Benjamin Britten

Britten in 1968, by [[Hans Wild Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other vocal music, orchestral and chamber pieces. His best-known works include the opera ''Peter Grimes'' (1945), the ''War Requiem'' (1962) and the orchestral showpiece ''The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra'' (1945).

Born in Lowestoft, Suffolk, the son of a dentist, Britten showed talent from an early age. He studied at the Royal College of Music in London and privately with the composer Frank Bridge. Britten first came to public attention with the ''a cappella'' choral work ''A Boy was Born'' in 1934. With the premiere of ''Peter Grimes'' in 1945, he leapt to international fame. Over the next 28 years, he wrote 14 more operas, establishing himself as one of the leading 20th-century composers in the genre. In addition to large-scale operas for Sadler's Wells and Covent Garden, he wrote chamber operas for small forces, suitable for performance in venues of modest size. Among the best known of these is ''The Turn of the Screw'' (1954). Recurring themes in his operas include the struggle of an outsider against a hostile society and the corruption of innocence.

Britten's other works range from orchestral to choral, solo vocal, chamber and instrumental as well as film music. He took a great interest in writing music for children and amateur performers, including the opera ''Noye's Fludde'', a ''Missa Brevis'', and the song collection ''Friday Afternoons''. He often composed with particular performers in mind. His most frequent and important muse was his personal and professional partner, the tenor Peter Pears; others included Kathleen Ferrier, Jennifer Vyvyan, Janet Baker, Dennis Brain, Julian Bream, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Osian Ellis and Mstislav Rostropovich. Britten was a celebrated pianist and conductor, performing many of his own works in concert and on record. He also performed and recorded works by others, such as Bach's ''Brandenburg Concertos'', Mozart symphonies, and song cycles by Schubert and Schumann.

Together with Pears and the librettist and producer Eric Crozier, Britten founded the annual Aldeburgh Festival in 1948, and he was responsible for the creation of Snape Maltings concert hall in 1967. In his last year, he was the first composer to be given a life peerage. Provided by Wikipedia
Showing 1 - 20 results of 142 for search 'Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976.', query time: 0.26s Refine Results
1
by Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976
Published 1964

Audio
2
by Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976
Published 1963
Other Authors: ...Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976...

Audio
4
by Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976
Published 1942

Musical Score Book
5
by Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976
Published 1965

Audio
6
by Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976
Published 1959

Audio
7
by Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976
Published 1965
Other Authors: ...Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976...

Audio
8
by Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976
Published 1946

Musical Score Book
9
by Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976
Published 1969
Other Authors: ...Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976...

Audio
10
by Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976
Published 1961

Audio
11
by Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976
Published 1975

Musical Score Book
13
by Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976
Published 2000

Musical Score Book
14
by Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976
Published 1999

Musical Score Book
15
by Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976
Published 1989
Other Authors: ...Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976...

Audio
16
by Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976
Published 1945

Musical Score Book
17
by Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976
Published 1985

Musical Score Book
18
by Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976
Published 1969
Other Authors: ...Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976...

Audio
19
by Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976
Published 1986

Musical Score Book
20
by Britten, Benjamin, 1913-1976
Published 1951

Musical Score Book