# Benjamin Britten



## mikeh375

Hi All,

Anyone a fan?
He is one of a handful of composers in the last 100 years who can equate to the legend of Mozart imo.
Technically he was almost faultless as a composer, creating the maximum effect with the minimum of means. His perfect pitch allowed him to pump out music at a prodigious rate, straight to ms from inside his head. His orchestration is imaginative and solid and his pianism was first rate - he was one of the finest of his generation - famously called the greatest accompanist in the world by Gerald Moore, who was reputed to be the greatest accompanist in the world.
Of the music, I am constantly being swept of my musical feet by his invention and sheer verve in pieces like The Bridge Variations, the Spring Symphony, The Prince of the Pagodas, Peter Grimes and the War Requiem to name just a few masterworks.
Anyhow, enough gushing, just thought I'd add his name to the impressive list here.

http://mikehewer.com


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## Vasks

A musical giant absolutely!

However, a goodly number of his pieces strike me as either uninspired, unemotional or uneven in quality. But things like the War Requiem, Bridge Variations, Peter Grimes are masterly.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT

Britten is, along with Beethoven and Wagner, the composer with whom I've had the longest-running association, having been devoted to their music since my teens. I agree with Vasks about the unevenness of some of Britten's works, but there's usually something in every piece that grabs the attention. Personally, I'd consider the following to be masterpieces; if not, they're certainly favourites of mine:

*Opera:* Peter Grimes; Billy Budd; Albert Herring; Turn of the Screw; Curlew River; Death in Venice; Midsummer Night's Dream; Rape of Lucretia

*Choral:* War Requiem; Rejoice in the Lamb; A Ceremony of Carols; Hymn to St Cecilia; A Boy Was Born; Cantata Misericordium

*Vocal:* Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings; Les Illuminations; The Five Canticles; Nocturne; Phædra; A Charm of Lullabies

*Lieder:* Folk Song Arrangements (various); Songs & Proverbs of William Blake; Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo

*Instrumental:* Nocturnal after John Dowland; Cello Suites

*Orchestral:* Lachrymæ; Frank Bridge Variations; Young Person's Guide; Sinfonietta; Sinfonia da Requiem; Cello Symphony

There are probably quite a number of pieces I've left out, but I'll leave it there for now. It's quite an impressive tally by any standards.


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## Pugg

> He is one of a handful of composers in the last 100 years who can equate to the legend of Mozart imo.


I might add more then a handful. His music is good but he's not even in my top 50.


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## mikeh375

Gosh Pugg you have high standards  who else would you equate to Mozart in the last 100 years or so. I would definitely add Shostakovitch, Messiaen and Boulez as 3 who had almost perfect technical fluency alongside perfect pitch and musicianship. There are of course many great geniuses in the last 100 years and I love them all!

Great list Reichstag I could certainly add to it. I once sang in a choir that did St. Nicholas which I found very moving.

Vasks, I'd be curious to know what pieces you find uneven and why. I can't really fault him, so it'd do me good to get a view not tainted with admiration and a big dose of envy.


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## David Phillips

I have tried to like Britten over the years, and I shall probably keep trying, but something about the shape of his 'melodies' always puts me off. They seem weak, inconsequential, and are hard to remember. Unlike, say, Bartok whose tunes are strong, vigorous and very memorable.


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## Mal

mikeh375 said:


> Hi All,
> Anyone a fan?
> He is one of a handful of composers in the last 100 years who can equate to the legend of Mozart imo.


Yes, he's great. Besides his own works, he's one of my favourite conductors of Mozart, his Double Decca of Symphonies 25, 29, 38, 40, with the ECO, is a gem.


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## mikeh375

Hi David,

Funny how we hear things differently. Brittens' setting of text and poetry is almost unsurpassed in its sensitivity to the words for me. Of course that is down to the inflections in his melody as well as harmony and instrumentation. I can think of raw powerful, visceral writing by him that matches Bartok, but maybe you are right in that Bartok is probably on balance more often 'upfront' shall we say. That is of course open to much interpretation and as a Britten nut, you can probably guess where I sit...

