Benjamin Britten

20th Century · 1913–1976

Benjamin Britten grew up in Lowestoft, on the Suffolk coast of England, and the North Sea never really left his music. He made his living entirely from music, as composer, pianist, and conductor, and his opera Peter Grimes, first staged in London in 1945, is about a fishing village that turns on one of its own.

With his partner, the singer Peter Pears, he settled in the seaside town of Aldeburgh and founded a music festival there in 1948 that still runs today. He wrote much of his music for specific friends and voices, and he had a rare knack for writing well for children and amateurs without talking down to them.

Start with the Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, orchestral portraits of dawn, Sunday morning, moonlight, and storm. Then try the Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, which introduces every instrument in turn and is a pleasure at any age.

185 works in the catalog, across 5 genres. Log what you listen to with Opus, the classical music journal for iPhone.

Chamber

2 Insect Pieces, for oboe and piano
3 Divertimenti for String Quartet
Alla marcia, for string quartet
Cello Sonata in C major, op. 65
Elegy, for solo viola
Etude, for viola
Fanfare for St. Edmundsbury, for trumpets in multiples of 3
Gemini Variations, for flute, violin, and piano, 4 hands, op. 73
Lachrymae: Reflections on a Song of Dowland, op. 48a
Miniature Suite for String Quartet
Phantasy Quartet in F minor, for oboe and string trio, op. 2
Prelude and Fugue, for 18 strings, op. 29
Quartettino for String Quartet
Reflection, for viola and piano
Reveille, for violin and piano
Russian Funeral, for brass and percussion
Solo Cello Suite no. 1, op. 72
Solo Cello Suite no. 2, op. 80
Solo Cello Suite no. 3, op. 87
String Quartet in D
String Quartet in F
String Quartet no. 1 in D major, op. 25
String Quartet no. 2 in C major, op. 36
String Quartet no. 3, op. 94
Suite for Violin and Piano, op. 6
Suite in C major, for harp, op. 83
Tema 'Sacher,' for solo cello
Temporal Variations for Oboe and Piano
Valse in B major, for violin and piano
Young Apollo, for piano, string quartet, and strings, op. 16

Keyboard

2 Pieces for 2 Pianos, op. 23
5 Waltzes, for piano
A Little Idyll, for piano
Holiday Diary, op. 5
Night Piece, for piano
Prelude and Fugue on a Theme of Vittoria, for organ

Orchestral

4 Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, op. 33a
Passacaglia, op. 33b
Simple Symphony, op. 4
Sinfonia da Requiem, op. 20
Variations on a Theme by Frank Bridge, for strings, op. 10
Violin Concerto in D minor, op. 15
Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, op. 34 Variations and fugue on a theme by Purcell, for speaker and orchestra
2 Portraits, for viola and orchestra
An American in England, for orchestra
An American Overture
Canadian Carnival, op. 19
Cello Symphony, op. 68
Coal Face, film score
Elegy for Strings
Gloriana, symphonic suite for tenor and orchestra, op. 53a
King Arthur, suite
Lachrymae: Reflections on a Song of Dowland, for viola and string orchestra, op. 48a
Love from a Stranger, film score for orchestra
Matinées musicales, op. 24, "Rossini Suite no. 2"
Men Behind the Meters, film score
Men of Goodwill, variations on a carol
Negroes/God's Chillun, film score
Night Mail, film score
Occasional Overture in C major, op. 38
Peace of Britain
Piano Concerto in D major, op. 13
Scottish Ballad, for 2 pianos and orchestra, op. 26
Sinfonietta, for chamber orchestra, op. 1
Soirées Musicales, op. 9, "Rossini Suite no. 1"
Spring Symphony, for soprano, alto, tenor, boys' chorus, chorus, and orchestra, op. 44
Suite on English folk tunes, op. 90
Telegrams, film score
The King's Stamp, film score
The Prince of the Pagodas, op. 57a Suite from the ballet
The Tocher Suite, from ballet film
The Way to the Sea, film score
Two Portraits, for string orchestra
Variations on an Elizabethan Theme: Variation 4, for orchestra

Stage

Billy Budd, op. 50 Opera
Peter Grimes, op. 33 Opera
Albert Herring, op. 39
A Midsummer Night's Dream, op. 64 Opera
Beggar's Opera
Burning Fiery Furnace, op. 77
Curlew River, op. 71
Death in Venice, op. 88 Opera
Gloriana, op. 53 Opera
Johnson over Jordan, incidental music for soprano, flute, and orchestra
Little Sweep, op. 45
Noye's Fludde, op. 59
Owen Wingrave, op. 85 Opera
Paul Bunyan, op. 17
Prince of the Pagodas, op. 57 Ballet
Prodigal Son, op. 81
Rape of Lucretia, op. 37
Turn of the Screw, op. 54

