Stamp of greatness: First-Class Britten

[Nick Armstrong]

Issued today:






(Can any of the Notation gang identify the manuscript in the background? )

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Issued today:

(Can any of the Notation gang identify the manuscript in the background? )

That looks very much like Peter Grimes - possibly the first Sea Interlude.

[Tapiola]

That looks very much like Peter Grimes - possibly the first Sea Interlude.

I was about to say Dawn also - the viola part gives the clue.

Nice stamp. Thanks Caliban.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I was about to say Dawn also - the viola part gives the clue.

Yes, the Stage Direction is another clue ("Curtain Down" on the Prologue) - and the fps and acciaccatura coming out of the composer's right ear - and the harp part underneath the "1st".

Nice stamp. Thanks Caliban.

[Nick Armstrong]

Nice detective work, team

Yes that harp ripple up and down is a giveaway (plus the 'Curtain' showing it's a stage work)

[Mary Chambers]

It's the beginning of Scene 1, and the curtain is going up, not down, after the Dawn interlude. I know this because I had a look at my facsimile of his composition draft, and it's the only time the box surrounding the word 'Curtain' is so untidy!

What I really want to know is where I can get some of those stamps without having to buy all the other 'Great Britons' on the sheet.

[Nick Armstrong]

It's the beginning of Scene 1, and the curtain is going up, not down, after the Dawn interlude. I know this because I had a look at my facsimile of his composition draft, and it's the only time the box surrounding the word 'Curtain' is so untidy!

That must be the perfect answer, Mary!!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It's the beginning of Scene 1, and the curtain is going up, not down, after the Dawn interlude. I know this because I had a look at my facsimile of his composition draft, and it's the only time the box surrounding the word 'Curtain' is so untidy!

[Anna]

What I really want to know is where I can get some of those stamps without having to buy all the other 'Great Britons' on the sheet.

What I want to know is where I can get the Great Britons without Britten!
I think one of the most worthy is John Richard Archer, 1st Black Mayor in London. Born in Liverpool in 1863 as the son of a Barbados-born ship’s steward and an Irish mother, he moved to Battersea at the age of 27 and first entered politics when he was elected a councillor for Latchmere in 1906.

He was also the first president of the African Progress Union, in office from 1918 to 1921, and was the British delegate to the 1919 Pan-African Congress held in Paris.

I'll also buy the David Lloyd-George stamp, but Britten? Don't get it - why not an Elgar stamp? Oh, I don't mind the Elizabeth David stamp ...... but, apart from a couple, it's a pretty dismal selection of who is a Great Briton.

[Mary Chambers]

Royal Mail has issued stamps with practically every subject over the years. I'm sure there have been many other selections of 'Great Britons', many of whom we wouldn't consider great at all. I'm not interested in collecting stamps - I'd just like this one because it's got a nice picture on it

Anyway, The Turn of the Screw is on Radio 3 this evening, so I'm happy.

Can't help wondering why Anna would think Elgar more worthy of a stamp than Britten, though - a discussion probably not worth pursuing.

[Anna]

Can't help wondering why Anna would think Elgar more worthy of a stamp than Britten, though - a discussion probably not worth pursuing.

No, not worth persuing Mary, I can't stand him, simple as that. You love him, simple as that. So that's that!

[Nick Armstrong]

I can't stand him, simple as that.

I'm not sure I ever knew you felt that way about Britten, Anna...

[mercia]

Elgar appeared in 1985 apparently

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_on_stamps_of_the_United_Kingdom#E

presumably the present crop are all celebrating anniversaries of one sort or another

[Flosshilde]

What I want to know is where I can get the Great Britons without Britten!

The answer's obvious - you buy the set, & send Mary the Britten stamp - either on or in an envelope

[Serial_Apologist]

Royal Mail has issued stamps with practically every subject over the years. I'm sure there have been many other selections of 'Great Britons', many of whom we wouldn't consider great at all. I'm not interested in collecting stamps - I'd just like this one because it's got a nice picture on it

Anyway, The Turn of the Screw is on Radio 3 this evening, so I'm happy.


Can't help wondering why Anna would think Elgar more worthy of a stamp than Britten, though - a discussion probably not worth pursuing.

One could always I suppose reserve the stamps of Britons one didn't consider worthy of the "great" description for letters addressed to people one didn't like; i.e. the Inland Revenue?