Hey Mal,

I forgot about his recording legacy...duuurrr. He was also a great champion of Purcell as you undoubtedly know. I worked with musos who had been under his baton and they almost all said that his beat and intentions where never in doubt. Shamefully (for me) I don't know his Mozart recordings, so I will have to hunt them out.


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## wkasimer

Mal said:


> Yes, he's great. Besides his own works, he's one of my favourite conductors of Mozart, his Double Decca of Symphonies 25, 29, 38, 40, with the ECO, is a gem.


And a superb accompanist - e.g. his Winterreise recording with Peter Pears.


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## Vasks

mikeh375 said:


> Vasks, I'd be curious to know what pieces you find uneven and why. I can't really fault him, so it'd do me good to get a view not tainted with admiration and a big dose of envy.


The why without re-listening to them can not be specific, so my original post saying that I find them uneven, uninspired or unemotional will have to do. In my listening library the works that I really don't find worthwhile are Cello Symphony, Piano Concerto, Sinfonia da Requiem, Cello Suites (certain movements), Billy Budd and St. Nicolas.

I forgot to add on my positive list his "Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings. Great piece!

I have on my want list his String Quartets. Hopefully when I do acquire them they'll be of good quality.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT

Vasks said:


> In my listening library the works that I really don't find worthwhile are Cello Symphony, Piano Concerto, Sinfonia da Requiem, Cello Suites (certain movements), Billy Budd and St. Nicolas.


Interesting that you find _Billy Budd_ "not worthwhile", and I'd like to understand why. For me, _Budd_ is one of the 20th Century's operatic masterpieces, and quite indispensable.


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## Barbebleu

Definitely in my top fifty. Probably in my top ten, now that I come to think of it.


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## hpowders

Peter Grimes is one of my favorite operas of all time.

I was so impressed with experiencing it at the Met in the 1980's (Jon Vickers), as part of my regular subscription series, that I immediately dropped a wad of cash and saw it again some two weeks later!!

Billy Budd is very fine too, but Peter Grimes for me, is special.


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## elgar's ghost

BB's operatic output alone is sufficient for me to consider him one of the giants of 20th century music.


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## mikeh375

I am aesthetically bound to agree with almost all the comments so far. I will admit though to having had some trouble getting into the Cello symphony, especially the first movement with which I found the rigour to be somewhat unforgiving for the first few listens. The final mvt, too felt a little forced in its effort to be more conciliatory. Having said that, these days I will listen to it and am happy to report that I am moved by it - why did I doubt the man?
I can't understand why the Prince of the Pagodas has been neglected so much though. For me, it ranks with his highest achievements.


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## jenspen

mikeh375 said:


> ... Brittens' setting of text and poetry is almost unsurpassed in its sensitivity to the words for me. ...


Yes, he set English words better than any other composer I can think of. I got to enjoy his choral works when I had to sing them.

I have been listening to his 1968 recording with Rostropovich of Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata. I just googled and here's what Rostropovich thought of their collaboration:

"Once he had played it with Britten, he didn't want to play it with anyone else."


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## mikeh375

Jenspen,

I bought that recording too after reading about the recording in a biography on Britten. It is flawless isn't it? I said at the start of the thread that he was among the finest pianists of his generation, have you seen him playing a Mozart duet with Richter..

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi9wwHGqqe4[/URL]

btw what have you sang of his?


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## jenspen

mikeh375 said:


> Jenspen,
> 
> I bought that recording too after reading about the recording in a biography on Britten. It is flawless isn't it? I said at the start of the thread that he was among the finest pianists of his generation, have you seen him playing a Mozart duet with Richter..
> 
> [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi9wwHGqqe4[/URL]


Well, I have now, thank you!

I've certainly sung in "A Ceremony of Carols" and "Rejoice in the Lamb". We attempted some other hymns? too.

And I'm familiar his folksong settings and some settings of poems for tenor (Pears).

I don't know the operas. I haven't learnt how to appreciate opera in general.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT

mikeh375 said:


> I can't understand why the Prince of the Pagodas has been neglected so much though. For me, it ranks with his highest achievements.


That's one of the pieces I should have included in my list. A scintillating score.


