Benjamin Britten: Les Illuminations/Serenade

On this CD:

1. Les illuminations, song cycle for high voice & strings, Op. 18
Composed by Benjamin Britten
Performed by Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra with Gunther Opitz, Peter Schreier
Conducted by Herbert Kegel

2. Serenade, for tenor, horn, & strings, Op. 31
Composed by Benjamin Britten
Performed by Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra with Gunther Opitz, Peter Schreier
Conducted by Herbert Kegel

Benjamin Britten: Les Illuminations/Serenade, Music, Benjamin Britten, Herbert Kegel, Gunther Opitz, Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra, Peter Schreier, Classical, Solo Voice(s) and Small Ensemble, Song Cycle for Solo Voice and Orchestra, Vocal
Britten: Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings; Les Illuminations; Nocturne
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Comparing Britten's 'Serenade' from Bostridge and rivals
  • Bostridge and Rattle Offer Definitive Britten
  • EXCELLENT SINGING: OUSTANDING PLAYING
 Britten: Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings; Les Illuminations; Nocturne

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by BrittenAll Works by Britten | Britten, Sir Benjamin | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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Berlin Philharmonic OrchestraBerlin Philharmonic Orchestra | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Britten: The Canticles; Ian Bostridge, David Daniels
  2. Britten: Holy Sonnets Op35 / Bostridge, Johnson
  3. Ian Bostridge - Songs of Faure, Debussy & Poulenc
  4. Die Schone Mullerin
  5. Music of Peter Lieberson: Rilke Songs, The Six Realms, Horn Concerto

ASIN: B000AXZE3U
Release Date: 2005-11-08

Tracks:

  1. I. Fanfare
  2. II. Villes
  3. IIIa. Phrase
  4. IIIb. Antique
  5. IV. Royaute
  6. V. Marine
  7. VI. Interlude
  8. VII. Being Beauteous
  9. VIII. Parade
  10. IX. Depart
  11. Prologue
  12. Pastoral
  13. Nocturne
  14. Elegy
  15. Dirge
  16. Hymn
  17. Sonnet
  18. Epilogue
  19. On A Poet's Lips I Slept
  20. Below The Thunders Of The Upper Deep
  21. Encinctured With A Twine Of Leaves
  22. Midnight's Bell Goes Ting, Ting, Ting
  23. But That Night When On My Bed I Lay
  24. She Sleeps On Soft, Last Breaths
  25. What Is More Gentle Than A Wind In Summer?
  26. When Most I Wink, Then Do Mine Eyes Best See

Amazon.com

This is a wonderful record, in substance and execution. As Ian Bostridge writes in his passionately involved program notes, these three song cycles represent a pinnacle of the all-too-sparse literature for tenor and orchestra. We owe them to Britten's long personal and professional partnership with the great tenor Peter Pears, for whom he wrote all his vocal music. Listeners who remember Pears' unique and unmistakable voice and style will be astounded at how thoroughly Bostridge has made these works his own. His voice is very different but no less unique, and intoxicatingly beautiful. He has at his command colors and nuances which he uses so masterfully that they become an integral part of the music, never sounding artificial. Giving equal weight to words and music, Bostridge captures the lush sensuousness of the French cycle, set to poems of Rimbaud, the lyricism, lightness, serenity, horror and triumph of the Serenade, and the declamatory drama of the Nocturne (the last two use poetry from Shakespeare to Wilfred Owen). The cycles trace the development of Britten's style, from the tonal orientation and direct expressiveness of the first, through the greater emotional depth and variety of the second, to the descriptive, sardonic, wild, passionate rhetoric of the third. The orchestra's principals are superb in their extensive solos. Unfortunately, they are nameless except for Radek Baborák, a worthy successor to Dennis Brain, the virtuoso hornist for whom the Serenade was written. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Comparing Britten's 'Serenade' from Bostridge and rivals.......2006-06-26

In 1944, a year after it was composed, Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings began a long streak of excellence on disc. Six decades later we have this acclaimed new one from Ian Bostridge, so it seems worthwhile to compare it to the best from the past. (I will name my personal favorites at the end.)

Pears 1944: The Gramophone calls this, the premiere recording, 'usurpassable,' and so it would seem with the unique combination of Peter Pears, the tenor voice for which the work was written, Dennis Brain, the young horn virtuoso whom Britten also had in mind, and Britten himself conducting. There are some drawbacks, though, principally the ugly wartime sonics, which are murky and boxed-in. Pears is not as dramatic as he would become later on, and although Brain is very musical and supple in tone, he doesn't extract the last ounce of intensity from his part.

Pears 1964: Pears' remake is the unsurpassable one, perhaps. We get excellent stereo from Decca, and Britten's conducting is more or less perfect. Barry Tuckwell sets a new standard in the horn part, taking hair-raising risks and underlining the darker side of the score. Pears has grown immensely in his interpretation of the poetry, but one can't escape that he is 20 years older--his voice is obviously under strain in the more difficult passages and at loud volume. Even so, his depth and artistry quickly make you forget anything but the music itself--a great recording.

