Thank you very much for sharing with us these Benjamin Britten recordings and explaining how much pleasure you gain from the legacy of this 'unsung pianist'. My first teaching post in my early twenties took me to Suffolk for seven years and I was fortunate enough to attend some concerts at Snape Malting as well as regularly enjoy outings to the seaside town of Aldeburgh (lots of wonderful eateries!). The landscape painter, John Constable, was inspire by the Suffolk skies and the light that is a distinguishing feature of this eastern county. I can remember being stunned the first time I heard Britten's Four Sea Interludes from 'Peter Grimes' - and on one occasion sitting in the car with the stereo on full blast listening to that music while looking out over Aldeburgh and the restless North Sea and portentous sky. Britten captured in this music the sight and sounds of that haunting coast . . . and you might enjoy a sense of it with this link: th-cam.com/video/aYrjAJgF2iw/w-d-xo.html Bravo, Cole!
You are spot on about Schubert. I also believe Britten is being faithful to the score. One of my teachers changed everything about my Schubert by suggesting that his accents (or in the case of the opening of Arpeggione, hairpins) could be treated agogically as well as dynamically and that really freed up my sound and interpretation.
I'm so glad you included that performance of Shallow Brown conducted by Britten - it's by far my favourite recording of the piece! I seem to remember reading somewhere that Britten wasn't particularly interested in folk music (or British folk music, at least) until Grainger sort of nudged him toward it, and Grainger clearly led by example in this case - his folk song arrangements are one-of-a-kind masterpieces.
I can’t hear the Andantino varié without thinking of Charles Rosen. When I first moved to NYC I called him out of the Yellow Pages and he invited me over to play four hands. He asked what I’d like to play, but not knowing what to say, deferred to his choice. He introduced me to this piece.
Absolutely wonderful program. Thankyou for turning me on to that Bridge piece. And the Granger song was so powerfully beautiful. Ashley Wass has a couple really good Bridge piano music albums that are very worth listening to. I wish I could come to your concert. I used to live on the Olympic Penninsula. It'll be very beautiful there.
I've always been surprised how "Top 40" Britten's conducting choices are. He did conduct some out-of-the-way pieces like Schumann's Faust, but there is a lot of Mozart final symphonies, Brandenburg concertos, etc.
I’ve never much liked PP’s voice so much, but actually in the recording you presented I DID really enjoy his performance and how his voice fit it so well Grainger was unique. His music can be incredibly moving, and Shallow Brown is one of those - I love his use of the brass in this setting, so evocative Did not know the Fairy Queen 😳 well I’m comforted Britten brought it to your attention 😅
"Why did I not love Frank Bridge's cello sonata for so many years? As if I'd avoided someone for years - and then discovered he was a saint." - Steven Isserlis
I am laughing and shaking my head at the same time. I went to Oberlin as pianist and your comment was what got me going. While there, Heifetz played a recital on television. The, at the time, premiere violinist in the conservatory commented very loudly on the lounge the next day “Heifetz can’t play Bach. “ I was incensed and at my lesson that day I hold my teacher the story. His comment was ,”he should not lay an open string 1/4 as well.” Let me add te: Britten own work, he wrote everything he wanted, tenuous marks dance every single expression mark. Obviously he wasn’t trusting anyone!
I agree with everything you say about Schubert. And I love this performance. Real chamber music in the truest sense. Unfortunately that kind of music making would be derided in today's conservatory training. Good luck with your upcoming concerts.
8:41 Ah!! I recognize this. Tausig made a solo piano transcription of this that is rarely played-I believe it's one of my favorite Egon Petri recordings though. The others being his Mozart-Busoni Andantino from Concerto No. 9, and the Bach-Busoni transcriptions...
Nice. I once met 'Tiger', Britten's erstwhile friend (he is in the biography of Britten). We even had a 'piano duel'. i also met Rostropovich and had a 1-1 interview with him behind closed doors.
Was just doing some research and found that Britten was a student of Bridge. Britten was an 11 year old prodigy when Bridge met him in 1924. Also, Britten wrote a tribute to his teacher Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (1937) for string orchestra Op. 10
Britten's piano concerto is magnificent. I wish we had a recording of him as soloist. Although sometimes criticized as brash, it should be celebrated for its bravura. My understanding is that the piano gave out when he performed the American premiere of the concerto (in its original version).
Britten's recording of the 29th Symphony is even better than the 40th, perhaps because Mozart aims a bit lower. On the menuet, you might compare this with the metronome marks left by Hummel/Czerny, and the recordings left by Richard Strauss and Toscanini.