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## Pat Fairlea

I'm so glad to see Britten getting some positive comments. Through the 1940s to 70s, when Britten was in his prime, his spiky character and somewhat open homosexuality while it was still illegal in the UK meant that even his successes were regarded askance and with snide remarks. He was a remarkable composer, one who bridged the gap between the English Romantic tradition and modernism, and who worked across a wide range of forms. His folksong settings are particularly effective and, although I'm no fan of opera, Peter Grimes and Gloriana are magnificent. And he was a wonderful pianist, mainly as an accompanist. Even a pianist of my ineptitude can play some of the folksong settings (with Mrs Pat contraltoing to good effect) and appreciate the skill with which the piano part complements both the vocal part and the mood of the piece.


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## mikeh375

Hi Pat,

Yes, Stravinsky commented that "it can't be that good then" or similar upon hearing about the success of the War Requiem.
I read that Britten was mostly a model of propriety regarding his sexuality, but I fear his reputation will never get rid of the rumours about him and the 'lost innocence' of youth.


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## Pat Fairlea

mikeh375 said:


> Hi Pat,
> 
> Yes, Stravinsky commented that "it can't be that good then" or similar upon hearing about the success of the War Requiem.
> I read that Britten was mostly a model of propriety regarding his sexuality, but I fear his reputation will never get rid of the rumours about him and the 'lost innocence' of youth.


1940s to 70s Britain never warmed to Britten, and his own waspishness didn't help. Pears often acted as an ambassador. When Britten died, their housekeeper, a fine figure of Suffolk womanhood, was sought out by a tv reporter who clearly wanted insight into a 'celebrity gay' couple. All he got out of her was "Dr Britten could be difficult, but Mr Pears he's a proper gentleman". Which sounds about right.


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## Barbebleu

mikeh375 said:


> Hi Pat,
> 
> Yes, Stravinsky commented that "it can't be that good then" or similar upon hearing about the success of the War Requiem.
> I read that Britten was mostly a model of propriety regarding his sexuality, but I fear his reputation will never get rid of the rumours about him and the 'lost innocence' of youth.


Stravinsky's critical faculties had clearly deserted him here.  The War Requiem is one of the major works of the twentieth century by any criteria. :tiphat:


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## Tchaikov6

Reichstag aus LICHT said:


> That's one of the pieces I should have included in my list. A scintillating score.


Yes, I just finished listening to the Prince of the Pagodas. It's great, one of my favorite Britten pieces.


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## senza sordino

I really enjoy the music of Benjamin Britten. The string quartets are superb, as is the violin concerto and Cello symphony. The Four Sea Interludes I can never listen to enough. I'm not really into opera, but I did enjoy Peter Grimes, I saw it on TV a few years ago. I did see live Albert Herring, which was pretty good. 

I've played the Simple Symphony a couple of times now with a string orchestra. And the Variations on a theme of Frank Bridge is wonderful. The range he's able to get from the strings is wide, written as if he's a string player. Could he play a stringed instrument or was he exclusively a piano player? And don't forget the Cello Suites. 

His music doesn't feel English in the same way that Holst, Vaughan Williams or Elgar does. Yet, his music reminds me of England. Perhaps it's a post colonial England, looking forward into modernism. Yes, he is writing nearly 50 years after Elgar. Britten's music isn't pompous but it does challenge and excite. I like his music a lot.


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## TurnaboutVox

Pat Fairlea said:


> I'm so glad to see Britten getting some positive comments. Through the 1940s to 70s, when Britten was in his prime, his spiky character and somewhat open homosexuality while it was still illegal in the UK meant that even his successes were regarded askance and with snide remarks. *He was a remarkable composer, one who bridged the gap between the English Romantic tradition and modernism*, and who worked across a wide range of forms. His folksong settings are particularly effective and, although I'm no fan of opera, Peter Grimes and Gloriana are magnificent. And he was a wonderful pianist, mainly as an accompanist. Even a pianist of my ineptitude can play some of the folksong settings (with Mrs Pat contraltoing to good effect) and appreciate the skill with which the piano part complements both the vocal part and the mood of the piece.


Very true, though his teacher and mentor Frank Bridge had been there first. Though perhaps Britten would have got there without him anyway - he was a remarkably gifted composer.


