Category Archives: Piano

Listening to Britten – Night Piece (Notturno)

Posted on December 14, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

Painting (c) Brian Hogwood Night Piece (Notturno) for piano (ca April – May 1963, Britten aged 49) Dedication not known Duration 6′ Audio clips of the recording made by Michael Dussek. With thanks to Hyperion. Background and Critical Reception It … Continue reading →

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Listening to Britten – Village Organist’s Piece

Posted on September 6, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

Organ, Wimborne Minster (c) Ben Hogwood Village Organist’s Piece (unfinished) for organ (ca1941, Britten aged 27) Dedication not known Duration 3′ Background and Critical Reception Completed by Colin Matthews, the Village Organist’s Piece is an almost complete mystery – and … Continue reading →

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Listening to Britten – Sonatina Romantica

Posted on August 27, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

(c) Brian Hogwood Sonatina Romantica for piano (July 1940, Britten aged 26) 1 Moderato 2 Nocturne 3 Burlesque 4 Toccata Dedication Dr. William B. Titley Duration 7’30” Background and Critical Reception Only two movements of the Sonatina Romantica have been … Continue reading →

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Listening to Britten – Prelude on ‘They Walk Alone’

Posted on August 8, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

A still from the film Daughter of Darkness Prelude on ‘They Walk Alone’ for organ (1938, Britten aged 24-25) Dedication not known Duration 3′ Background and Critical Reception Very little is known or documented about Britten’s incidental music for the … Continue reading →

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Listening to Britten – Two Lullabies

Posted on July 16, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

(c) Ben Hogwood Two Lullabies for two pianos (10 – 16 March 1936, Britten aged 22) 1 Lullaby 2 Lullaby for a retired colonel Dedication not known Duration 5’30” Background and Critical Reception Another publication of Britten’s not to appear … Continue reading →

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Listening to Britten – Holiday Diary, Op.5

Posted on June 13, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

(c) Brian Hogwood Holiday Diary, Op.5 – suite for piano (1 September – 14 October 1934, Britten aged 20) 1 Early morning bathe 2 Sailing 3 Funfair 4 Night Dedication Arthur Benjamin Duration 16′ Audio clips will be added here … Continue reading →

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Listening to Britten – Twelve Variations on a Theme

Posted on May 23, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

Photo (c) Ben Hogwood Twelve Variations on a Theme for piano (March – May 1931, Britten aged 17) Dedication unknown Duration 8’40” Background and Critical Reception The Variations are the first piano piece Britten wrote at the Royal College of … Continue reading →

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Listening to Britten – Three Character Pieces

Posted on May 12, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

(c) Brian Hogwood Three Character Pieces for piano (16 September – 27 December 1930, Britten aged 17) 1 John 2 Daphne 3 Michael Dedication not explicitly stated Duration 7′ Background and Critical Reception A collection of three short portraits of … Continue reading →

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Listening to Britten – A Little Idyll

Posted on April 13, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

(c) Ben Hogwood A Little Idyll for piano (20 February – 8 March 1930, Britten aged 16) Dedication not known Duration 2’30” Background and Critical Reception Anthony Goldstone writes in the booklet notes for his CD about a piece that … Continue reading →

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Listening to Britten – Five Waltzes

Posted on March 17, 2013 by goodmorningbritten

Britten playing cricket, c1925 – image courtesy of http://www.britten100.org Five Waltzes for piano (originally called Five Walztes) (March 1925, Britten aged 11) 1 Rather fast and nervous 2 Quick, with wit 3 Dramatic 4 Rhythmic, not fast 5 Variations: Quiet … Continue reading →

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