23.1.2012 - Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) [REPEAT]

[french frank]

1/5. Donald Macleod presents music from early in Britten's career.
2/5. Part of Britten's cantata St Nicholas, plus two of his operas.
3/5. Britten's Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac.
4/5. The final song from Britten's cycle The Poet's Echo.
5/5. Britten's late works, including his final opera, Death in Venice.

(First broadcast November 2010)

[Boilk]

And on Friday evening (27 Jan) on BBC Four

Britten's Children

[Norfolk Born]

I hope somebody's preparing, or at least thinking about, a NEW Britten CotW for the centenary.

[DracoM]

Or are they just starting at the beginning of the alphabet again with repeats?

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

[VodkaDilc]

And on Friday evening (27 Jan) on BBC Four

Britten's Children

Interesting programme - and book! Tony Scotland's book on the Berkeleys ("Lennox and Freda") covers some of the same ground - though rather more frankly!!!

[amateur51]

Interesting programme - and book! Tony Scotland's book on the Berkeleys ("Lennox and Freda") covers some of the same ground - though rather more frankly!!!

Other than that, is Tony Scotland's book a good read, Vodka?

I've just re-found (such is the state of my book collection ) my copy of Michael Wilcox's rather good book on Britten's operas - more a jumping off point for further study but recommended nonetheless.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Outlines-Ben...7239632&sr=1-1

[VodkaDilc]

Tony Scotland's book is fascinating. As I read somewhere in a review, it's a frank examination of the gay world of the early to mid 20th century - with some surprising inter-relationships which I had never heard about before. The way in which LB went from being central to this world to a happy marriage with Freda is also explained plausibly. Tony Scotland was close to the Berkeleys for many years, so I think this must be an authorised account. It includes a major section describing how Britten fitted into the circle. Once again, Britten does not come well out of it! Loving his music as much as I do, I have to admit that he did not treat people well!

[amateur51]

Tony Scotland's book is fascinating. As I read somewhere in a review, it's a frank examination of the gay world of the early to mid 20th century - with some surprising inter-relationships which I had never heard about before. The way in which LB went from being central to this world to a happy marriage with Freda is also explained plausibly. Tony Scotland was close to the Berkeleys for many years, so I think this must be an authorised account. It includes a major section describing how Britten fitted into the circle. Once again, Britten does not come well out of it! Loving his music as much as I do, I have to admit that he did not treat people well!

Many thanks for this frank appraisal, Vodka

It's gone on the list

[Mary Chambers]

Once again, Britten does not come well out of it! Loving his music as much as I do, I have to admit that he did not treat people well!

He treated some people well. The Tony Scotland book, which I agree is fascinating from both a social and a musical point of view, covers a very unsettled period of Britten's life.

I think the John Bridcut film and book are fairly well-balanced accounts, but I do hope in Britten's centenary year we can get away from the obsessive curiosity about his private life. We know all about it now, and surely no-one finds it shocking any more. I'm hoping Paul Kildea's new biography will get things into proportion. It's about time.