Britten

[Mary Chambers]

I was Spellbound Caliban by the intensity of Peter Grimes, reckon your right, the first one leaves a mark

My first Britten opera, and indeed my first opera, was The Little Sweep in Let's Make an Opera. It didn't do a thing for me, I'm afraid. I found the songs quite difficult to pick up, even though my mother was gamely singing them next to me and Norman del Mar (I think) encouraging us from the pit. I was just eleven.

Peter Grimes I found devastating when I saw it in my early 20s, and I was enchanted by Midsummer Night's Dream at roughly the same time. I didn't really get Billy Budd the first time I saw it, though I do now. I knew Turn of the Screw well from the Britten recording by the time I saw it on stage. In some ways I wish I had gone to it in ignorance, as I did to Grimes. (I only knew Grimes was famous, little else.) I'd like to know what sort of impact it would have made.

Radio 3 has plenty of Britten this weekend, including Budd. The programme I'm looking forward to most is Bostridge on Britten. He always has something intelligent to say.

[jean]

http://www.buxtonfestival.co.uk/what...-of-the-screw/

One of my highlights of opera going last year (see the reviews)

One of mine too - in every respect except for the awful set. The window was invisible from anywhere except the dead centre of the theatre.

[Suffolkcoastal]

My favourite Britten scores are:
Frank Bridge Variations, Our Hunting Fathers, Violin Concerto, Sinfonia da Requiem, Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings, String Quartet No 1, Peter Grimes, Billy Budd, Winter Words, The Turn of the Screw, Noyes Fludde, Nocturne, War Requiem, Death in Venice, Suite on English Folk Tunes 'A Time there was', Phaedra, String Quartet no 3.

The Britten scores I'm not keen on are:
Paul Bunyan, Prelude & Fugue on a theme of Vittoria, The Rape of Lucretia, Spring Symphony, Cello Sonata, Cello Suites 1 & 2, The Prodigal Son, The Golden Vanity, The Children's Crusade, Owen Wingrave.

[mercia]

I wonder if any boardees attended the same concert I did in 1977 or 78 at the Festival Hall, a sort of Britten memorial or celebration concert

I've been trying without success to remember everything that was performed. Philip Ledger was the conductor, Pears sang the Serenade with I think Michael Thompson on horn, the choir of Kings College sang the Festival Te Deum (and Rejoice in the Lamb ?) and I think it finished with the Welcome Ode.

does this ring any bells ?

[EdgeleyRob]

And what do you have against these, Edgy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7DELWAqpTI

No,don't like 'em

[Nick Armstrong]

Oh, I know! Some of them are utterly ridiculous, aren't they!


Mine originated on the old BBC Message Boards. Before contributing, I noticed that everyone seemed to have a nom-du-web and I thought this was compusory. Following Bax-of-Delight's example, I elected to splice my "favourite" living composer with my favourite "dead" one. I hovered around "TransitVan" for a while, but am glad I settled on this one - I quite like "ferney" as a shortener; not sure I'd be happy about "Trannie".

I actually like the ability to use Ferney, Beefy etc etc. Like you I just followed suit from existing practice. And there are positives to anonymity (privacy, security) as well as negatives. It leaves one free to choose to 'pierce the internet veil' either in PMs or in real life, with trusted individuals.

However this is a digression for a techie thread...

[Nick Armstrong]

One of mine too - in every respect except for the awful set. The window was invisible from anywhere except the dead centre of the theatre.

Whereas the set of the 1980s ENO production was masterly, reflecting screens, shimmering and sinister, allowing for mysterious appearances and disappearances like some haunted hall of mirrors... Gives me the shivers just to recall it. And I was in the cheap seats!

[amateur51]

Caliban

You have mentioned the Diversions for Left Hand, a very fine piece. One of my first LPs was the version with Britten himself conducting the great Julius Katchen. Decca tried to 'stereoise ' it for an Eclipse release, but luckily the original mono has appeared on CD. Another fine version comes from the Boston SO and Ozawa with Fleischer, splendidly recorded and with the Ravel Left Hand and Prokofiev's 4th as couplings

I'd like to third this praise for 'Diversions'

[amateur51]

Oh, I know! Some of them are utterly ridiculous, aren't they!


Mine originated on the old BBC Message Boards. Before contributing, I noticed that everyone seemed to have a nom-du-web and I thought this was compusory. Following Bax-of-Delight's example, I elected to splice my "favourite" living composer with my favourite "dead" one. I hovered around "TransitVan" for a while, but am glad I settled on this one - I quite like "ferney" as a shortener; not sure I'd be happy about "Trannie".

Oh you'd cope, ferney - one of the better balanced forum members in my opinion

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

I think I would say Peter Grimes, It was the first Opera I saw. I do remember it was done by Opera North. I thought The Performance by ENO at the Proms last year of Peter Grimes was superb also. I also really like the War Requiem, Spring Symphony, Serenade For Tenor Horn & Srings, Sinfonia da Requiem, Young Apollo, The Violin & Piano Concerto's. I hope Glyndebourne do Billy Budd as their Prom this year, that would be great, and I'm looking forward to seeing ENO's "Death In Venice" & Royal Opera's "Gloriana" in June. I heard that Birmingham Royal Ballet are going to do Prince Of The Pagodas some time this year and does anybody know when details will be released as to when Opera North are doing their "Britten Trilogy" in the Autumn?

I'd have thought the Glyndebourne prom will almost certainly be Billy Budd, given that it's usually given a couple of days after the Festival ends (Budd on 25th August). The only other possibility would be Don Pasquale (which closes on the 24th) if they want to give the first lady of Chateau De Niese a Prom outing...

The good news is that BBC Four will broadcast Billy Budd from the Festival. It is a stunning production.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Here's an intriguing teaser. In an exchange via a different media this evening with tenor Christopher Gillett (which started out as I lamented the purloining of Brahms' Clarinet Sonatas by the flute) he asked if I knew a version of Britten's Serenade in a version for tenor, viola and strings?! It exists... he provided photographic evidence:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BBUCfFcCAAAoCru.jpg:large

He wonders (and so do I) if it's ever been performed? Or what Britten's thoughts about it were? If anyone knows, Mary will...

[Mr Pee]

In an exchange via a different media this evening with tenor Christopher Gillett (which started out as I lamented the purloining of Brahms' Clarinet Sonatas by the flute)

Oh God. Please tell me that's a joke.....

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Oh God. Please tell me that's a joke.....

What? The exchange itself or the Brahms for flute?

If the latter...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brahms-Flute-Sonata-op120-Reinecke/dp/B000J20W5M/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1358972760&sr=1-1

[Petrushka]

I'm not that keen on opera (Wagner apart) so Britten's essays in the medium are, despite hearing Grimes and Budd, something of a closed book to me and in any case I find the subject matter hard to take.

One has to regret that Britten didn't write more, much more, orchestral music but I do greatly enjoy the War Requiem, surely one of the greatest works of the 20th century, Our Hunting Fathers, Sinfonia da Requiem, Serenade, YPG and the 4 Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes. These are all masterpieces by any yardstick.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Try the String Quartets, too, Pet - some of Britten's very best Music here.