Monthly Archives: December 2013

Merry Christmas!

Posted on December 23, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

Britten at the Red House. Image courtesy of Britten 100 Merry Christmas, and a happy new year…and a very big thank you for following and reading this blog! We shall resume again in January with The Prodigal Son, working through … Continue reading →

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Listening to Britten – Suite for solo cello no.2, Op.80

Posted on December 23, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

Photo (c) Ben Hogwood Suite for solo cello no.2, Op.80 (August 1967, Britten aged 53) Dedication For Slava Duration 22′ 1 Declamato 2 Fuga 3 Scherzo 4 [untitled} 5 Ciaccona Audio Clips from the first recording of the suite, made … Continue reading →

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Listening to Britten – The Oxen

Posted on December 23, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

Plowing with Oxen Teams (1866) by William Watson, used courtesy of the MSOE website The Oxen, carol for women’s voices (two parts) and piano (19 April 1967, Britten aged 53) Dedication For Cecily Smithwick and the East Coker W.I. Text … Continue reading →

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Listening to Britten – The Building of the House, Op.79

Posted on December 23, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

Britten with Pears at Snape Maltings. Photo by Hans Wild, used courtesy of http://www.britten100.org The Building of the House, overture for orchestra with or without chorus, Op.79 (January – 16 March 1967) Dedication For the opening of The Maltings Concert … Continue reading →

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Listening to Britten – Choral Dances from Gloriana

Posted on December 23, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

‘Take that you wastrel!’ – Gloriana by Jane Mackay, her personal response to the music. Used with many thanks to the artist, whose work can be viewed on her own website Sounding Art Choral Dances from Gloriana for tenor solo, … Continue reading →

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Listening to Britten – The Golden Vanity, Op.78

Posted on December 23, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

Image of score courtesy of The Open Doorway website The Golden Vanity, Op.78 – a vaudeville for boys and piano after the old English ballad (26 August 1966, Britten aged 52) Dedication Fur die Wiener Sängerknaben Text Colin Graham Language … Continue reading →

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Listening to Britten – The Burning Fiery Furnace, Op.77

Posted on December 22, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

Design for East Window of the Chapel of St. John’s Hospital, Lichfield by John Piper (1960s). (c) The Piper Estate The Burning Fiery Furnace, Op.77, a second parable for church performance (October 1965 – 5 April 1966, Britten aged 52) … Continue reading →

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Listening to Britten – Sweet was the song

Posted on December 22, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

View across inside of Culross Abbey. (c) Ben Hogwood Sweet was the song – carol for women’s voices (SSAA), unaccompanied (April 1966, Britten aged 52) Dedication not known Text William Ballet’s lute book Language English Duration 3′ Background and Critical … Continue reading →

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Listening to Britten – The Poet’s Echo, Op.76

Posted on December 22, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

Galina Vishnevskaya and Benjamin Britten Photo by Erich Auerbach, Getty Images Files , London The Poet’s Echo, Op.76 – for high voice and piano (August 1965, Britten aged 51) 1 Echo 2 My heart… 3 Angel 4 The nightingale and … Continue reading →

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Listening to Britten – Voices for Today, Op.75

Posted on December 20, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

Flag of the United Nations. Used courtesy of Wikipedia Voices for Today, Op.75 – anthem for chorus (men, women and children) with ad libitum accompaniment for organ (July 1965, Britten aged 51) Dedication Commissioned by the Secretary-General of the United … Continue reading →

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