Benjamin Britten is considered by many to be the greatest 20th century composer of art songs. And as part of the continuing celebration of the composer's 100 anniversary, a number of song recitals are paying homage to this composer who wrote so well for the human voice.
Here are just a few of the voice recitals coming up, in New York and Chicago, during the next months.
New York
Britten composed most of his songs for tenor Peter Pears, Britten's life partner and frequent artistic collaborator. Tenor Rufus Müller and guitarist David Leisner will explore Britten's entire oeuvre for tenor and guitar in a recital at Symphony Space in New York on October 18.
Britten wrote these songs for Pears and their friend, guitarist Julian Bream. The songs include Folk Song Arrangements (Vol. 6), Songs from the Chinese and "The Second Lute Song of the Earl of Essex" from Britten's opera Gloriana.
Guitarist Leisner will also perform Britten's Nocturnal for solo guitar (1963). Gramophone wrote of Leisner's recording of the work: "[His] technically immaculate and musically mindful interpretation of Britten's Nocturnal can hold its own with Julian Bream's two reference versions."
Britten lived in the U.S. during the early 1940s and began his cycle of Folk Song Arrangements during that time. It was a way for the homesick composer to reconnect with his English roots, while more pragmatically providing some "popular" material for his recitals with Pears. The cycle eventually grew to eight volumes.
In 1956, Britten went on a concert tour to the Far East, a journey that may have inspired him to set Chinese poetry to music in the following year's Songs from the Chinese. However, the music of these songs does not evoke a particularly oriental atmosphere.
This recital will open Symphony Space's "In the Salon" Series on October 18 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased HERE.
Chicago
Tonight, the Collaborative Art Institute of Chicago will present "Poetic Muses: Britten, Auden and Sitwell," a free recital of Britten songs on texts by poets W.H. Auden and Edith Sitwell.
Tenor Nicholas Phan and soprano Kiera Duffy will sing Britten's On This Island, The Heart of the Matter and Cabaret Songs, with Gail Williams on horn and pianist Shannon McGinnis. The free concert, presented in partnership with the Poetry Foundation and University of Chicago Presents, will take place at the Poetry Foundation in Chicago at 7:00 p.m. This is the opening concert of the 2013 Collaborative Works Festival, which continues with more song recitals featuring Britten's works on September 12 and 15.
Nicholas Phan, the festival's artistic director, has embarked on a project to explore all of Britten's music for the tenor voice. To date, he has made two recordings of Britten's songs.
Around the World
For more concerts across the globe featuring Britten's music, do visit this impressive compilation of events by the Britten-Pears Foundation: Britten 100.
