War Requiem

[MrGongGong]

Indeed, the dreaded P&CA board. I posted my reply there. This board is called 'Performance'.

................ with NO POLITICS allowed Dimitri, Cornelius, Hans Werner, Ian Stuart etc etc

[mercia]

probably off-topic but I've just noticed on the iPlayer a televised 1964 Albert Hall performance of the Requiem, apparently available indefinitely

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p014g221/War_Requiem/

also a 30-minute studio recital which I'm sure I've seen before

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p014g298/Celebrity_Recital_Benjamin_Britten_and_Peter_Pears/

[Nick Armstrong]

probably off-topic but I've just noticed on the iPlayer a televised 1964 Albert Hall performance of the Requiem, apparently available indefinitely

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p014g221/War_Requiem/

ON-topic - treasure trove, mercs!

[Stephen Whitaker]

probably off-topic but I've just noticed on the iPlayer a televised 1964 Albert Hall performance of the Requiem, apparently available indefinitely

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p014g221/War_Requiem/

also a 30-minute studio recital which I'm sure I've seen before

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...d_Peter_Pears/

The recital came out on this DVD

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Winterreise-Benjamin-Britten-DVD/dp/B0012L0TES/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1384265647&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=britten+winterreisse

a few years ago
and strangely poor old Meredith Davies gets omitted or wrongly credited in most of the BBC listings.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/archive/search/1960s/1964/august-04/7525

[Mary Chambers]

ON-topic - treasure trove, mercs!

Indeed! I know the folk song recital well, but had no idea that performance of War Requiem was available. Richard Baker was looking very young! I've just watched up to the Dies Irae so far.

[Prommer]

Two things: Britten may have refused certain honours but he accepted the one that counts - OM or was it CH? He was also as close as any musician has got to the Royal Family!

Secondly, the folk at the top of the British Legion are not dumb tub thumpers - war, and the pity of war, are a large part of what they are about. The fact that they also wear or encourage nice uniforms and have parades etc etc is only consistent with a desire to honour the valiant hearts of the fallen, not to glory in death itself or indeed war itself.

[Mary Chambers]

Two things: Britten may have refused certain honours but he accepted the one that counts - OM or was it CH? .

Both!

The 1964 War Requiem performance - I could have been there! But wasn't. I noted how young the Prommers looked compared with today's, how prompt the applause was (too prompt), and a lesson from Pears in how to sing the Owen poem in the Agnus Dei, at about 101.50.

[slarty]

Two things: Britten may have refused certain honours but he accepted the one that counts - OM or was it CH? He was also as close as any musician has got to the Royal family

Britten's great champion and sponsor was of course lord Harewood, who probably did more than any other to promote the works of BB and being the cousin of our Queen, had the possibility of furthering his cause more than most others.
As for CH or OM, he was the recipient of both.

[Petrushka]

ON-topic - treasure trove, mercs!

Is this mentioned anywhere on the BBC. I had no idea this was on the I-player, many thanks for bringing to our attention. Wondering if it's accessible to view on my Samsung Smart TV but not sure where to look.

[Mary Chambers]

Is this mentioned anywhere on the BBC. I had no idea this was on the I-player, many thanks for bringing to our attention. Wondering if it's accessible to view on my Samsung Smart TV but not sure where to look.

If you can find iPlayer on your TV, just search for War Requiem. It's there! I have a Samsung Smart TV too, but my son sorted out various things, of which iPlayer may have been one. On a large-ish screen the picture quality of the WR is terrible, though!

[Mary Chambers]

Britten's great champion and sponsor was of course lord Harlech, who probably did more than any other to promote the works of BB and being the cousin of our Queen, had the possibility of furthering his cause more than most others.
As for CH or OM, he was the recipient of both.

Lord Harewood, I think!

[slarty]

Correct, one glass too many this evening. I will amend the post.

[Alison]

the folk at the top of the British Legion are not dumb tub thumpers - war, and the pity of war, are a large part of what they are about. The fact that they also wear or encourage nice uniforms and have parades etc etc is only consistent with a desire to honour the valiant hearts of the fallen, not to glory in death itself or indeed war itself.

Very well put.

[Stanfordian]

Very well put.

I now feel very comfortable buying and wearing a poppy. A decade or so ago I refused to buy one and said something like 'not liking the gloryfication of the dead from war'. Today I still feel ashamed that I said that. What does get my goat is at Remembrance Sunday Parades Prince Charles wearing a chest full of medals, when he has never fought in a war, awarded to him by his mother.