Essential Britten

by John Bridcut

Benjamin Britten was one of the greatest composers of the twentieth century. He wrote a feast of music from an early age, first achieving international fame in 1945 with his opera Peter Grimes ; now more operas by Britten are performed worldwide than by any other composer born in the twentieth century. In this incisive guide, John Bridcut discusses Britten's music and explores his musical influences, his complex personality, his emotional and professional relationships, and the fascinating nooks and crannies of his daily life, normally overlooked. An indispensable source of fresh insights into this towering figure in British music, this is an updated edition of the Faber Pocket Guide to Britten, including the full text of Britten's speech On Receiving the First Aspen Award.

Genres: Nonfiction, Music

448 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2012

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in 2013, but I don't appear to have made any notes about it except to say that I only skimmed some of the stuff towards the back about detailing the works, especially those I don’t know anything about.

I've grown up listening to Britten's music, so there was much of interest to me in this book: Bridcut is nothing if not thorough in his detail and breadth. It's a book that makes you want to track down all manner of Britten's works that you've never heard. Here I come, You Tube!

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a useful miscellany of information about British composer Benjamin Britten. There are lists of his works, a brief biography, lists of people important in his life (men, women, children), as well of lots of other fun facts. It was put out in conjunction with the composer's 100th birthday celebrations.