Thank you very much for sharing with us these Benjamin Britten recordings and explaining how much pleasure you gain from the legacy of this 'unsung pianist'. My first teaching post in my early twenties took me to Suffolk for seven years and I was fortunate enough to attend some concerts at Snape Malting as well as regularly enjoy outings to the seaside town of Aldeburgh (lots of wonderful eateries!). The landscape painter, John Constable, was inspire by the Suffolk skies and the light that is a distinguishing feature of this eastern county. I can remember being stunned the first time I heard Britten's Four Sea Interludes from 'Peter Grimes' - and on one occasion sitting in the car with the stereo on full blast listening to that music while looking out over Aldeburgh and the restless North Sea and portentous sky. Britten captured in this music the sight and sounds of that haunting coast . . . and you might enjoy a sense of it with this link: th-cam.com/video/aYrjAJgF2iw/w-d-xo.html Bravo, Cole!
25:58 what a beautiful piece of music, thank you
Thank you for your spirited musical archipelago and, not least, insightful analyzes and considerations
You are spot on about Schubert. I also believe Britten is being faithful to the score. One of my teachers changed everything about my Schubert by suggesting that his accents (or in the case of the opening of Arpeggione, hairpins) could be treated agogically as well as dynamically and that really freed up my sound and interpretation.
I'm so glad you included that performance of Shallow Brown conducted by Britten - it's by far my favourite recording of the piece! I seem to remember reading somewhere that Britten wasn't particularly interested in folk music (or British folk music, at least) until Grainger sort of nudged him toward it, and Grainger clearly led by example in this case - his folk song arrangements are one-of-a-kind masterpieces.
I can’t hear the Andantino varié without thinking of Charles Rosen. When I first moved to NYC I called him out of the Yellow Pages and he invited me over to play four hands. He asked what I’d like to play, but not knowing what to say, deferred to his choice. He introduced me to this piece.
Absolutely wonderful program. Thankyou for turning me on to that Bridge piece. And the Granger song was so powerfully beautiful. Ashley Wass has a couple really good Bridge piano music albums that are very worth listening to. I wish I could come to your concert. I used to live on the Olympic Penninsula. It'll be very beautiful there.
I've always been surprised how "Top 40" Britten's conducting choices are. He did conduct some out-of-the-way pieces like Schumann's Faust, but there is a lot of Mozart final symphonies, Brandenburg concertos, etc.
I’ve never much liked PP’s voice so much, but actually in the recording you presented I DID really enjoy his performance and how his voice fit it so well
Grainger was unique. His music can be incredibly moving, and Shallow Brown is one of those - I love his use of the brass in this setting, so evocative
Did not know the Fairy Queen 😳 well I’m comforted Britten brought it to your attention 😅
"Why did I not love Frank Bridge's cello sonata for so many years? As if I'd avoided someone for years - and then discovered he was a saint." - Steven Isserlis
I am laughing and shaking my head at the same time. I went to Oberlin as pianist and your comment was what got me going. While there, Heifetz played a recital on television. The, at the time, premiere violinist in the conservatory commented very loudly on the lounge the next day “Heifetz can’t play Bach. “ I was incensed and at my lesson that day I hold my teacher the story. His comment was ,”he should not lay an open string 1/4 as well.” Let me add te: Britten own work, he wrote everything he wanted, tenuous marks dance every single expression mark. Obviously he wasn’t trusting anyone!
I agree with everything you say about Schubert. And I love this performance. Real chamber music in the truest sense. Unfortunately that kind of music making would be derided in today's conservatory training. Good luck with your upcoming concerts.
8:41 Ah!! I recognize this. Tausig made a solo piano transcription of this that is rarely played-I believe it's one of my favorite Egon Petri recordings though. The others being his Mozart-Busoni Andantino from Concerto No. 9, and the Bach-Busoni transcriptions...
Nice. I once met 'Tiger', Britten's erstwhile friend (he is in the biography of Britten). We even had a 'piano duel'. i also met Rostropovich and had a 1-1 interview with him behind closed doors.
Was just doing some research and found that Britten was a student of Bridge. Britten was an 11 year old prodigy when Bridge met him in 1924. Also, Britten wrote a tribute to his teacher Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (1937) for string orchestra Op. 10
Britten's piano concerto is magnificent. I wish we had a recording of him as soloist. Although sometimes criticized as brash, it should be celebrated for its bravura. My understanding is that the piano gave out when he performed the American premiere of the concerto (in its original version).
Britten's recording of the 29th Symphony is even better than the 40th, perhaps because Mozart aims a bit lower. On the menuet, you might compare this with the metronome marks left by Hummel/Czerny, and the recordings left by Richard Strauss and Toscanini.
Big thanks ❤😂🎉😂❤
Sorry, what’s the name of the piece of the intro?
See description
Etude 1 (Liza) by Earl Wild (Theme by George Gershwin)
I love when modern artists butcher music with their modern artistry, truly inspiring
obligatory whatismusic hate comment
Bro whatismusic get off the internet and go outside instead of hating bro, live life