Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
First broadcast from 20061204 to 20061208.
5 episodes
| Episode | First Broadcast | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | 20061204 | To mark the 30th anniversary of Britten's death, Donald Macleod is joined by Philip Reed to discuss Britten's precocious early career, including the remarkable music produced in his first job for the Film Unit of the General Post Office. A Hymn to the Virgin Finzi Singers Paul Spicer (director) Night Mail - end sequence Nash Ensemble Nigel Hawthorne (narrator) Lionel Friend (conductor) AMDG Polyphony Stephen Layton (conductor) The Sword in the Stone - concert suite Nash Ensemble Lionel Friend (conductor) Bunyan's Farewell: Litany (Paul Bunyan) Voice of Paul Bunyan....Kenneth Cranham Fido....Lillian Watson Moppet....Pamela Helen Stephen Poppet....Leah-Marian Jones Tiny....Susan Gritton Hel Helson....Jeremy White Inkslinger....Kurt Streit Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Richard Hickox (conductor). To mark the 30th anniversary of Britten's death, Donald Macleod is joined by Philip Reed to discuss Britten's precocious early career, including the remarkable music produced in his first job for the Film Unit of the General Post Office. A Hymn to the Virgin Finzi Singers Paul Spicer (director) Night Mail - end sequence Nash Ensemble Nigel Hawthorne (narrator) Lionel Friend (conductor) AMDG Polyphony Stephen Layton (conductor) The Sword in the Stone - concert suite Nash Ensemble Lionel Friend (conductor) Bunyan's Farewell: Litany (Paul Bunyan) Kenneth Cranham (voice of Paul Bunyan) Fido....Lillian Watson Moppet....Pamela Helen Stephen Poppet....Leah-Marian Jones Tiny....Susan Gritton Hel Helson....Jeremy White Inkslinger....Kurt Streit Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Richard Hickox (conductor). |
| 02 | 20061205 | John Bridcut, author of the acclaimed recent book Britten's Children, joins Donald Macleod to discuss the composer's relationships with adolescent boys and how those influenced the music he wrote. Hymn to St Cecilia Finzi Singers Paul Spicer (director) Four Sea Interludes (Peter Grimes) Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Richard Hickox (conductor) A Ceremony of Carols Winchester College Quiristers Sioned Williams (harp) Christopher Tolley (conductor). |
| 03 | 20061206 | Donald Macleod is joined again by John Bridcut to discuss how Britten's relationships with adolescent boys influenced the music he wrote, including his absorbing version of Henry James's darkly mysterious short story The Turn of the Screw. Albert Herring (Act II excerpts) Yvette Bonner (Emmie) Témimé Bowling (Cis) Matthew Long (Harry) Northern Sinfonia Steuart Bedford (conductor) Five Flower Songs, Op 47 Polyphony Stephen Layton (conductor) Billy Budd (Act 1, Scene 3) Billy....Peter Glossop Donald....David Bowman Red Whiskers....Gregory Dempsey Ambrosian Opera Chorus London Symphony Orchestra Benjamin Britten (conductor) Choral Dances (Gloriana) Finzi Singers Paul Spicer (director) The Turn of the Screw (Scene 8, At night) Miles....Julian Leang Quint....Ian Bostridge Miss Jessel....Vivian Tierney Flora....Caroline Wise Mrs Grose....Jane Henschel Governess....Joan Rodgers Mahler Chamber Orchestra Daniel Harding (conductor). |
| 04 | 20061207 | Donald Macleod is joined by Mervyn Cooke, the author of the book Britten and the Far East. After the premiere of The Turn of the Screw in 1954, Britten felt that he had reached the end of a musical trajectory and that other paths beckoned. Two years later, a visit to Bali provided the stimulus in the form of the island's gamelan music. Antiphon, Op 56b Choir of St John's College, Cambridge Christopher Robinson (conductor) The Prince of the Pagodas (excerpts) London Sinfonietta Oliver Knussen (conductor) Noye's Fludde (excerpts) The voice of God....Richard Pasco Noye....Donald Maxwell Sem....Alexander Gallifant Ham....Timothy Lamb Jaffett....Nicholas Berry Mrs Sem....Catriona Johnson Mrs Jaffett....Joanna Brown Animals and Birds....Schools from Salisbury and Chester City of London Sinfonia Richard Hickox (conductor) Missa Brevis in D, Op 63 Choir of Westminster Cathedral James O'Donnell (organ) A Midsummer Night's Dream (excerpts) Starveling....Neal Davies Flute....Ian Bostridge Snug....Stephen Richardson Bottom....Robert Lloyd Theseus....Brian Bannatyne Scott Fairies....David Newman, Claudia Conway, Sara Rey and Matthew Long Puck....Carl Ferguson Oberon....Brian Asawa Tytania....Sylvia McNair New London Children's Choir Colin Davies (conductor). |
| 05 LAST | 20061208 | Donald Macleod and Mervyn Cooke discuss how Britten's work displayed an increasing affinity with the music of the Far East towards the end of his life. Extract from Curlew River, Op 712 ? A Parable for Church Performance. Peter Pears (Madwoman) John Shirley-Quirk (Ferryman) Harold Blackburn (Abbot) Bryan Drake (Traveller) Bruce Webb (Voice of the Spirit) English Opera Group Benjamin Britten (conductor) Act ll Scenes 14-17 from Death in Venice, Op 74 Philip Langridge (Aschenbach) Alan Opie (Hotel Barber and Hotel Manager) City of London Sinfonia Richard Hickox (conductor) Sacred and Profane, Op 91 Polyphony Stephen Layton (conductor). |