Britten's Serenade Op.31, completed in 1943, was first performed by
Pears, Brain and the Boyd Neel String Orchestra conducted by Boyd Neel. A
few months later the same performers, now conducted by Britten, recorded
it for DECCA. This 1944 performance is now available again. It thus provides
us with an early view of that celebrated piece and from this reading it appears
that the original performers had still to refine their views of the piece.
Pears' and Britten's later recording of the Serenade shows how both
had thought about it in the meantime. Pears is stricter in his later approach
whereas Britten conducts with more precision as to the overall balance and
as to the numerous instrumental details. The most striking feature of the
1944 recording is Dennis Brain's impeccable rendering of the horn part. His
performance is, to my mind, unrivalled at the time of writing though there
exist many fine recordings of this wonderful piece. However, the present
re-issue of that historical performance is let down by the recorded sound
which shows its age (at times up to saturation). Good to have it anyway,
were it only to have an idea of what the piece may have sounded like to its
first audiences.
The folksong arrangements have, of course, a better sound. These may be trifles
although Britten devoted much care and affection to his arrangements. A nice
fill-up to this interesting release.
Walton's Façade, of which this was - I suppose - the very first
complete recording, is the composer's first important achievement. It is
an enormously entertaining work, full of mild pastiche and parody (even a
quotation from Rossini in Yodelling Song) but also many wonderful
instrumental writing, often subtle touches of refined imagination. No wonder
indeed that this particular piece of his almost made Walton the umpteenth
member of Le Groupe des Six. In this 1953 recording, Dame Edith Sitwell
and Pears are the reciters, and - as far as I am concerned - Dame Edith Sitwell
is one of the best reciters ever of her own words. Moreover she has an
extraordinary sense of rhythm and her reciting is firm-voiced (if I may put
it like that). Another remarkable feature of this performance is Anthony
Collins' preparation of the accompaniment and the quality of the playing,
preserved by a fine recording which wears its age lightly.
The present release is most welcome and well worth having for
Façade, even if the 1944 performance of Britten's
Serenade is rather of documentary interest.
Hubert Culot
Peter Pears (tenor);
Dennis Brain (horn); The Boyd Neel String Orchestra; Benjamin Britten (piano
[Folksong arrangements] and conductor [Serenade])
