I recorded this from the radio in 1977 but over the years the cassette stretched and became unusable. It is a real thrill to find it here, a performance of outstanding integrity and conviction. How wonderful if a recording of Pears and Ferrier should now emerge, though it could not be better.
What a little masterwork! The amazing use Britten makes of just two voices and a piano, and none of it requiring really enormous technical virtuosity from any of the three (though how it benefits from these great artists!). And the ingenious notion of suggesting the voice of God by combining the two voices. The work of a master dramatist; a little mini-opera really. Though I admire all the "Canticles", this is, for me, the most extraordinary of them.
Gorgeous performance. Baker is special, because I normally prefer a boy treble voice to a mezzo soprano in this piece, but she is so magnificent! And Pears is a pure delight.
What is really special here is that Baker and Pears revived the rather neglected masterpiece one year after the composer had died. The precision of the singers opens up the canticle's astonishing structure and beauty with the drama baked into the work (composed 1952) rather than relying on any stage action. The boy alto version with Britten on piano and Pears as Abraham is justly famous but hearing an older Pears here with the UK's greatest mezzo bar none has layers of poignancy balanced with professionalism serving genius. I have a tape of the Ferrier version with Pears and Britten and, at least to my mind, Ferrier simply lacked the musical range and comprehension to sound involved.
Thank you so much for posting this. I had this in an LP boxed set that included other excerpts from the 1977 Aldeburgh festival. Dame Janet sings several lesser-known Schubert songs, with Johnson at the piano. Are you able to post those, KadoGuy? Thanks, JMark in Milwaukee USA.
Why do my fellow Americans think that saying they are from some US city will influence the reader, will impress, perhaps? Who cares where we all come from? Esp the city? The country, maybe, if EVERYONE did it, but it is always WE who do it. UGH.
I read, in Bridcut's book "Britten's Children," that Baker/Pears/Britten performed this at the 1968 Aldeburgh Festival. It was broadcast by the BBC, so a recording MUST exist somewhere. Has anyone heard it, or do you know where it can be obtained?
Would love to hear Pears & Ferrier do this. Is there a recording out of their interpretation? I have several, but my beloved Kaff is not amongst them. Alas.
I recorded this from the radio in 1977 but over the years the cassette stretched and became unusable. It is a real thrill to find it here, a performance of outstanding integrity and conviction. How wonderful if a recording of Pears and Ferrier should now emerge, though it could not be better.
Photos chosen are beautiful. Performance is outstanding.
What a little masterwork! The amazing use Britten makes of just two voices and a piano, and none of it requiring really enormous technical virtuosity from any of the three (though how it benefits from these great artists!). And the ingenious notion of suggesting the voice of God by combining the two voices. The work of a master dramatist; a little mini-opera really. Though I admire all the "Canticles", this is, for me, the most extraordinary of them.
What a joy and privilege to hear glorious voices such as these sing the music of a genius !
Gorgeous performance. Baker is special, because I normally prefer a boy treble voice to a mezzo soprano in this piece, but she is so magnificent! And Pears is a pure delight.
Just beautiful!
What a joy to find this recording. I thought it had been wiped, as was the one with Ferrier.
What is really special here is that Baker and Pears revived the rather neglected masterpiece one year after the composer had died.
The precision of the singers opens up the canticle's astonishing structure and beauty with the drama baked into the work (composed 1952) rather than relying on any stage action.
The boy alto version with Britten on piano and Pears as Abraham is justly famous but hearing an older Pears here with the UK's greatest mezzo bar none has layers of poignancy balanced with professionalism serving genius.
I have a tape of the Ferrier version with Pears and Britten and, at least to my mind, Ferrier simply lacked the musical range and comprehension to sound involved.
Thank you for posting .
Brilliant. Libretto easy to locate. English is a bugger without subtitles or text even with singers with good diction like these two.
I hear you, but I get every word here, w abit of effort, even better w a boy treble’s voice. Their diction is fantastic, imo.
Thank you so much for posting this. I had this in an LP boxed set that included other excerpts from the 1977 Aldeburgh festival. Dame Janet sings several lesser-known Schubert songs, with Johnson at the piano. Are you able to post those, KadoGuy? Thanks, JMark in Milwaukee USA.
Why do my fellow Americans think that saying they are from some US city will influence the reader, will impress, perhaps? Who cares where we all come from? Esp the city? The country, maybe, if EVERYONE did it, but it is always WE who do it. UGH.
I read, in Bridcut's book "Britten's Children," that Baker/Pears/Britten performed this at the 1968 Aldeburgh Festival. It was broadcast by the BBC, so a recording MUST exist somewhere. Has anyone heard it, or do you know where it can be obtained?
Great idea!
Emouvant
Translated into English, means Moving.
Would love to hear Pears & Ferrier do this. Is there a recording out of their interpretation? I have several, but my beloved Kaff is not amongst them. Alas.