Benjamin Britten
Born: 22nd November 1913, Lowestoft
Died: 4th December 1976, Aldeburgh
Nationality: English
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other vocal music, orchestral and chamber pieces. His best-known works include the opera Peter Grimes (1945), the War Requiem (1962) and the orchestral showpiece The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (1945).
Britten was born in Lowestoft, Suffolk, the son of a dentist. He showed talent from an early age.
Read more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Britten
Browse: Britten
Further Reading: Britten
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Britten, Walton and more from Sinfonia of London and John Wilson
30th Oct 2026
Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings (with soloists Laurence Kilsby and Christopher Parkes) gets a new library-choice recording, whilst pathos and precision abound in Walton's Sonata for String Orchestra.
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Mujer Fatal from Aigul Akhmetshina and Antonio Pappano
21st Aug 2026
Two strong musical personalities come together to spellbinding effect in a programme exploring the idea of the femme fatale, taking in songs by composers including Elena Roussanova, Montsalvatge, Bizet, Gershwin and Britten.
Popular Genres: Britten
Orchestral
Chamber
Instrumental
Vocal
Choral
Popular Works: Britten
- A Boy was Born, Op. 3 (44)
- A Ceremony of Carols, Op. 28 (126)
- A Hymn of Saint Columba (29)
- A Hymn to the Virgin (130)
- A New Year Carol (24)
- Festival Te Deum in E, Op. 32 (33)
- Folksong Arrangements, Vol. 1, British Isles: I. The Salley Gardens (38)
- Folksong Arrangements, Vol. 3, British Isles: VI. O Waly, Waly (23)
- Folksongs Volume 1: British Isles · Folk Songs (28)
- Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op. 33a (57)
- Hymn to St Cecilia, Op. 27 (58)
- Jubilate Deo in C major (1961) (40)
- Lachrymae for viola & piano, Op. 48 (49)
- Lachrymae for viola & strings, Op. 48a (35)
- Les illuminations, Op. 18 (65)
- Missa Brevis in D major, Op. 63 (38)
- Nocturnal after John Dowland, Op. 70 (58)
- Nocturne, Op. 60 for tenor, obbligato instruments and strings (24)
- Rejoice in the Lamb, Op. 30 (51)
- Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings, Op. 31 (54)
- Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo, Op. 22 (29)
- Simple Symphony, Op. 4 (87)
- Sinfonia da Requiem, Op. 20 (48)
- Six Metamorphoses after Ovid for solo oboe, Op. 49 (37)
- Sonata for cello and piano in C major, Op. 65 (65)
- String Quartet No. 1 in D major, Op. 25 (29)
- String Quartet No. 2 in C major, Op. 36 (30)
- String Quartet No. 3, Op. 94 (29)
- Suite for harp in C major, Op. 83 (38)
- Suite No. 1 for cello solo, Op. 72 (46)
- Suite No. 2 for cello solo, Op. 80 (40)
- Suite No. 3 for cello solo, Op. 87 (49)
- Symphony for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 68 (30)
- Te Deum in C (32)
- Temporal Variations for oboe & piano (24)
- The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (91)
- Variations on a theme of Frank Bridge, Op. 10 (55)
- Violin Concerto in D minor Op. 15 (43)
- War Requiem, Op. 66 (44)
- Winter Words, Op. 52 (23)
Recent Best Sellers: Britten
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New. Britten, Goossens, Ireland & Walton: Music for Strings
Laurence Kilsby (tenor), Christopher Parkes (horn), Sinfonia of London, John Wilson
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Presto Recording of the Week, 30th October 2026
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Gramophone Magazine, November 2026, Editor's Choice
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Record Review, 31st October 2026, Record of the Week
SACD: Original price $20.00 Reduced $18.20Download from $10.00 -
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English Music For Strings | Britten, Bliss, Bridge, Berkeley
Sinfonia of London, John Wilson
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Gramophone Magazine, July 2026, Critics' Choice 2021
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Gramophone Magazine, February 2021, Editor's Choice
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Presto Recording of the Week, 29th January 2021
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Gramophone Awards, 2021, Shortlisted - Orchestral
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Winner 2021
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Sunday Times, 10 Best Classical Albums of 2021
SACD: $20.00Download from $10.00 -
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New. Mujer Fatal
Aigul Akhmetshina (mezzo), Antonio Pappano (piano)
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Presto Recording of the Week, 21st August 2026
