Repeat of Bridcut's 'Britten's Endgame', BBC4 tonight.

[Mary Chambers]

Britten died forty years ago today. At 7.30 on BBC4 there is a repeat of the two-hour film by John Bridcut, Britten's Endgame.

[Pulcinella]

Britten died forty years ago today. At 7.30 on BBC4 there is a repeat of the two-hour film by John Bridcut, Britten's Endgame.

Thanks for the alert, Mary.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Is this a mirage - a decent music documentary - non Proms, nor clips from the BBC Library - albeit a repeat (but which I have never seen).

Yes, thanks for the alert

[EdgeleyRob]

I've seen this before and just watched again,bears repeated viewing,an extraordinary and moving film.

[Beef Oven!]

I've seen this before and just watched again,bears repeated viewing,an extraordinary and moving film.

I just watched half an hour on iPlayer, then had to go out. I will watch a bit more later. First time around for me. Thanks for the heads-up Mary

[Stanley Stewart]

Britten's Endgame, BBC 4

Deeply moved to watch a repeat screening tonight, (4 Dec), of John Bridcut's documentary, Britten's Endgame, and to remember that it coincides with BB's death 40 years ago in 1976. Rather like the assassination of President Kennedy in Nov, 1963, people still recall where they were at the time the news broke. In 1976, I shared an office at the COI with a colleague who regularly attended the Aldeburgh Festival and an intense silence prevailed for most of the afternoon with only an occasional glance between us until we decided it was time to withdraw to the pub.

Forty years later, it is easier to empathise with Britten's final years as he struggled to complete Death in Venice when incapacitated and frail after his heart surgery in 1973 and yet had the creative urge to complete his String Qt 3. His resilience must have been formidable. Comforting to now have this programme on a HD recording for closer viewing.

[DracoM]

I've seen this before and just watched again,bears repeated viewing,an extraordinary and moving film.

[Keraulophone]

It is interesting to overhear a listener's intimate engagement with a piece of music, in this case the end of the 3rd String Quartet, and speaking to camera about their feelings. For Michael Berkeley it was painful to listen to this slow journey of the soul into the infinite. Others have pointed out how the E major of this Passacaglia is associated with Aschenbach, and therefore it may be a final farewell to Pears, who had created the role on the stage, and wrote of its ‘profound beauty more touching than anything else, radiant, wise, new, mysterious—overwhelming’.

[Richard Tarleton]

Deeply moved to watch a repeat screening tonight, (4 Dec), of John Bridcut's documentary, Britten's Endgame, and to remember that it coincides with BB's death 40 years ago in 1976. Rather like the assassination of President Kennedy in Nov, 1963, people still recall where they were at the time the news broke. In 1976, I shared an office at the COI with a colleague who regularly attended the Aldeburgh Festival and an intense silence prevailed for most of the afternoon with only an occasional glance between us until we decided it was time to withdraw to the pub.

Forty years later, it is easier to empathise with Britten's final years as he struggled to complete Death in Venice when incapacitated and frail after his heart surgery in 1973 and yet had the creative urge to complete his String Qt 3. His resilience must have been formidable. Comforting to now have this programme on a HD recording for closer viewing.

Indeed, Stanley. It seemed only right then to take a day off work to head to Aldeburgh to be present for the funeral, and I was back to Snape shortly afterwards for the first performance of the 3rd string quartet, by the Amadeus. I listened to that yesterday (the Belcea's recording). I did see Death in Venice (with Pears) at RoH but have to say I have never really liked it...unlike the 3rd SQ which I love and always find very moving. Am saving the repeat.

[Stanley Stewart]

Indeed, Stanley. It seemed only right then to take a day off work to head to Aldeburgh to be present for the funeral, and I was back to Snape shortly afterwards for the first performance of the 3rd string quartet, by the Amadeus. I listened to that yesterday (the Belcea's recording). I did see Death in Venice (with Pears) at RoH but have to say I have never really liked it...unlike the 3rd SQ which I love and always find very moving. Am saving the repeat.

Thanks, Richard, must now look into the Belcea recording of the String Quartet as an alternative to my recordings by the Endellion Str Qt on EMI.

A strange day as even my bedtime reading of the Alan Bennett diaries was overridden by persistent memories of the Bridcup documentary and how I must now transfer it as a companion for Britten on Camera, recorded only a few years ago. Altogether a most absorbing evening's TV viewing. Forty years on...and still so vivid and potent!

[Richard Tarleton]

Enjoyed the repeat - though I have to say I like DiV less and less. No credits at the end - (why not - did my recording cut them out?) - I think that was the Fitzwilliams playing SQ3? Magnificent singing by Sarah Connolly.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

No credits at the end - (why not - did my recording cut them out?) - I think that was the Fitzwilliams playing SQ3?

The recording may have done, because there were some - that's how I know that you're right in identifying the Fitzbills!

(Disagree about DiV, though - there's a number of Britten's operas which I increasingly dislike: Venice and Grimes, on the other hand, "get better" the more I hear them.)

[ahinton]

The recording may have done, because there were some - that's how I know that you're right in identifying the Fitzbills!

(Disagree about DiV, though - there's a number of Britten's operas which I increasingly dislike: Venice and Grimes, on the other hand, "get better" the more I hear them.)

As someone who's never been a fan of much of Britten (sorry to say), I'm rather with you on that, although the Third Quartet is, I would agree, one of his most moving works; never mind the Fitzwillies, what I'd give a sou or three to have been able to hear what I understand to have been the first private performance of that work, but as it was given on a piano, more or less at sight, by the four hands of half that number of Matthewses (neither of whom is what you - or they - might call a pianist) in front of the the composer at The Red House, the chances of a bootleg recording are at the very least remote, I'd say...

[Richard Tarleton]

I've gravitated away from the vocal msuic and towards the orchestral and instrumental music in latter years. The cello suites got a look in early in the film - I've been enjoying Jamie Walton's 2 recordings, one for CD recorded at Snape and performances in a chilly-looking Blythburgh church for Sky Arts. The first perf of the 3SQ was a moving occasion - beginning with a minute's silence, the Amadeus went straight into it and played a Rasumovsky after the interval.

[kernelbogey]

I watched this on catch up, thanks to this thread and to the heads up from Mary - thank you.

I've never been a fan of Britten's music - it somehow doesn't speak to me, although perhaps I need to put in more effort. I think this was an excellent film by any standards, and I know, and think I understand, more about Britten than I ever have. This is especially true of his relationship with Pears. The letters they exchanged across the Atlantic were indeed moving. The manner in which Britten approached his death was affecting, although I didn't feel moved by the film as a whole as others have expressed. But I am motivated to hear the third string quartet properly.

I have one query - about the scenes from Death in Venice with von Aschenbach in front of a back projection. Does anyone know whether this was (from) a semi-staged performance, or set up purely for the film?