Britten 100

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

Backgrounds To Britten

20131124

The BBC Singers perform some of Britten's most popular and best-loved pieces for choir, plus music by other composers he admired, including Purcell and Bridge, and a world premiere. Presented live from St Edmund's Church, Southwold by Sean Rafferty.

Britten: Hymn to St Cecilia

Bridge: Music when soft voices die

Britten: Choral Dances from Gloriana

Sean Shepherd: Daffodils (first performance)

Purcell: I was glad

Britten: Prelude and Fugue on a theme of Vittoria

Ireland: Ex ore innocentium

Britten: A Shepherd's Carol

Britten: Rejoice in the Lamb

Iain Farrington (organ)

David Hill (conductor)

Music for voices - both solo and in ensemble - is at the heart of Britten's compositional output, reflecting both his personal fascination with vocal timbres as well as his lifelong preoccupation with creating a body of work which could be performed and enjoyed by amateurs and professionals alike. Choral works, in fact, form an arc which reaches from his earliest compositions to some of the very last he wrote. In this afternoon's concert the BBC Singers - who themselves have premiered a number of Britten's most important pieces - perform a selection of his best-loved choral works, together with some by other composers he admired and who influenced him - including teachers John Ireland and Frank Bridge, and the great 17th-century master Henry Purcell. Alongside these, Britten's most substantial solo work for the organ, and the first performance of a new choral piece by Sean Shepherd - one of several commissioned by Aldeburgh Music to mark this Britten centenary year.

Live from Southwold, the BBC Singers perform some of Britten's best-loved pieces for choir

Programmes featuring music and discussion to mark the centenary of Benjamin Britten.

Bridcut's Britten

20131122

Suzy Klein and John Bridcut discuss Britten's preoccupation with childhood, sport and film

Programmes featuring music and discussion to mark the centenary of Benjamin Britten.

Britten Answers

20131124

Tom Service and John Bridcut answer your questions about Britten and ask which performers and composers inspired him and why. Live from Snape Maltings

Mozart: Allegro molto (Sonata in D major for two pianos, K 448)

Sviatoslav Richter and Benjamin Britten (pianos)

Schubert: Die Sterne, D 939; Nachtviolen, D 752; Aufl怀sung, D 807

Peter Pears (tenor)

Benjamin Britten (piano)

Mahler (arr. Britten): 'What the wild flowers tell me' (Minuet from Sympnony No 3)

English Chamber Orchestra

Benjamin Britten (conductor)

Purcell (realised Britten): I attempt from love's sickness to fly; I'll sail upon the Dog-star; There's not a Swain of the plain; Man is for the woman made

Schubert: Allegro Moderato (Arpeggione Sonata, D 821)

Mstislav Rostropovich (cello)

Tchaikovsky: Finale (Tema Russo) (Serenade for Strings in C major, Op 48)

email: britten@bbc.co.uk

#britten100.

Tom Service and John Bridcut answer questions about Britten and ask who inspired him.

Programmes featuring music and discussion to mark the centenary of Benjamin Britten.

Britten Round-up

20131124

Suzy Klein, Tom Service and John Bridcut pick highlights from Radio 3's Britten 100 events

Programmes featuring music and discussion to mark the centenary of Benjamin Britten.

Noye's Fludde

20131124

Britten wanted to be at the centre his community, a composer who wrote demanding and satisfying music for that community, whether his musicians be children, amateur or professional. With Noye's Fludde he reached that ideal (even the audience plays a part) in a work that is celebratory, serious, fun and profoundly moving. Performed in Britten's birthplace, it's a fitting musical end to the centenary celebrations.

Louise Fryer presents this live performance from St Margaret's Church in Lowestoft. Andrew Shore is Noye, Felicity Palmer is Mrs Noye and Zeb Soanes is The Voice of God. The Navarra Quartet and young people from Lowestoft schools and choirs are conducted by Paul Kildea.

Britten: Noye's Fludde

Noye ..... Andrew Shore (baritone)

Mrs Noye ..... Felicity Palmer (soprano)

The Voice of God ..... Zeb Soanes (speaker)

Paul Kildea (conductor).

Louise Fryer presents Noye's Fludde, live from the town of Britten's birth, Lowestoft.

Programmes featuring music and discussion to mark the centenary of Benjamin Britten.

Saint Nicolas

20131123

Britten's cantata Saint Nicolas, at once theatrical and solemn, humorous and quirky, was premiered in the opening concert of the first Aldeburgh Festival in 1948. As on that occasion, this live performance comes from Aldeburgh Parish Church. With its mainly amateur forces, including the community itself in the shape of the audience, it set a pattern that established the values at the heart of Britten's artistic credo: 'I want my music to be of use to people, to please them, to enhance their lives.' Introduced by Sean Rafferty in conversation with Ben Parry.

Britten: Saint Nicolas

Alan Oke (tenor)

Jubilee Opera Chorus

Aldeburgh Voices

The Suffolk Ensemble

Ben Parry (conductor)

David Briggs (Children's Chorus conductor).

Live from Aldeburgh Parish Church, Ben Parry conducts Britten's cantata Saint Nicolas.

