Latest News: Classical, Britten (composer)
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Recording of the Week,
Isabelle Faust performs Britten's Violin Concerto 12th April 2024The German violinist yet again demonstrates absolute mastery of her instrument with commanding performances of works by Britten, including the world premiere recording of two pieces written whilst the composer was still a schoolboy.
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Video Interview,
Elgan Llŷr Thomas on Unveiled 28th June 2023In the wake of the release of his debut album featuring a bold new translation of Britten's Michelangelo Sonnets (plus music by Tippett, Gipps and Thomas himself), the Welsh tenor discusses queer representation in opera and song - and why he feels that 'it's about time we started adding other stories into the mix'...
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Interview,
Jocelyn Freeman on The Poet's Echo 4th May 2023The pianist discusses her album of works with a Pushkin connection (including a new version of Britten's eponymous song-cycle, Shostakovich's Cello Sonata and Prokofiev's Three Romances), recently released on Rubicon and also featuring soprano Gemma Summerfield, baritone Gareth Brynmor John & cellist Abi Hyde-Smith.
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Recording of the Week,
Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla: The British Project 13th August 2021The Lithuanian conductor and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra present evocative and dramatic accounts of four works by Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Britten, and Walton.
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Interview,
David Temple on seasonal Britten 1st December 2020The conductor talks about his new recording of Britten's A Ceremony of Carols and Saint Nicolas with Crouch End Festival Chorus, Mark Le Brocq and the BBC Concert Orchestra.
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Recording of the Week,
Previously unreleased cello recital by Mstislav Rostropovich and Benjamin Britten 14th April 2017James enjoys a newly-released gem from Testament's archives, featuring Britten accompanying the legendary Rostropovich at the piano.
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Interview,
Steven Osborne on Britten 2nd August 2016Ahead of his Proms performance tonight, the pianist talks to Katherine about the Piano Concerto.
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Recording of the Week,
Britten's The Rape of Lucretia and Donizetti's Poliuto from Glyndebourne 22nd July 2016Katherine enjoys a double-bill of innovative Roman-themed operatic productions from Glyndebourne 2015.
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Favourites,
Benjamin Britten Presto’s founder Maurice Millward sifts through a treasure-chest of Britten recordings and offers his thoughts on which paint the best portrait of this influential genius.
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Recording of the Week,
Ian Bostridge sings Britten songs 29th April 2013The tenor brings formidable musical intelligence to the Michelangelo Sonnets, Who are these children?, Winter Words and the Hölderlin Fragments (with Antonio Pappano), and is joined by guitarist Xuefei Yang for Songs from the Chinese.
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Video Interview,
James Gilchrist on Britten 1st February 2013The English tenor discusses his new recording of the Serenade for tenor, horn and strings with the Amsterdam Sinfonietta, out now on Channel Classics.
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Recording of the Week,
Britten: War Requiem 7th May 2012Gianandrea Noseda leads an Italianate performance of Britten’s great depiction of ‘the pity of war’, with the London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and soloists Sabina Cvilak, Ian Bostridge and Simon Keenlyside.
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Recording of the Week,
Britten Violin Concerto 30th January 2012Anthony Marwood’s rich, singing tone and the impressive precision of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under Ilan Volkov combine for a tremendously touching account of Britten’s underrated concerto, whilst violist Lawrence Power is equally moving in Lachrymae.
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Recording of the Week,
Unknown Britten 28th September 2009NMC Records release a collection of rediscovered works by the British composer, including a clarinet concerto commission by Benny Goodman, and three songs originally intended for Les Illuminations.
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Recording of the Week,
Britten's homage to Purcell 29th June 2009Mark Padmore and Roger Vignoles join forces for gripping accounts of Winter Words, The Holy Sonnets of John Donne, and a handful of Britten’s Purcell realisations, including An Evening Hymn and Job’s Curse.