20th-century ComposersIn this masterly biography, the author creates a portrait of a great artist and discusses the contradictions of his quintessential Englishness and his world stature, his outsider status and his membership of the establishment, his artistic adventurousness and his constant regard for musical forms and traditions. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Aldeburgh Festival arias Ballad ballet Benjamin Britten Billy Budd Boy was Born Bridge's British Britten and Pears Britten wrote Britten's music cantata Canticle Cello Chamber Orchestra conducted Choir choral chords chorus commission composer composition concert conducted by Benjamin conductor critics Curlew River cycle Death in Venice diary dramatic English Chamber Orchestra English Opera Group film fp London fp radio Frank Bridge friends Gloriana Gresham's harp heard homosexual Hymn John June later libretto melody motif movement Myfanwy Piper Paul Bunyan Pears's performance Peter Grimes Peter Pears pianist Piano Concerto piece play poems poet Posthumously published première Purcell Rape of Lucretia rehearsal revised Robert Ronald Duncan Rostropovich scherzo Schoenberg score Screw sequence sexual Shostakovich Sinfonia da Requiem solo soloist sonata Sonnets soprano string orchestra String Quartet Suite tenor theatre theme variations viola Violin Concerto vocal voice and piano W. H. Auden War Requiem write young