Benjamin Britten’s works can be edgy, or they can be warm and accessible. On Monday we learn about Britten’s childhood, and the deep bond between him and his teacher, Frank Bridge. As the week continues, Bill introduces us to the influential people in his life, including Britten’s lifelong partner, tenor Peter Pears. We will hear Pears sing with virtuoso horn player Dennis Brain in the Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings. On Friday, two slain soldiers from opposite sides meet in the underworld to sing “Libera Me” from the War Requiem. Then we sample some folksongs, and end on a bright note: Britten’s how-to guide for young classical music listeners, The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.
Britten, Benjamin
Playlist
Episode 1
Britten, Benjamin: Simple Symphony IV. Finale
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Prokofiev: Classical Symphony; Bizet, Britten / Orpheus CO
DG 423624
2:51
Bridge, Frank: The Sea “Moonlight”
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic/ Groves
British Composers – Bridge: The Sea – Groves
EMI 66855
5:15
Britten, Benjamin: Sinfonietta, I. III.
Hallé Orchestra/ Nagano
Britten – Double Concerto · Young Apollo ·
Sinfonietta – Kremer · Bashmet · Nagano
Erato 25502
8:15
Britten, Benjamin: “A Boy was Born” (excerpt)
Finzi Singers, Lichfield Cathedral Choir/ Spicer
Britten: Choral Edition Vol 3 / Spicer, The Finzi Singers
Chan 9701
8:58
Britten, Benjamin: Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge (excerpt- first 5 sections)
English Chamber Orchestra/ Britten
Britten: Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra – Britten
Lon 417509
7:00
Britten, Benjamin: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 13, I.
English Chamber Orchestra/Britten; Richter, piano
Britten: Piano Concerto, Violin Concerto – Richter, Britten
Lon 417308
12:04
Episode 2
Britten, Benjamin: Violin Concerto, Op. 15, I
London Symphony Orchestra/ Rostropovich; Vengerov, violin
Britten: Violin Concerto; Walton / Maxim Vengerov
EMI 57510
10:04
Britten, Benjamin: Les Illuminations, Op. 18 (4 excerpts)
English Chamber Orchestra/ Britten; Pears, tenor
Britten: Serenade, Les Illuminations / Britten, Pears
Lon 417153
7:27
Britten, Benjamin: Sinfonia da Requiem, Op. 20, I. Lacrymosa
London Philharmonic/ Slatkin
Britten: Young Person’s Guide-L. Slatkin
RCA 61226
7:57
Britten, Benjamin: Paul Bunyan (excerpts)
Royal Opera House Covent Garden/ Hickox
Britten: Paul Bunyan / Hickox, Cranham, Gritton, Et Al
Chan 9781
4:28
Britten, Benjamin: Quartet for Strings No. 1 in D Major, Op. 25, I
Endellion String Quartet
Benjamin Britten: The Complete Music for String Quartet
EMI 47695
8:39
Britten, Benjamin: Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, Op. 31 Pastoral and Nocturne
Boyd Neel String Orchestra/ Britten Pears; tenor, Brain; horn
Britten: Serenade, Winter Words, Etc / Britten, Pears
Lon 425996
7:06
Episode 3
Britten, Benjamin: Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, Op. 31 “Hymn”
LSO/Britten; Tuckwell, horn
Britten: Serenade; Les Illuminations; Nocturne
Lon 417153
2:01
Britten, Benjamin: Peter Grimes, Op. 33 (open scene excerpts) Four Sea Interludes
Royal Opera House Covent Garden/Haitink; Johnson, tenor; Allen, baritone; Lott, soprano
Peter Grimes
EMI 54832
7:16
Britten, Benjamin: Peter Grimes, Op. 33 Four Sea Interludes (excerpts)
Royal Opera House Covent Garden/Haitink; Johnson, tenor; Allen, baritone; Lott, soprano
Peter Grimes
EMI 54832
5:04
