Britten, Voice and Piano
Lectures on the Vocal Music of Benjamin Britten
Graham Johnson
Series: Guildhall Research Studies
Publisher price £35
MusicWeb price
post free £32.50
This collection of eight 'lectures' by internationally acclaimed pianist,
Graham Johnson, is based on a series of concert talks given at the Guildhall
School of Music and Drama as part of the Benjamin Britten festival in
2001. The focus of the book is on Britten's songs, starting with his
earliest compositions in the genre. Graham Johnson suggests that the
nature of Britten's creativity is especially apparent in his setting
of poetry, that he becomes the poet's alter-ego. A chapter on Britten's
settings of Auden and Eliot explores the particular influences these
writers brought to bear at opposite poles of the composer's life. The
inspiration of fellow musicians is also discussed, with a chapter devoted
to Britten's time in Russia and his friendship with the Rostropovich
family. Closer to home, the book places in context Britten's folksong
settings, illustrating how he subverted the English folksong tradition
by refusing to accept previous definitions of what constituted national
loyalty.
Drawing on letters and diaries, and featuring a number of previously
unpublished photographs, this book illuminates aspects of Britten's
songs from the personal perspective of the pianist who worked closely
with Peter Pears after Benjamin Britten was unable to perform through
illness. Johnson worked with Pears on learning the role of Aschenbach
in 'Death in Venice' and was official pianist for the first master class
given by Peter Pears at Snape in 1972.
see review
by John Talbot or Rob
Barnett
Contents
Introduction; Lecture 1, The Young Britten; Lecture 2. Britten Abroad:
Italy, Poland and France; Lecture 3, The British Folksong Settings;
Lecture 4, A Miscellany of Folksongs; Lecture 5, Britten the Elizabethan
and Britten the Baroque; Lecture 6, Beginnings (Auden) and Ends (Eliot);
Lecture 7, Britten and Russia; Lecture 8, Britten and the English Landscape;
Index.
Further Information
Affiliation: Graham Johnson, edited by George Odam
Illustrations: Includes c. 35 b&w illustrations, 1 music example
and 2 CD recordings.
ISBN: 0 7546 3872 3
Publication Date: 06/2003
Number of Pages: 280 pages
Binding: Paperback
Binding Options: Available in Paperback only
Book Size: 246 x 189 mm
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