Programmes featuring music and discussion to mark the centenary of Benjamin Britten.

Episodes

Title	First Broadcast	Comments
Backgrounds To Britten	20131124	The BBC Singers perform some of Britten's most popular and best-loved pieces for choir, plus music by other composers he admired, including Purcell and Bridge, and a world premiere. Presented live from St Edmund's Church, Southwold by Sean Rafferty. Britten: Hymn to St Cecilia Bridge: Music when soft voices die Britten: Choral Dances from Gloriana Sean Shepherd: Daffodils (first performance) Purcell: I was glad Britten: Prelude and Fugue on a theme of Vittoria Ireland: Ex ore innocentium Britten: A Shepherd's Carol Britten: Rejoice in the Lamb Iain Farrington (organ) David Hill (conductor) Music for voices - both solo and in ensemble - is at the heart of Britten's compositional output, reflecting both his personal fascination with vocal timbres as well as his lifelong preoccupation with creating a body of work which could be performed and enjoyed by amateurs and professionals alike. Choral works, in fact, form an arc which reaches from his earliest compositions to some of the very last he wrote. In this afternoon's concert the BBC Singers - who themselves have premiered a number of Britten's most important pieces - perform a selection of his best-loved choral works, together with some by other composers he admired and who influenced him - including teachers John Ireland and Frank Bridge, and the great 17th-century master Henry Purcell. Alongside these, Britten's most substantial solo work for the organ, and the first performance of a new choral piece by Sean Shepherd - one of several commissioned by Aldeburgh Music to mark this Britten centenary year. Live from Southwold, the BBC Singers perform some of Britten's best-loved pieces for choir Programmes featuring music and discussion to mark the centenary of Benjamin Britten.
Bridcut's Britten	20131122	Suzy Klein and John Bridcut discuss Britten's preoccupation with childhood, sport and film Programmes featuring music and discussion to mark the centenary of Benjamin Britten.
Britten Answers	20131124	Tom Service and John Bridcut answer your questions about Britten and ask which performers and composers inspired him and why. Live from Snape Maltings Mozart: Allegro molto (Sonata in D major for two pianos, K 448) Sviatoslav Richter and Benjamin Britten (pianos) Schubert: Die Sterne, D 939; Nachtviolen, D 752; Aufl怀sung, D 807 Peter Pears (tenor) Benjamin Britten (piano) Mahler (arr. Britten): 'What the wild flowers tell me' (Minuet from Sympnony No 3) English Chamber Orchestra Benjamin Britten (conductor) Purcell (realised Britten): I attempt from love's sickness to fly; I'll sail upon the Dog-star; There's not a Swain of the plain; Man is for the woman made Schubert: Allegro Moderato (Arpeggione Sonata, D 821) Mstislav Rostropovich (cello) Tchaikovsky: Finale (Tema Russo) (Serenade for Strings in C major, Op 48) email: britten@bbc.co.uk #britten100. Tom Service and John Bridcut answer questions about Britten and ask who inspired him. Programmes featuring music and discussion to mark the centenary of Benjamin Britten.
Britten Round-up	20131124	Suzy Klein, Tom Service and John Bridcut pick highlights from Radio 3's Britten 100 events Programmes featuring music and discussion to mark the centenary of Benjamin Britten.
Noye's Fludde	20131124	Britten wanted to be at the centre his community, a composer who wrote demanding and satisfying music for that community, whether his musicians be children, amateur or professional. With Noye's Fludde he reached that ideal (even the audience plays a part) in a work that is celebratory, serious, fun and profoundly moving. Performed in Britten's birthplace, it's a fitting musical end to the centenary celebrations. Louise Fryer presents this live performance from St Margaret's Church in Lowestoft. Andrew Shore is Noye, Felicity Palmer is Mrs Noye and Zeb Soanes is The Voice of God. The Navarra Quartet and young people from Lowestoft schools and choirs are conducted by Paul Kildea. Britten: Noye's Fludde Noye ..... Andrew Shore (baritone) Mrs Noye ..... Felicity Palmer (soprano) The Voice of God ..... Zeb Soanes (speaker) Paul Kildea (conductor). Louise Fryer presents Noye's Fludde, live from the town of Britten's birth, Lowestoft. Programmes featuring music and discussion to mark the centenary of Benjamin Britten.
Saint Nicolas	20131123	Britten's cantata Saint Nicolas, at once theatrical and solemn, humorous and quirky, was premiered in the opening concert of the first Aldeburgh Festival in 1948. As on that occasion, this live performance comes from Aldeburgh Parish Church. With its mainly amateur forces, including the community itself in the shape of the audience, it set a pattern that established the values at the heart of Britten's artistic credo: 'I want my music to be of use to people, to please them, to enhance their lives.' Introduced by Sean Rafferty in conversation with Ben Parry. Britten: Saint Nicolas Alan Oke (tenor) Jubilee Opera Chorus Aldeburgh Voices The Suffolk Ensemble Ben Parry (conductor) David Briggs (Children's Chorus conductor). Live from Aldeburgh Parish Church, Ben Parry conducts Britten's cantata Saint Nicolas. Programmes featuring music and discussion to mark the centenary of Benjamin Britten.