Benjamin Britten: His Life and Operas

by Eric Walter White

This new edition has been thoroughly revised and edited by John Evans (research scholar to the Britten Estate) who has updated the chronological list of published works and included in the bibliography the many books that have been written about the composer since his death in 1976. Although, as the title suggests, this book concentrates on Britten's operatic output, Mr White's account offers insights into the whole range of this prodigious composer's music. The text is lavishly illustrated with plates that reveal both the diversity of his operatic development and comprise a distinctive pictorial bibliography.

322 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

Reviews

[Sammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better on the operas than on Britten himself. There are better books on the composer, which have been published in the 50 years since this volume, but this is a decent introduction to his operatic work.

[Maxwell DeMay · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 / 4 : If interested, read

[Biography of modern English composer Benjamin Britten, with a special emphasis on his operas]

The composer's life is tied up in a neat little package, with little interest in really examining either the composer's nature or impact. Presents some interesting, beginner's musical analysis of his operas, but without an explanation of the music's wider significance, it raises the question, 'who cares?'

There is one reference to homosexuality in the book, not in reference to the composer himself

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty much a middle-of-the-road biography. It picks up when it gets to the "and Operas" part, still it doesn't tell you too much. I guess it's a good place to start with Britten? Doesn't matter 'cause it seems like most of the biographies are OOP and are about $300. Collectors - fuckin' hate them.

[Andrew Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are unfamiliar with Britten, especially the operas, this is a good book to start with. Otherwise, skim and you MAY come across a fact or two you forgot about/didn't know.