# SS 07.04.18 - Britten "Simple Symphony"



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening! 
_*
*_For your listening pleasure this weekend:*

Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976)*

Simple Symphony, Op. 4

1. Boisterous Bourrée
2. Playful Pizzicato
3. Sentimental Sarabande
4. Frolicsome Finale

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Post what recording you are going to listen to giving details of Orchestra / Conductor / Chorus / Soloists etc - Enjoy!


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

Another weekend is upon us and this weekend it's English composer Benjamin Britten's short "Simple Symphony". I've never been much of a fan of Britten's music myself but I'm looking forward to giving this one a fresh listen as it has been some time since I last heard it. I hope everyone will give this short work a listen this weekend. I'll post a link on YouTube for those without a recording. I'll be listening to the same version on CD.

I'll be listening to:




Benjamin Britten/English Chamber Orchestra


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Same for me tomorrow.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

A confident and pithy work from a promising young individual from Suffolk. It also works well when transcribed for string quartet.


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

I'll be listening to the Northern Sinfonia recording here,


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Pugg said:


> Same for me tomorrow.


I shall join you with this version


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Pugg said:


> Same for me tomorrow.


My choice also tomorrow


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

Pugg said:


> Same for me tomorrow.


I've just listened to this on Spotify (sorry for being a day early).
Light string music put together in a highly competent way - not deep but very enjoyable.


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## Alfacharger (Dec 6, 2013)

I'm away for the weekend but I have brought this dvd with me.










It features a sound track with lots of Britten's music including the "Playful Pizzicato" from the Simple Symphony.


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## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

Reached deep into my collection to fish this one out

I Musici de Montreal conducted by Yuli Turovsky


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

I must agree with Malx, enjoyable string music not too serious and a nice way to start a Saturday morning


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## Joe B (Aug 10, 2017)

"Simple Symphony" tracks #12-15 on this excellent disc from Nimbus:


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## Torkelburger (Jan 14, 2014)

D Smith said:


> I'll be listening to the Northern Sinfonia recording here,


I listened to this one as well.

Always fun to listen to. I like Britten's music.


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

A bit late (sorry), but I'm opting for this recording as it's the only one I have. There's not a lot more to add about this work really that hasn't been said above by Malx and Haydn Man.
By the way, 'Moonrise Kingdom' is a wonderful film, way off the usual Hollywood mainstream and with plenty of Britten music that's not just incidental, but important to the movie.


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## Weird Heather (Aug 24, 2016)

For some reason, I got out of the habit of coming here for a while, but now I'm back. I noticed this thread, and this piece happens to be in my collection. I only have one recording - Norwegian Chamber Orchestra/Iona Brown. The title is a good description; it is a very approachable work and quite enjoyable. I have so much music in my collection that I sometimes overlook composers for longer than I should. It's been a while since I have listened to Britten. These Saturday Symphonies threads are good for pointing me to neglected corners of my collection and for adding new items that I might neglect later. Incidentally, listening to this symphony got me interested in some of the other works by Britten that happen to be in my collection. I've also listened to "Variations on a Theme by Frank Bridge" and "Plymouth Town". Both are worth a listen every now and then.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Listening to the _Simple Symphony_ from The Collector's Edition. Iona Brown conducting the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra. A nice performance.


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## SONDEK (Sep 29, 2017)

This hard-to-find CD is one of my all-round favourite albums.

Britten's Simple Symphony is superbly done.

What a shame an original vinyl LP was never made available.


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