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
-
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.
-
Michael Waldron on Arthur Oldham
13th Apr 2026
To mark the release of Mentor (out now on Orchid Classics), the conductor of London Choral Sinfonia discusses the unique relationship between Benjamin Britten and his only private pupil, whose centenary falls this year.
Popular Genres: Britten
Orchestral
Chamber
Instrumental
Vocal
Choral
Popular Works: Britten
- A Boy was Born, Op. 3 (42)
- A Ceremony of Carols, Op. 28 (122)
- A Hymn of Saint Columba (27)
- A Hymn to the Virgin (126)
- A New Year Carol (23)
- Down by the Salley Gardens (37)
- Festival Te Deum in E, Op. 32 (29)
- Folksongs Volume 1: British Isles · Folk Songs (27)
- Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op. 33a (56)
- Hymn to St Cecilia, Op. 27 (54)
- Jubilate Deo in C major (1961) (38)
- Lachrymae for viola & piano, Op. 48 (47)
- Lachrymae for viola & strings, Op. 48a (30)
- Les illuminations, Op. 18 (63)
- Missa Brevis in D major, Op. 63 (37)
- Nocturnal after John Dowland, Op. 70 (57)
- Nocturne, Op. 60 for tenor, obbligato instruments and strings (25)
- O Waly, Waly (23)
- On this Island, Op. 11 (22)
- Rejoice in the Lamb, Op. 30 (48)
- Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings, Op. 31 (55)
- Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo, Op. 22 (30)
- Simple Symphony, Op. 4 (83)
- Sinfonia da Requiem, Op. 20 (49)
- Six Metamorphoses after Ovid for solo oboe, Op. 49 (33)
- Sonata for cello and piano in C major, Op. 65 (64)
- 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 (30)
- Suite for harp in C major, Op. 83 (37)
- Suite No. 1 for cello solo, Op. 72 (48)
- Suite No. 2 for cello solo, Op. 80 (43)
- Suite No. 3 for cello solo, Op. 87 (50)
- Symphony for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 68 (33)
- Te Deum in C (30)
- The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (94)
- Variations on a theme of Frank Bridge, Op. 10 (48)
- Violin Concerto in D minor Op. 15 (44)
- War Requiem, Op. 66 (42)
- Winter Words, Op. 52 (23)
Recent Best Sellers: Britten
-
New. Mujer Fatal
Aigul Akhmetshina (mezzo), Antonio Pappano (piano)
-
Presto Recording of the Week, 21st August 2026
CD: $16.25Download from $10.75 -
-
English Music For Strings | Britten, Bliss, Bridge, Berkeley
Sinfonia of London, John Wilson
-
Gramophone Magazine, July 2026, Critics' Choice 2021
-
Gramophone Magazine, February 2021, Editor's Choice
-
Presto Recording of the Week, 29th January 2021
-
Gramophone Awards, 2021, Shortlisted - Orchestral
-
Presto Recordings of the Year, Winner 2021
-
Sunday Times, 10 Best Classical Albums of 2021
SACD: $20.00Download from $10.00 -
-
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
-
Gramophone Magazine, October 2020, Recording of the Month
-
Presto Editor's Choice, September 2020
-
Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2020
-
Opera, November 2020, Disc of the Month
-
The Times Records of the Year, 2020
-
Gramophone Awards, 2021, Winner - Opera
-
Gramophone Awards, 2021, Recording of the Year
2 SACDs: $40.25Download from $20.00 -
-
New. Sir!
Astrig Siranossian, Nathanäel Gouin, London Symphony Orchestra, François-Xavier Roth
CD: Original price $20.25 Reduced $18.22Download from $9.25
New Releases: Britten
View all new releases-
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: $17.50Download from $12.50 -
New. KIN
Lotte Betts-Dean (mezzo-soprano), Joseph Havlat (piano)
CD: $26.25Download from $11.00 -
New. Pilgrimage
Harry Christophers, The Sixteen
Vinyl Record: $27.75 -
New. Sir!
Astrig Siranossian, Nathanäel Gouin, London Symphony Orchestra, François-Xavier Roth
CD: Original price $20.25 Reduced $18.22Download from $9.25
Future Releases: Britten
View all future releases-
Coming soon. Britten: Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings | Goossens - Ireland - Walton
Laurence Kilsby (tenor), Christopher Parkes (horn), Sinfonia of London, John Wilson
SACD: Original price $20.00 Reduced $18.20Download from $10.00 -
Coming soon. Britten: « En français ! »
Cyrille Dubois (tenor), Tristan Raës, Orchestre national de Metz Grand Est, David Reiland
CD: $17.25Download from $10.25 -
Coming soon. Bridge, Britten: Chamber Music with Viola
Benjamin Bernstein (soloist), Natalia Morozova (soloist), Laura Verrecchia (vocalist), Eleonora De Poi (soloist)
Download from $10.00 -
Coming soon. Britten: A Boy Was Born / A Ceremony of Carols
Choir of Merton College, Oxford, Cecily Beer & Benjamin Nicholas, Cecily Beer, Benjamin Nicholas & Divine Simbanegavi, Benjamin Nicholas & Imogen Dowse, Benjamin Nicholas, Evie Holder & Anneka Vetter, Alice Fisher & Estella MacLaren, Verity Sawbridge, Anneka Vetter, Kasper Lootens & Tristan Wigley, Benjamin Nicholas & The Girl Choristers of Merton College, Benjamin Nicholas & Isabella Aravejo, Benjamin Nicholas & François Cloete, François Cloete & Harriet Twigger-Ross, Choir of Merton College Oxford
CD: $26.25