Britten, Benjamin: Peter Grimes, Op. 33 Four Sea Interludes (excerpts)
Royal Opera House Covent Garden/Haitink; Johnson, tenor; Allen, baritone; Lott, soprano
Peter Grimes
EMI 54832
1:31
Britten, Benjamin: Peter Grimes, Op. 33 Four Sea Interludes (excerpts)
Royal Opera House Covent Garden/Haitink; Johnson, tenor; Allen, baritone; Lott, soprano
Peter Grimes
EMI 54832
5:27
Britten, Benjamin: Peter Grimes, Op. 33 Four Sea Interludes (excerpts)
Royal Opera House Covent Garden/Haitink; Johnson, tenor; Allen, baritone; Lott, soprano
Peter Grimes
EMI 54832
:36
Britten, Benjamin: Peter Grimes, Op. 33 Four Sea Interludes (excerpts)
Royal Opera House Covent Garden/Haitink; Johnson, tenor; Allen, baritone; Lott, soprano
Peter Grimes
EMI 54832
1:16
Britten, Benjamin: Peter Grimes, Op. 33; Four Sea Interludes “Moonlight” “Sunday Morning” (excerpts)
London Philharmonic/ Slatkin
Britten: Young Person’s Guide… / L. Slatkin
RCA 61226
8:21
Britten, Benjamin: Peter Grimes, Op. 33 Four Sea Interludes (excerpts)
Royal Opera House Covent Garden/Haitink; Johnson, tenor; Allen, baritone; Lott, soprano
Peter Grimes
EMI 54832
2:34
Britten, Benjamin: Quartet for Strings No. 2 in C Major, Op. 36, I
Endellion String Quartet
Benjamin Britten: The Complete Music for String Quartet
EMI 47696
7:51
Britten, Benjamin: Rossini Suite; II. IV.
Scottish Chamber Orchestra/Bedford; Bedford, piano
Benjamin Britten: The collector’s Edition 37 CDs
EMI 49480
3:16
Episode 4
Britten, Benjamin: Spring Symphony, Op. 44, Finale
Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden/Britten;
Pears, tenor; Proctor, contralto; Vyvyan, soprano
Britten: Spring Symphony, Cantata Academica- Britten
Lon 425153
7:26
Britten, Benjamin: Six Metamorphoses after Ovid Op. 49 for solo oboe; “Pan”
Roy Carter, oboe
Cello Sonata – Suite for violin and piano – Elegy for solo viola
EMI 55398
2:20
Britten, Benjamin: Suite from Gloriana, Op. 53a, I. II.
Bournemouth Symphony/ Segal
Britten: Gloriana Symphonic Suite The Prince of the Pagodas Prelude and Dances
EMI 69422
8:21
Britten, Benjamin: The Prince of the Pagodas (excerpts)
London Sinfonietta/ Knussen
Britten: The Prince of The Pagodas / Knussen, London Sinfonietta
Virgin 91103
6:50
Britten, Benjamin: Nocturne for Tenor and Strings 7 Obbligato
English Chamber Orchestra/Britten; Pears, tenor
Britten: Serenade; Les Illuminations; Nocturne
EMI 417153
5:35
Britten, Benjamin: War Requiem, Op. 66 “Requiem Aeternam”
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/ Rattle; Tear, tenor;
Allen, baritone; Söderström, soprano
Simon Rattle Edition – Benjamin Britten
EMI 47034
9:51
Britten, Benjamin: Suite for Solo Cello, Op. 72, II
Rostropovich, violoncello
Rostropovich – The Russian Years – Britten, Respighi
EMI 72016
2:20
Episode 5
Britten, Benjamin: War Requiem, Op. 66 (excerpts)
LSO/Britten; Preston, organ; Vishnevskaya, soprano; Fischer-Dieskau, baritone; Pears, tenor
Britten: War Requiem / Britten, London Symphony
Lon 414383
9:42
Britten, Benjamin: War Requiem, Op. 66 (excerpts)
LSO/Britten; Preston, organ; Vishnevskaya, soprano; Fischer-Dieskau, baritone; Pears, tenor
Britten: War Requiem / Britten, London Symphony
Lon 414383
21:32
Britten, Benjamin: Folk Songs, Vol. 3, No. 6: “Waly, Waly”
Britten Sinfonia/ Harding; Bostridge, tenor
Britten: Serenade for Tenor, Horn Strings, Bostridge
EMI 56871
1:23
Britten, Benjamin: Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34
Royal Philharmonic/ Previn
Prokofiev: Peter and The Wolf; Britten / Previn, Royal Po
Telarc 80126
17:08