The names of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears are forever linked by their personal and creative partnership. Composer and interpreter have rarely enjoyed so long-standing or fruitful relationship. They met and became friends in 1937 while going through the papers of a mutual friend who had accidentally died. Within a couple of years, they had established a relationship that would last a lifetime and embrace virtually all aspects of their lives.
These seminal recordings include the first release on CD of ‘Who are these Children?’, ‘Tit for Tat’ and ‘When the cock begins to crow’ and re-introduces after a long absence from the catalogue, the ‘Michelangelo Sonnet’s and ‘Winter Words’. A bonus is the only song from ‘On this island’ that Pears/Britten recorded for Decca – ‘Let the florid music praise’.
BENJAMIN BRITTEN
Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo, Op. 22
Winter Words, Op. 52
On this Island, Op. 11 *
Who are these children, Op. 84 *
Tit for Tat *
HENRY PURCELL (realised Benjamin Britten)
Sweeter than roses
When the cock begins to crow *
* FIRST RELEASE ON CD
Peter Pears, tenor
John Shirley-Quirk, baritone
James Bowman, counter tenor
Benjamin Britten, piano
‘This excellent compilation brings together two of Britten’s finest song cycles – the Michelangelo Sonnets and Winter Words – in their most memorable and authoritative realizations … This music, and the Pears/Britten performances, should be in the collection of every vocal music fan’ ClassicsToday.com
‘another valuable collection of rare Britten works … a must for all Britten enthusiasts’ *(**) Penguin Guide