Rolfe-Johnson 1991: The Gramophone loved this recording when it came out on Chandos. The outstanding performer here is the tenor, Anthony Rolfe-Johnson, who took up Pears' artistic manetle. Like Pears he has a sweet, focused tenor with a prominent head tone (R-J's sound is less idiosyncratic than Pears'), but more importantly Rolfe-Johnson does almost as much with the poetry as his great predecessor. The conducting by Bryden Thomson is fine, and so is the horn player, Michael Thompson, though he is too cautious to take the kind of risks Tuckwell did.

Langridge 1994: This recording, originally on Collins Clasics, is on Naxos now. Philip Langridge is the doppelganger to Rolfe-Johnson, both bieng Britten specialists who have recorded most of his major tenor roles. Langridge has a bigger voice, with an unusual but pleasant nasality. It's less focused than Rolfe-Johnson's or Pears', so the pitch can spead a little, and some wobble creeps in under pressure. On this CD Langridge gives a notably quiet, tender reading, with a lot of variaiton in tone and poetic sensitivity. He is aided by the excellent conducting of Britten's disciple, Steuart Bedford. The horn playing of Frank Lloyd matches the singer in tenderness, even if he isn't the daredevil that Tuckwell ws--Lloyd's suppleness is closer to Brain in approach.

Bostridge 1999: The latest generation of Pears' descendants is represented by Ian Bostridgee, who has attained more fame than the previous two tenors outside Britain. Bostridge's voice started out quite slender and cooing, so he can't attack the Serenade's more strenuous parts head on. His solution is to give a lighter, quicker version that is refreshingly different. His hornist, Marie-Luise Neunecker, is a true virtuoso, more at home in this music than any player since Tuckwell. She is also caught in vivid, clear sound by EMI. Ingo Metzmacher's condcuting sometimes lacks zest and impact, though it passes muster well enough.

Bostridge 2005: Bostridge got to remake the Serenade for EMI after only a few years, not the twenty that Pears waited. In the interim his voice has acquired more weight--it's still the lightest of any being considered here, however--and that extra heft helps him to deepen his interpretation, adding more darkness and mystery to the text (mystery being one of this singer's best modes). The presence of Simon Rattle and the Berlin Phil. strings certainly ups the ante, and the first horn of the orchestra, Radek Baborak, at last brings us Tuckwell's equal in daring and risk-taking. British critics have acclaimed this recording as the only modern one to stand beside Pears/Britten, but I think Rattle and Bostridge are both a little guilty of fussiness; every syllable and musical phrase is underlined to the point where we notice the performers more than the music at times.

I have owned Serenades by other singers like Martyn Hill and John Mark Ainsley, both on EMI and both in the boyish tenor vein of Bostridge, if without his notable intelligence and musical insight. I would be hapy to own either of Bostridge's efforts, but the ones that send chills down my spine are by Rolfe-Johnson and Pears 1964.

5 out of 5 stars Bostridge and Rattle Offer Definitive Britten.......2005-11-30

Ian Bostridge continues to astound with the variety of his repertoire and the glowing beauty of his richly burnished tenor voice and his enormous musicality. Here he sings three of Benjamin Britten's finest works and with him in collaboration are Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic. An embarrassment of riches!

Each of the three cycles feels as though Bostridge and Rattle are in complete agreement with Britten's intentions. 'Les Illuminations', designated as a work 'for high voice and strings', here benefits greatly from the timbre of Bostridge's baritone-infused tenor voice. The poems by Rimbaud were written by a man for a man and thus it feels more appropriate to have the male voice singing (though the numerous performances by sopranos do hold a special glow). Supported by some of the most lush strings sound ever recorded, Bostridge sings the songs with more passion than most. These are heartfelt and not the cerebral exercise they often receive. Yes, there are moments when memories of other performances rise - such as during the downward glissando of 'et je danse' when other singers caress every note in the fall. But the overall effect is very dramatic and, well, luminous.

'Serenade for tenor, horn and strings' finds Radek Baborak in the horn role. Again the pulsing Berlin strings under Rattle are almost unbearably beautiful. Bostridge's perfect diction again demonstrates how Britten was the finest composer for the English language. The cycle is involving in its survey of an interesting variety of poems. Likewise the Nocturne 'for tenor, seven obbligato instruments an strings' is a mature work of Britten's and has echoes of phrases from what by the time of its composition were closely identified with the 'Britten sound'. Again Bostridge sings with such purity of line and intense communication. His voice and thinking are married in a perfect effect.

