is the pupil of Franck Bridge and studies with the Royal College off Music of London. The creation of its Variations on a topic of Frank Bridge , COp 10 in 1937 with the Festival of Salzburg mark its entry in the musical world. In 1935, it becomes acquainted with Wystan Hugh Auden with which it works on the musical cycle Our Hunting Fathers , inter alia. It meets the Ténor Peter Pears in 1937, his future companion who will have a great influence in his musical life and with which it will dedicate several works. Accompanied by this last, it exiles with the the United States 1939 with 1942. After this date, it goes back to the United Kingdom where it profits from the statute of Conscientious objector. In 1948, it creates the festival of Aldeburgh (Suffolk) to which it associates during the years 1960 the English Chamber Orchestrated, in particular during the creation of several works, such the one night Dream of summer , Owen Wingrave or Curlew River ( the River with the curlew ). Britten invites there his/her friends Mstislav Rostropovitch and Sviatoslav Richter in particular. Many recordings in concerts were published by BBC, with Britten with the direction or as a soloist (with the piano in particular).

Britten dies in Aldeburgh on December 4th, 1976 at the 63 years age.

Works

Its work is considerable with a very personal inspiration, remotely of the type-setters of atonal Musique who revolutionized the time, preferring to pay homage to the musics of the Middle Ages and the beautiful canto , while introducing modernity (Gamelan indonésien for example). Its principal compositions relate to primarily the vocal music (in particular for choral societies of children), and especially the opera, of which he wrote some major pieces of the second part of the 20th century, which does not prevent it from having carried out instrumental works or Chamber music.

Operas

Paul Bunyan (COp 17, E. - U., 1941 revised in 1974), operetta according to the popular legend of the giant logger on a booklet of W.H. Auden
Peter Grimes (COp 33, E. - U., 1945), according to a poem on a fisherman of the Suffolk, The Borough of George Crabbe
the Rape of Lucrèce ( The Grates Lucretia COp 37 off, 1946), on a booklet of Ronald Duncan
Albert Herring (COp 39, 1947), according to the history of Guy of Maupassant “the Rose tree of M {{me}} Husson”
The Beggar' S Opera (COp 43, 1948)
Let' S Make year Operated (1949)
Billy Budd (COp 50, 1951 revised in 1960), booklet of Edward Morgan Forster and Eric Crozier according to the news of Hermann Melville
Gloriana (COp 53, 1953) for the crowning of the Queen Elisabeth II of the United Kingdom
the Turn of Nut ( The Turn off the Screw COp 54, 1954), according to Henry James
the Arch of Noë ( Noye' S Fludde op.59, 1958)
Dream the one night of summer ( has Midsummer Night' S Dream COp 64, 1960), according to Shakespeare
Owen Wingrave (COp 85,1971) according to the work of Henry James
Death in Venice ( Death in Venice COp 88, 1973), according to the news of Thomas Mann

Parabolas of Church

Curlew To rivet (COp 71, 1964)
The Burning Fiery Furnace (COp 77, 1966)
The Prodigal Its (COp 81, 1968)

Works choral societies

Hymn to the Virgin (1930 revised in 1934)
has Servant boy Was Born (COp 3, 1933 revised in 1955)
Friday Afternoons (COp 7, 1935), for chorus of children
Advance Democracy (1938) & Balad off Heroes (1939]]), COp 14
Ceremony off Carols (E. - U., 1942), for toothing-stone and chorus of women
Hymn to St Cecilia (COp 27, 1942)
Rejoice in the Lamb (COp 30, 1943)
Festival Te Deum (COp 32, 1944)
St Nicolas (COp 42, 1948)
Spring Symphony (COp 44, 1949)
Five Flower Songs (1950)
Missa Brevis (1959), for chorus of boys
Cantata Academica (COp 62, 1959)
War Requiem (COp 66, 1961) - a very diffused work, considered as its major work, although sometimes criticized for its intense emotional load
Cantata Misericordium (COp 69, 1963)
Voices for Today (COp 75, 1965)
The Golden delicious Vanity (1966), for chorus of boys
Children' S Crusade gold Kinderkreuzzug (COp 82, 1968)
Sacred and Layman (COp 91, 1975)
Welcome Ode (COp 95, 1976), for chorus of children and orchestra