Vocal

Les Illuminations, op. 18
Nocturne, op. 60 Song cycle
Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings, op. 31 Song cycle
War Requiem, for STB soloists, boys' voices, chorus, chamber orchestra, orchestra, and organ, op. 66
3 Two-Part Songs, for boys' or female chorus
4 Chansons Françaises, for voice and orchestra
5 Flower Songs, op. 47
6 Choral Dances from Gloriana, for a cappella chorus, op. 53
6 Choral Dances from Gloriana, for chorus, op. 53
7 Sonnets of Michelangelo, op. 22 Song cycle
8 Sacred and Profane Medieval Lyrics, for SSATB chorus, op. 91
A.M.D.G.
A Birthday Hansel, for tenor and harp, op. 92 Song cycle
A Boy Was Born, choral variations, op. 3
A Ceremony of Carols, op. 28
A Charm of Lullabies, for voice and piano, op. 41
A Divine Hymn
Advance Democracy, for double chorus
A Hymn to the Virgin, for double chorus
Antiphon, for chorus and organ, op. 56b
A Shepherd's Carol, for chorus
A Wealden Trio: The Song of the Women, carol for female chorus
A Wedding Anthem, for soprano, tenor, chorus, and organ, op. 46
Ballad of Heroes, for high voice, chorus and orchestra, op. 14
Ballad of Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard, for male chorus and piano
Beware! 3 early songs, for voice and piano
Britain to America, for voice and chorus
Cabaret Songs for Hedli Anderson
Cantata academica, for soloists, chorus, and orchestra, op. 62
Cantata misericordium, for tenor, baritone, chorus, string quartet, piano, harp, tympani, and strings, op. 69
Canticle 1: My Beloved Is Mine, for high voice and piano, op. 40
Canticle 2: Abraham and Isaac, for alto, tenor, and piano, op. 51
Canticle 3: Still Falls the Rain, for tenor, horn and piano, op. 55
Canticle 4: The Journey of the Magi, for countertenor, tenor, baritone and piano, op. 86
Canticle 5: The Death of St.Narcissus, for tenor and harp, op. 89
Children's Crusade, ballad for child voices, percussion, 2 pianos, and organ, op. 82
Children and Sir Nameless Song
Chorale on an Old French Carol, for double chorus
Christ's Nativity, Christmas suite for chorus
Corpus Christi Carol Song
Deus in adjutorium meum, 'Psalm 70' motet for chorus
Fancie: Tell me where is fancy bred, for unison chorus and piano
Festival Te Deum, for trumpet, chorus and organ, op. 32
Fish in the Unruffled Lakes Song
Hadrian's Wall, for voice and piano
Hymn of St. Columba, for chorus and organ
Hymn to St. Cecilia, op. 27
Hymn to St. Peter, for trumpet, chorus and organ, op. 56a
If it's ever spring again Song
Jubilate Deo in C major, for chorus and organ
Jubilate Deo in E flat major
King Herod and the Cock, for unison chorus and piano
May, for unison chorus and piano
Missa Brevis, for boys' chorus and organ in D major, op. 63
Night covers up the rigid land Song
Now sleeps the crimson petal, for tenor, horn and strings Song
On the Frontier, for choir and ensemble
On this Island, op. 11 Song cycle
Our Hunting Fathers, for high voice and orchestra, op. 8 Song cycle
Phaedra, dramatic cantata for mezzo-soprano, string orchestra, percussion, and harpsichord, op. 93
Psalm 150, for children's chorus and instruments, op. 67
Purcell Realizations from Orpheus Britannicus, 6 Songs for voice and piano
Rejoice in the Lamb, festival cantata for trumpet, ATB soloists, chorus, and organ, op. 30
Saint Nicholas, cantata for tenor, choruses, and large ensemble, op. 42
Songs and Proverbs of William Blake Song cycle
Songs from the Chinese, for high voice and guitar, op. 58 Song cycle
Sweet was the Song, carol for female chorus
Te Deum, for trumpet, chorus and organ in C
The Ascent of F6, for tenor, choir, and ensemble
The Birds Song
The Bitter Withy, folk song for tenor, boys' chorus and piano
The Building of the House, overture for chorus and orchestra, op. 79
The Company of Heaven
The Golden Vanity, vaudeville for boys' voices and piano, op. 78
The Heart of the Matter, for tenor, narrator, horn, piano Song cycle
The Holy Sonnets of John Donne, op. 35 Song cycle
The Oxen, carol for female chorus and piano
The Poet's Echo, for high voice and piano, op. 76 Song cycle
The Sun Shines Down Song
The Sycamore Tree, carol
The Twelve Apostles, for tenor, unison voices, and piano
The World of the Spirit, music for a radio program, for SATB soloists, chorus and orchestra
Tit for Tat Song cycle
To Lie Flat on the Back Song
Underneath the Abject Willow, for mezzo-soprano, tenor, and piano
Variations on an Elizabethanian Theme, for voice and orchestra
Venite exultemus Domino
Welcome Ode, for young people's chorus and orchestra, op. 95
What's in Your Mind? Song
When You’re Feeling Like Expressing Your Affection Song
Who are these Children?, for tenor and piano, op. 84 Song cycle
Wild with passion, song for high voice and piano
Winter Words, for tenor and piano, op. 52 Song cycle

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