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## mikeh375

Hi Senza sord.

As far as I know, he could not play a stringed instrument but he'd clearly done his homework given his remarkable orchestration skills. The Bridge Variations where my first introduction to his work and I was also dazzled by the invention and the writing for strings. The cello suites are a marvel of technical invention.

@Pat,

I've seen that interview with the housekeeper, it is priceless.
I presume you've heard of 'Brittens' corpses' - people and friends he often just stopped associating with and ignored, sometimes for long periods. Yes, he had his quirks, shall we say.


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## Pat Fairlea

mikeh375 said:


> Hi Senza sord.
> 
> ....
> 
> @Pat,
> 
> I've seen that interview with the housekeeper, it is priceless.
> I presume you've heard of 'Brittens' corpses' - people and friends he often just stopped associating with and ignored, sometimes for long periods. Yes, he had his quirks, shall we say.


Yes, he did 'drop' people, sometimes for the most (apparently) minor reasons. Britten does seem to have been very thin-skinned.


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## elgar's ghost

Such a situation could cut both ways - in 1963 Britten gave Decca producer John Culshaw a prissy roasting in front of everyone in the studio for presenting to him on his 50th birthday a rehearsal tape for the _War Requiem_ which the composer didn't know anything about. Eventually Britten got over himself and Culshaw continued to be professionally associated with him on and off until Britten's death in 1976.


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## Pat Fairlea

elgars ghost said:


> Such a situation could cut both ways - in 1963 Britten gave Decca producer John Culshaw a prissy roasting in front of everyone in the studio for presenting to him on his 50th birthday a rehearsal tape for the _War Requiem_ which the composer didn't know anything about. Eventually Britten got over himself and Culshaw continued to be professionally associated with him on and off until Britten's death in 1976.


I wonder what Britten would have said had he known that the first full performance of his Spring Symphony was recorded. It was released by Decca (440 063-2) in 1994. The sound quality is mushy in places, but the singing of the three principals (Jo Vincent, Kathleen Ferrier, Peter Pears ) is lovely. It is not what an ambitious composer would want for a first recording, but the sense of novelty and warmth is quite wonderful.


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## elgar's ghost

Pat Fairlea said:


> I wonder what Britten would have said had he known that the first full performance of his Spring Symphony was recorded. It was released by Decca (440 063-2) in 1994. The sound quality is mushy in places, but the singing of the three principals (Jo Vincent, Kathleen Ferrier, Peter Pears ) is lovely. It is not what an ambitious composer would want for a first recording, but the sense of novelty and warmth is quite wonderful.


Interesting - I can only assume that Decca tucked it away in the archives without BB's knowledge? Or did he know about it but wanted suppressed on condition that he record it himself later? Obviously of historical interest not least because of KF's presence.


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## mikeh375

Truly fascinating, did BB conduct that first performance I wonder?
There are so many wonderful moments in that work, some of my favourites moments are the Driving Boy, Out on the Lawn and of course the edgy bustle of east London in the finale.
Had a listen to Phaedra the other day, with a score and was again struck by his ability to achieve maximum impact with the simplest of means.


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## elgar's ghost

mikeh375 said:


> Truly fascinating, did BB conduct that first performance I wonder?


It was Eduard van Beinum with the Concertgebouw back in 1949. BB's own famous recording from the Kingsway Hall was made in 1961, I think.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT

senza sordino said:


> The range he's able to get from the strings is wide, written as if he's a string player. Could he play a stringed instrument or was he exclusively a piano player?


Britten also played the viola.


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## Guest

Reichstag aus LICHT said:


> Britten also played the viola.


He was also a fine conductor. Here he is conducting Elgar's "Introduction and Allegro", which is a work for strings and orchestra. It's a high-octane performance with the right amount of tenderness and yearning, when required, and fierce counterpoint at other times. A drop-dead gorgeous work and a stunning performance:


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## TurnaboutVox

Vasks said:


> I have on my want list his String Quartets. Hopefully when I do acquire them they'll be of good quality.


I think they're very of high quality. It took me a while to warm to them, but now that I have, I really enjoy them. A good performance and recording helps - my current favourite is the Maggini Quartet on Naxos.


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