Choral works accompanied and unaccompanied; 7th work for piano duet, flute, and violin. Title from container. Benjamin Britten, conductor (unless otherwise noted) with various soloists and ensembles. Recorded between 1953 and 1969. All recordings previously released. Compact discs. Program notes in English (46 pages : illustrations) in accompanying booklet.
Contents:
CD1. The burning fiery furnace : op. 77 : second parable for church performance / text by William Plomer (1:03:36) (Peter Pears, Nebuchadnezzar ; Bryan Drake, astrologer ; John Shirley-Quirk, Shadrach ; Robert Tear, Meshach ; Stafford Dean, Abednego ; Peter Leeming, herald ; with additional soloists and instrumental ensemble ; Benjamin Britten and Viola Tunnard, conductors) -- CD2. Curlew River : op. 71 : a parable for church performance / libretto based on the medieval Japnese No play Sumidagawa of Juro Montomasa by William Plomer (1:08:15) (Peter Pears, madwoman ; John Shirley-Quirk, ferryman ; Harold Blackburn, abbot ; Bryan Drake, traveller ; Bruce Webb, voice of the spirit; with additional soloists and instrumental ensemble ; Benjamin Britten and Viola Tunnard, conductors) -- CD3. The prodigal son : op. 81 : third parable for church performance / text by William Plomer (1:08:30) (Peter Pears, the tempter ; John Shirley-Quirk, the father ; Bryan Drake, the elder son ; Robert Tear, the younger son ; with additional soloists and instrumental ensemble ; Benjamin Britten and Viola Tunnard, conductors) -- CD4. Noye's fludde : op. 59 : the Chester miracle play set to music (48:03) (Vocal soloists ; English Opera Group Orchestra ; an East Suffolk children's orchestra ; Norman Del Mar, conductor) ; The golden vanity : op. 78 : a vaudeville for boys and piano / after the old English ballad by Colin Graham (17:28) (Vocal soloists ; Benjamin Britten, piano ; The Wandsworth School Boys' Choir ; Russell Burgess, conductor) -- CD5. The little sweep : let's make an opera : op. 45 / libretto by Eric Crozier (43:55) (Vocal soloists ; Choir of Alleyn's School ; English Opera Group Orchestra) ; Gemini variations : op. 73 : quartet for two players (14:45) (Gabriel and Zoltán Jeney, violin, flute, piano duet) ; Children's crusade : op. 82 / text from Bertolt Brecht "Kinderkreuzzug" (Gedichte im Exil) translated by Hans Keller with the collaboration of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears) (18:57) (Vocal soloists ; instrumental ensemble ; Wandsworth School Boys' Choir ; Russell Burgess and Benjamin Britten, conductors) -- CD6. Saint Nicolas : op. 42 / words by Eric Crozier (47:13) (Peter Pears, tenor ; David Hemmings, boy soprano ; Ralph Downes, organ ; Girls' Choir of Sir John Leman School, Beccles ; Boys' Choir of Ipswich School Preparatory Department ; 3 boys from the Choir of St. Mary-le-Tower, Ipswich ; Aldeburgh Festival Choir and Orchestra) ; Rejoice in the lamb : op. 30 / words by Christopher Smart (15:58) (Michael Hartnett, treble ; Jonathan Steele, alto ; Philip Todd, tenor ; Donald Francke, bass ; George Malcolm, organ ; The Purcell Singers) -- CD7. A ceremony of carols : op. 28 (20:48) (Copenhagen Boys' Choir ; Enid Simon, harp) ; A boy was born : op. 3 (28:17) (Michael Hartnett, treble ; Purcell Singers ; Boys' Voices of the English Opera Group ; Choristers of All Sints, Margaret Street) ; Songs from "Friday afternoons" : op. 7 (18:01) (Choir of Downside School, Purley ; Viola Tunnard, piano) ; Psalm 150 : op. 67 (5:11) (Boys of Downside School, Purley) -- CD8. Spring symphony : op. 44 (42:42) (Jennifer Vyvyan, soprano ; Norma Procter, contralto ; Peter Pears, tenor ; Boys from Emanuel School, Wandsworth ; Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden) ; Cantata academica (Carmen basiliense) : op. 62 (20:54) (Jennifer Vyvyan, soprano ; Helen Watts, contralto ; Peter Pears, tenor ; Owen Brannigan, bass ; Harold Lester, piano ; London Symphony Orchestra dna Chorus ; George Malcolm, conductor) ; Hymn to St. Cecilia : op. 27 / text by W.H. Auden (10:38) (London Symphony Chorus ; George Malcolm, conductor) -- CD9-10. War requiem : op. 66 / Latin text from Misssa pro defunctis ; poems by Wilfred Owen (1:21:07) (Galina Vishnevskaya, soprano ; Peter Pears, tenor ; Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone ; The Bach Choir and London Symphony Chorus ; Highgate School Choir ; Simon Preston, organ ; Melos Ensemble ; London Symphony Orchestra) ; Rehearsing War requiem.op. 30 (49:30).
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