Works for voice and orchestra

Four French songs (1928)
Our Hunting Fathers (COp 8, 1936)
the Illuminations (E. - U., op.18, 1939), serenade for String orchestra and Tenor or Soprano, according to the poems of the collection of Arthur Rimbaud, made up at the beginning of its relation with the Tenor Peter Pears
Serenade for tenor, horn and cords (E. - U., COp 31, 1943)
Night (COp 60, 1958)
Phaedra (COp 93, 1975)

Ballet

The Prince off the Pagodas (COp 57, 1956), choreography of John Cranko

Orchestral works

Sinfonietta (COp 1, 1932)
has Simple Symphony (COp 4, 1934)
Musical evenings (COp 9, 1936), arrangement according to Rossini
Musique of the documentary film Night Mail (1936), words of W.H. Auden
Variations on a Topic of Franck Bridge (COp 10, 1937)
Mont Juic (COp 12, 1937), continuation of made up Catalan dances with Lennox Berkeley
Canadian Carnival (COp 19, 1939)
Young Apollo for piano, string quartet and string orchestra (COp 16, 1939)
Sinfonia da Requiem (COp 20, 1940)
musical Mornings (COp 24, 1941), arrangement according to Rossini
Prelude and Fugue for string orchestra (COp 29,1943)
Four Sea Interludes (COp 33a, 1944 ), passacaille extracted the opera Peter Grimes
The Young Person' S Guides to the Orchestra (COp 34, 1946), variations and Fugue on a Topic of Henry Purcell
Variations one year Elizabethan Theme (1953)
Gloriana (COp 53a, 1954), symphonic continuation extracted the opera of the same name
The Building off the House (COp 79, 1967), opening
Suite one English Folk Tunes (COp 90, 1974)
The Prince off the Pagodas (COp 57, 1979), continuation of concert resulting from the ballet of the same name

Concerting works

Concerto for Piano (COp 13, 1938 revised in 1945)
Concerto for Violon (COp 15, 1939 revised in 1958)
Diversions one has Theme (COp 21, 1940 revised in 1954), for piano (left hand) and orchestrates
Scottish Balad (COp 26, 1941), for two pianos
Concerto for Violoncelle, Cello-Symphony (COp 68, 1963)
Lachrymae for viola and string orchestra (1977)

Chamber music

Phantasy Four-bit byte (COp 2, 1932)
Insect Parts , for oboe and piano (posthumous Opus 1935)
Continuation for violin and piano (COp 6, 1935)
String quartet N° 1 (COp 25, 1941)
String quartet N° 2 (COp 36, 1945)
String quartet N° 3 (COp 94, 1975)
String quartet in D (1931 revised in 1974)
Lachrymae , for viola and piano (COp 48, 1950)
Metamorphoses according to Ovide for oboe (COp 49, 1951)
Brass band for St Edmundsbury (1959) short part polytonale for three trumpets
Sonata for violoncello (COp 65, 1961)
Continuation for violoncello N° 1 (COp 72, 1964)
Continuation for violoncello N° 2 (COp 80, 1967)
Continuation for violoncello N° 3 (COp 87, 1971)
Gemini Variations for flute, violin and piano with four hands (COp 73, 1965)

Piano

Five waltz (1925 revised in 1969)
Sonatina Romantica (1940)
Introduction and Rondo went burlesca (COp 23, 1940), for two pianos
Mazurka Elegiaca (COp 23, 1941), for two pianos
Night Piece (1963), night

Others

Nocturnal (1963) variations on a topic of John Dowland for Guitar
Reduced for Viola without accompaniment
Many works for voice and instrument solo

Editor

Faber Music

External bonds

Britten-Pears Foundation
Listening of extracts on the official site of the BBC
Site entirely devoted to Britten

Simple: Benjamin Britten

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