Britten: Recording Roundup

 

Today, I gather together some works from Benjamin Britten. A variety too, for I heard some choral, incidental, and film music.




Love From a Stranger

Earlier in his career, Britten composed quite a bit for radio and film. I don't think he returned to these mediums, so it must not have been to his tastes.

Britten's music for this thriller is rather un-Britten sounding. However, we get to hear some jazzy ideas, plus some writing for the saxophone.




These six resurrected tracks by Colin Matthews are well recorded and played.

1. The Sword in the Stone
2. Voices for Today

Having recently heard Britten's music for King Arthur on Chandos (BLOG), I thought I had heard all the composer had to say on the subject.

Incidental music to The Sword and the Stone was written for yet another radio play, but with different musical material than the other Arthurian work. Again Colin Matthews resurrects Britten's music into various tracks, and colorful ones they are too.

None of this is tough on the ear, probably due to its wide-ranged radio audience. There are a number of recordings - one by the Nash Ensemble and another with the Richmond Symphony. I love these Australian Eloquence reissued compilations though, here complete with narration. Plus, there is a whole lot of other rare music from Britten to hear as well.

On the other hand, Voices for Today is strange music, a fully modern choral setting from Britten. I can't say I have given much time to truly digest this music, but I can say with authority that it is 'interesting'. This sounds to me as if Britten employs avant-garde techniques, something I don't really know the composer using all too often. I will have to revisit this one to truly nail it down.

Songs from Friday Afternoons

Songs from Friday Afternoons is a series of twelve short choral works for boys choir. They range from plucky to desolate, humorous to pastoral, all to good effect.

This recording only gathers eleven of the songs, the familiar of which are Old Abram Brown and A New Year Carol. This recording is missing Ee-Oh!, although that one can be supplemented elsewhere on the internet.







These are an absolute joy to hear!

The Sycamore Tree

As far as 3CD sets of Britten's choral music are concerned, I invested in the one from Paul Spicer and The Finzi Singers on Chandos (BLOG).

Most of the songs on that Chandos collection are duplicated on this 3CD set from Harry Christophers with The Sixteen on Coro.

Which one hadn't I heard before? Why, The Sycamore Tree of course; a 3-minute a cappella partsong from Britten.

Is it worth it? Well... this is a pretty ditty, where a haunting, yet genial mood pervades the music, even if this one piece is hardly worth fighting over which set to purchase.

Ballad of Little Musgrave and Lade Barnard

Britten's Ballad is a men's chorus oddity I really enjoy, so I couldn't resist hearing what The Sixteen do with this choral piece.

I had always thought The Finzi Singers under Paul Spicer were a little more effusive of vibrato, but The Sixteen led by Harry Christophers has them beat, for sure. This is neither a good or bad quality, just different from what I expected.

Even moreso, I prefer the Baccholian Singers of London on EMI (BLOG), yet what a wealth of audio possibilities available for the itinerant listener!



I suppose one day I will traverse The Sixteen's Britten set, but for now I will make due with these two small choral pieces from the vocal ensemble.

Recording Round-up

Love From a Stranger
  BBC Symphony Orchestra
  Jac van Steen, conductor
  NMC, 2004

The Sword in the Stone
  Walter Goehr, conductor
  Decca, 2012

Voices for Today
  King's College Choir
  David Willcocks, conductor
  Decca, 2012

Songs from Friday Afternoons
  Choir of Downside School, Purley
  Derrick Herdman, conductor
  Decca, 1966; 1993

The Sycamore Tree
  The Sixteen
  Harry Christophers, conductor
  Coro, 2005

Ballad of Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard
  The Sixteen
  Harry Christophers, conductor
  Coro, 2006