works for orchestra
The Building of the House, op. 79 overture with or without chorus
5½ mins 11
cd: track
[January?]–16 March 1967 Text: Psalm 127, adapted by Imogen Holst from The Whole Book of Psalms (set in English)
The 1967 Aldeburgh Festival opened with a visit from Queen Elizabeth, a concert in the new Snape Maltings Concert Hall, and with this overture, composed to celebrate the ‘building of the house’. The work itself is as lively as the wonderful acoustic in which it was first performed, and although the version for choir and orchestra was most suitable for its première, the alternative versions for organ and orchestra or extra brass are just as effective. FM, 1968 Study score, chorus score on sale; full score, orchestral parts on rental Chorus (SATB) (ad lib.), 2 fl, 2 ob, 2 cl in Bf, 2 bn—2 hn, 2 tpt in C, tuba—timp, perc (bells, trgl, cymb, sd, xyl) — org (ad lib.)—str The Chorus can be replaced or supplemented by an organ – chamber or grand – or by extra brass (3rd trumpet and 3 trombones). 2 June 1967, Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Aldeburgh Festival. Chorus of East Anglian Choirs, ECO, Benjamin Britten cond
death in venice, OP. 88, opera in two acts (composed December 1971–March 1973;
revised June 1973–October 1974)
Suite from Death in Venice, op. 88a Compiled by Steuart Bedford
27 mins 34
cd: track
Less of a suite and more of an ‘operatic symphony’, this continuous orchestral work functions like a précis of Britten’s final opera. It flows logically through the salient points of action, falling into several clearly differentiated sections, and thus includes some of the most dramatic and beautiful music of this extraordinary score, with its exotic gamelan-like ballet music. FM, 1993 Full score on sale; full score, orchestral parts on rental 2 fl (=picc), 2 ob, 2 cl in Bf & A (II=bass cl), 2 bn—2 hn, 2 tpt in C, 2 trbn, tuba—timp (4) (=crotales), 4 perc (tuned drum, small cymb, bell, 2 glocks, vib, 2 gongs, xyl, susp cymb, 2 t-t, mar, 3 tom-toms, 3 Chinese drums (ad lib.)—pf, harp—str (minimum: 6.4.3.3.2) Summons to Venice Overture to Venice First Beach Scene Tadzio
I love you Pursuit Second Beach Scene and Death
13 June 1984, Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Aldeburgh Festival. ECO, Steuart Bedford cond
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