Britten

[Roger Webb]

...................they're wonderful bridges between the old and new Elizabethan ages, I'm sure we'd agree!

Exactly, musicology can only take one so far, 'feeling' in music is often more important!

[Master Jacques]

Exactly, musicology can only take one so far, 'feeling' in music is often more important!

In the light of the double-focus of this thread, it's amusing to remember that one of the least happy members of the first-night audience of Gloriana was Britten's one-time teacher, John Ireland, who hated the whole thing. That first night was of course by no means the fiasco that has sometimes been painted: the muted applause was down to the fact that the "society audience" of both sexes was applauding through white gloves!

[Roger Webb]

....................applauding through white gloves!

Or just rattling their jewellery!

[Ein Heldenleben]

In the light of the double-focus of this thread, it's amusing to remember that one of the least happy members of the first-night audience of Gloriana was Britten's one-time teacher, John Ireland, who hated the whole thing. That first night was of course by no means the fiasco that has sometimes been painted: the muted applause was down to the fact that the "society audience" of both sexes was applauding through white gloves!

A friend of ours was at that celebrated premiere. It wasn’t just the gloves . The audience was made up of the great and good - few of them opera lovers. The friend said you could “feel the waves of boredom crashing against the orchestra pit throughout the entire performance “ though he might have been quoting a reviewer.
Lord Harewood , who was no doubt there , sums it up in Kobbé : “that is was misunderstood and disliked by a 1953 assemblage of grandees and courtiers provides a rather acid comment on the different standards prevailing in the mid twentieth and late sixteenth centuries when a luminary of the aristocracy could be the author of “Happy were he.”

[Ein Heldenleben]

I'm not sure: like Maxwell Davies's Dances in Taverner two decades later, don't they lean more towards "original composition using Tudor forms"? Splitting hairs, I know ... and whether or not, they're wonderful bridges between the old and new Elizabethan ages, I'm sure we'd agree!

They’re not parodies. They use modal harmonies but with uniquely reinvigorating Brittenesque harmonic twists.
The libretto with all its “call me not malapert “ Elizabethanisms is much more parodic sadly…

[Master Jacques]

A friend of ours was at that celebrated premiere. It wasn’t just the gloves . The audience was made up of the great and good - few of them opera lovers. The friend said you could “feel the waves of boredom crashing against the orchestra pit throughout the entire performance “ though he might have been quoting a reviewer.
Lord Harewood , who was no doubt there , sums it up in Kobbé : “that is was misunderstood and disliked by a 1953 assemblage of grandees and courtiers provides a rather acid comment on the different standards prevailing in the mid twentieth and late sixteenth centuries when a luminary of the aristocracy could be the author of “Happy were he.”

I suppose that evening will always remain shrouded in the mists of controversy. Although I have to say, that judging from the enthusiastic response at the conclusion of the BBC's own acetate transfer of that world premiere (which was broadcast to the nation, oh happy days!, and is now available on CD) the idea of its being coldly received (as it doubtless was by the nobs) is something of an exaggeration. After all, the upper regions of the house were certainly there for the music, not to "be seen".

Anecdotally, an old friend of mine who was singing in the chorus that night told me that it had been a big success, and all the stories were nasty, scurrilous nonsense whipped up by anti-Britten press reviewers and a few jealous old composers such as Ireland. But then, if you were in it, you'd want to remember it as a success. Who knows?

The Britten circle may have contributed to the legend also, as they didn't want the conductor John Pritchard to take too much credit away from the evening.

I suppose the legend that the first night was a failure, redeemed by the work's success on subsequent "democratic" evenings, makes for a better story. It succeeded at least as well as the opening night of Billy Budd, which required a thorough revision to be turned into the successful work we know now.

[mopsus]

Although I have to say, that judging from the enthusiastic response at the conclusion of the BBC's own acetate transfer of that world premiere (which was broadcast to the nation, oh happy days!) ....

I recall watching a broadcast of this opera late afternoon on TV in (I think) the mid 1980s on Christmas Day! I imagine it was the ENO under Mark Elder.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I suppose that evening will always remain shrouded in the mists of controversy. Although I have to say, that judging from the enthusiastic response at the conclusion of the BBC's own acetate transfer of that world premiere (which was broadcast to the nation, oh happy days!, and is now available on CD) the idea of its being coldly received (as it doubtless was by the nobs) is something of an exaggeration. After all, the upper regions of the house were certainly there for the music, not to "be seen".

Anecdotally, an old friend of mine who was singing in the chorus that night told me that it had been a big success, and all the stories were nasty, scurrilous nonsense whipped up by anti-Britten press reviewers and a few jealous old composers such as Ireland. But then, if you were in it, you'd want to remember it as a success. Who knows?

The Britten circle may have contributed to the legend also, as they didn't want the conductor John Pritchard to take too much credit away from the evening.

I suppose the legend that the first night was a failure, redeemed by the work's success on subsequent "democratic" evenings, makes for a better story. It succeeded at least as well as the opening night of Billy Budd, which required a thorough revision to be turned into the successful work we know now.

It remains one of the more bizarre episodes in post war cultural history. The strangest intervention was that of Dame Marie Stopes, she of planned Family fame , who condemned the opera in a letter to The Times. There were several documented complaints of some kind of veiled Lèse- majesté in the “unflattering” (though actually intensely sympathetic) portrait of Elizabeth I .
What a different world it seems now.

[Master Jacques]

The best story surrounding the premiere of Gloriana is a true one.

Despite the pressures on her, surrounding the upcoming Coronation and everything else, HMQ was determined that she wasn't going to just sit through this modern opera uncomprehendingly. She invited the composer over to Windsor a few weeks before, to take her through the whole piece and explain to her how it was written, how the various musical themes worked, and generally to get a first-hand idea of what to expect. As a result, she felt something of an insider's interest, and enjoyed her commission tremendously on the night.

Now that's dedication!

(Disclosure: I too have a special interest in the piece, as it was the first good opera to be premiered during my lifetime. I was twelve days old.)

[vinteuil]

.
... what emerges is a feeling of the bitchiness associated with -

. the world of the Court
. the world of opera
. the world of the court of Benjamin Britten

[Ein Heldenleben]

.
... what emerges is a feeling of the bitchiness associated with -

. the world of the Court
. the world of opera
. the world of the court of Benjamin Britten

I would say what emerges is how lucky we were to have a composer of the quality of Britten and a Monarch of the quality of HMQE2 !

[vinteuil]

I would say what emerges is how lucky we were to have a composer of the quality of Britten and a Monarch of the quality of HMQE2 !

... I think you are of a nicer disposition than me

.

[Master Jacques]

I would say what emerges is how lucky we were to have a composer of the quality of Britten and a Monarch of the quality of HMQE2 !

Hear, hear! We shall not see their like again. And just to think, we also had the likes of RVW, Tippett, Walton, Rubbra ... the Coronation commission A Garland for the Queen presents an astonishing quality of contributors.

[Ein Heldenleben]

... I think you are of a nicer disposition than me

.

I’m no great Monarchist but I do think the late Queen was thoroughly exceptional,

[Serial_Apologist]

I’m no great Monarchist but I do think the late Queen was thoroughly exceptional,

On being appointed MQM Peter Maxwell Davies would also compliment the Royals on their interest in the arts.