BaL 24.12.11 - Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra

[verismissimo]

Although I seem to have several recordings, I never feel the need to look beyond the Britten/Decca. I recall hearing it at school with narrator. Who was it? The LSO I guess.

[LeMartinPecheur]

I'm surprised to find that I have just 2 versions, both LPs: the Britten Decca SXL one and my late father's van Beinum Decca ACL from which I got to know the work as a child. Probably liked the Peter and the Wolf coupling more until I properly discovered classical music in my teens.

Could have sworn I had the Rattle one somewhere, and am staggered I haven't picked up more random versions, via couplings at least...

[Caliban]

van Beinum Decca ACL from which I got to know the work as a child.

Ditto... I remember the album so clearly: under the light blue title banner, a grainy black and white photo on the cover of two little lads wearing ties, listening attentively... I wonder if it ever appeared on CD? I'd be interested to hear it again. I think the Prokofiev coupling was LSO/Malko - like you, LMP, I was more into Peter and the Wolf when I was young, only discovering the Britten in my teens...

Now, like verismissimo, I most often go back to the Britten recording... very exciting, partly because there is one point in the final peroration when it all teeters on the edge of falling apart: real tension, even though I know they're going to get back together...!

[Colonel Danby]

I've got the Richard Baker/Ray Leppard thing on CFP, and Yan Pascal Tortelier on a BBC Music Magazine, but I do prefer the piece without narration: Simon Rattle has it tacked onto the end of his talk on the 'Orchestra' CD Rom, so that will do.

[Brassbandmaestro]

I have the BBC MM version to, plus Rattles and the Sir Andrew Davis with the BBCSO. The latter is the one I prefer!

[salymap]

I can'tfind a single recording of it but think I have a Cassette somewhere. I 'grew up' with dozens oflive performances from Sargent and LSO or later the BBCSO. He certainly played it a lot, and I too like the way the fugue morphes into the theme to end the work. I also like the loud whip noise, which should cut through the orchestra. I have heard it [or rather not heard it] when it sounded almost inaudible. We always called it just the YPG.

I've never heard or seen the film as we didn't have TV at our school.

[Caliban]

van Beinum Decca ACL from which I got to know the work as a child.

I wonder if it ever appeared on CD? I'd be interested to hear it again.

Can't find a currently-available CD, but it can be downloaded on MP3: the whole piece for 89p !! That's Christmas value for you!! : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Britten-B-Or...sr=1-1-catcorr

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Can't find a currently-available CD, but it can be downloaded on MP3: the whole piece for 89p !! That's Christmas value for you!! : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Britten-B-Or...sr=1-1-catcorr

I fear Amazon may be monitoring this forum... less than 20 minutes after Caliban's post and the YPG is only available if you download the whole album! Still, £5.99 ain't bad.

I do hope the excellent Kansas account gets a mention - it's quite superbly engineered by Prof Jonhson.

[mercia]

I remember the album so clearly: under the light blue title banner, a grainy black and white photo on the cover of two little lads wearing ties, listening attentively

your description has reminded me it was in my parent's record collection too
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BRITTON-YOUN...78126664342110

[hmvman]

I was intrigued that the e-mail newsletter from CD Review this morning told us the recommended recording in the BAL section. I don't think they normally do that. I wonder if they meant to...