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BBC Music Magazine, November 2026, Vocal Choice
CD: $16.25Download from $10.75 -
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Special offer. Britten: Peter Grimes
Stuart Skelton (Grimes), Erin Wall (Ellen), Roderick Williams (Balstrode), Susan Bickley (Auntie), Catherine Wyn-Rogers (Mrs Sedley), Robert Murray (Bob Boles), James Gilchrist (Horace Adams), Marcus Farnsworth (Ned Keene) Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner
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Gramophone Magazine, October 2020, Recording of the Month
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Presto Editor's Choice, September 2020
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2020
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Opera, November 2020, Disc of the Month
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The Times Records of the Year, 2020
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Gramophone Awards, 2021, Winner - Opera
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Gramophone Awards, 2021, Recording of the Year
2 SACDs: Original price $40.50 Reduced $32.40Download from $20.00 -
New Releases: Britten
View all new releases-
New. Britten: A Boy Was Born / A Ceremony of Carols
Choir of Merton College, Oxford, Benjamin Nicholas
CD: Original price $22.50 Reduced $20.25Download from $11.00 -
New. Britten, Goossens, Ireland & Walton: Music for Strings
Laurence Kilsby (tenor), Christopher Parkes (horn), Sinfonia of London, John Wilson
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Presto Recording of the Week, 30th October 2026
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Gramophone Magazine, November 2026, Editor's Choice
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Record Review, 31st October 2026, Record of the Week
SACD: Original price $20.00 Reduced $18.20Download from $10.00 -
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New. Britten: « En français ! »
Cyrille Dubois (tenor), Tristan Raës, Orchestre national de Metz Grand Est, David Reiland
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Gramophone Magazine, November 2026, Editor's Choice
CD: Original price $17.25 Reduced $16.04Download from $10.25 -
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New. Winter Tales: The Britten Christmas Album
Anna Viechtl (harp), Leander Alpers (boy soprano), Marcel Andreas Ober (organ), Philip Mayers (piano), RIAS Kammerchor, Staats- und Domchor Berlin, Justin Doyle
CD: $23.75Download from $12.50
Future Releases: Britten
View all future releases-
Coming soon. Britten: Gloriana
Anna Caterina Antonacci (Queen Elizabeth) , Leonardo Capalbo (Devereux), Paula Murrihy (Frances), Duncan Rock (Mountjoy), Sophie Bevan (Penelope), Leigh Melrose (Cecil), David Soar (Raleigh), Benedict Nelson (Henry Cuffe), Teatro Real Chorus & Orchestra, Ivor Bolton, David McVicar
Blu-ray + DVD Video: $36.00 -
Coming soon. Benjamin Britten: Complete Chamber Works For Oboe
Nicholas Daniel (oboe), Julius Drake (piano), Fenella Humphreys (violin), Ting-Ru Lai (viola), Tim Posner (cello)
CD: Original price $20.00 Reduced $18.20Download from $10.00 -
Coming soon. Nocturnal Journey
Kanahi Yamashita
CD: $19.50Download from $10.00 -
Coming soon. 2026 Mark of Excellence National Orchestra Honors: HS Full Orchestra, HS String Orchestra, MS Full Orchestra, MS String Orchestra, and Youth Orchestra
Allen High School Symphony Orchestra, Jordan High School Symphony Orchestra, Seven Lakes High School Symphony Orchestra, Allen High School Chamber I Orchestra, Dulles High School Honors Orchestra, Jordan High School Sinfonia Orchestra, McNeil High School Symphony String Orchestra, Memorial High School Sinfonia, Plano West Chamber Orchestra, Seven Lakes High School Symphony Strings, Central Junior High Full Orchestra, Curtis Middle School Symphony Orchestra, Dulles Middle School Symphony Orchestra, Ereckson Symphony Orchestra, Sartartia Middle School Symphony Orchestra, Alamo Heights Junior School Chamber Orchestra, Beckendorff Junior High Honor Orchestra, Canyon Vista Middle School Honors Orchestra, Ereckson Middle School Chamber Orchestra, Fowler Middle School Legacy Orchestra, Rushing Middle School Chamber Orchestra, Sartartia Middle School Honors Orchestra, Smith Middle School Chamber Orchestra, Sprague Middle School Chamber Orchestra, Houston Youth Symphony, David DeVoto, Kyle Davis, Desiree Overree, Jennifer Hillen, Justin Anderson, Matthew Chan, Ryan Ross, Tara Truex, Amanda Su, Marisol Luna, Joanna DeVoto, Heather Davis, Joemichael Garcia, Amy Williams, Ragan Whatley, Victoria Lien, Caitlyn Nguyen, Nassar Edwards, Danielle Darrigo, Michael Webster
Download from $10.00
