Britten was born in Lowestoft on the day of the patron saint of music, St. Cecilia (22nd November), 1913.
From quite early on he demonstrated a major talent for writing music, and, as a teenager started to study composition with the composer, Frank Bridge (1879-1941).
This week’s two works are a result of those early years. In 1934 at the age of 21 he assembled some of the melodies he’d written as a child into a work for string orchestra (or string quartet) which he called the Simple Symphony. However, the two works that really established him as a major musical talent were the choral variations, A Boy was Born (1933) – of which more later – and another work for strings, reflecting his respect and fondness for his teacher, the aptly named Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge (1937) which did much to establish the international reputation of the young composer.
00:03 – 1. Boisterous bourrée
03:45 – 2. Playful pizzicato
07:05 – 3. Sentimental saraband
15:20 – 4. Frolicsome final
0:00 Variations on a theme of Frank Bridge (1937)
0:05 Introduction
0:56 Theme (Frank Bridge – Idyll H.67, No.2 (1906))
1:58 Var. 1, Adagio
4:18 Var. 2, March
5:28 Var. 3, Romance
6:52 Var. 4, Aria Italiana
8:17 Var. 5, Bourrée Classique
9:37 Var. 6, Wiener Walzer
12:39 Var. 7, Moto Perpetuo
13:52 Var. 8, Funeral March
17:44 Var. 9, Chant
19:20 Var. 10, Fugue and finale
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Pantygwydr!
The Art of Listening 