Perhaps it is the fact that Bostridge commits his concert time to demanding lieder recitals with piano that makes him one of the most sought after vocal artists of the day. When he steps in front of an orchestra, especially such as the Berlin ensemble with Rattle on the podium, he is wholly at home with these beautiful but technically difficult cycles, and the degree of communication of both the music and the poetry are extraordinary. An added bonus with this CD is the personal set of program notes written by Bostridge. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, November 05

5 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT SINGING: OUSTANDING PLAYING.......2005-11-23

This is a marvellous disc of the most famous Britten orchestral Song Cycles - not so much for Bostridge's singing as for the stunning playing of the strings of the Berlin Philharmonic and the excellent conducting of Simon Rattle.

The very opening bars of Les Illuminations give a thrilling taste of excitements to come as the violins and violas throw the fanfares from side to side of the stereo spectrum. In the hands of the Berlin Phil, Les Illuminations reveals itself to be as big a compendium of string orchestra techniques as the Frank Bridge Variations. Here are wonderfully light harmonics, creepy harmonic glissandos, perfectly together full-bodied pizzicati, haunting cantilenas, rich thrumming accompaniments. Ensemble throughout is impressively immaculate. Antique is hauntingly beautiful, Being Beauteous achingly so. Bostridge's singing is also impressive in these Rimbaud settings, bringing to some of the songs a real baritonal quality to set beside his more familiar headtones - perhaps suggesting that a Pelleas from him might be an interesting proposition. For me, the sound of the original soprano voice works better in these songs (they were first done by Sophie Weiss): it rises freer and cleaner of the string accompaniments. But Bostridge is fine among the tenor versions, up there with Pears himself.

The Serenade fares a little less well after such an impressive opening. Maybe the horn player, Radek Baborak, is to blame. He seems a little cautious - the phrases of the Prologue and Epilogue seem a little disjointed, the keening sounds of Blake's Sick Rose lack the last ounce of passionate commitment, the scary glissandi in the Lyke Wake Dirge are barely touched in compared to the hair-raising whoops of a Tuckwell or even a Brain and Ben Jonson's Queen and Huntress doesn't have quite the lightness of step she should. Bostridge, too, seems to be straining a bit hard and Fischer-Dieskau-like to get the last ounce of meaning from the text. The plosive 't' at the end of 'elephant' in Cotton's Pastoral practically splashes the listener. He has recorded the Serenade before (also with a German orchestra) and despite the wonderful playing here of the Berlin strings - their splendour falls magnificently on Tennyson's castle walls - it's the earlier version I would prefer.

The horn player is better in his onomatopoeic Middleton song in the Nocturne. Indeed, all the soloists are excellent in this cycle and I would single out Stefan Schweigert's bassoon solo in The Kraken for particular praise. The Nocturne always seems to get rather short shrift in comparison to the Serenade or even Les Illuminations. For me it is the finest of the three cycles. It is a central piece among Britten's explorations of sleep around that time - the Dream, the guitar Nocturnal, the piano Notturno, 'Let us Sleep' in War Requiem and 'Dormi nunc' in the Cantata Misericordium are all roughly contemporaneous. It is also more of a cycle than the Serenade with its linking 'breathing' motif on the strings (which was actually rescued from a setting of Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal, written for but rejected from the Serenade). Bostridge is better here with a little less obvious pointing of words. He copes with the magical melismas of the Coleridge setting well. He holds nothing back in Wordsworth's nightmare recollections of the September Massacres with a full-bodied scream on the parlando 'Sleep no more'. Owen's Kind Ghosts sound more than ever like a precursor of the Owen settings in War Requiem and Rattle secures a wonderfully heavy tread from his string players. Perhaps only Pears had the secret of those magic Britten phrases that flow straight through the natural break in the voice (the arch of 'Thus I my best beloved's am' at the end of Canticle 1 or the rising Dona nobis pacem in War Requiem come to mind): Bostridge can't quite match him in the similar phrase for the last couplet of the Shakespeare Sonnet, but for the rest he does achieve a near perfect balance of melodic line with judicious pointing of Shakespeare's pun-fest.

The playing of the Berlin Philharmonic again is a joy to hear in this song. The voicing of the chord when all the obbligato instruments and the strings play together for the first time at the beginning of the Shakespeare is breathtaking and Rattle makes the climax of the Sonnet (and indeed the whole cycle) an overwhelming moment. The recording quality throughout this disc is superb - crystal clear but with true warmth and depth. Bostridge contributes a fascinating essay to the booklet and all the texts are there, too. All in all, an outstanding issue.
Britten: Serenade; Les Illuminations; Nocturne
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Britten: Serenade; Les Illuminations; Nocturne

    Manufacturer: Decca
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    All Works by BrittenAll Works by Britten | Britten, Sir Benjamin | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
    Pears, Sir PeterPears, Sir Peter | ( P ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
    The Decca Records StoreThe Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
    ASIN: B000FIHMH6
    Release Date: 2006-05-08

    Tracks:

    1. Serenade For Tenor, Horn & Strings, Op. 31
    2. Les Illuminations, Op. 18
    3. Nocturne For Tenor, Seven Obbligato Instruments & Strings, Op. 60

    Album Details

    The Three Orchestral Song Cycles Collected Here Are Central to the Britten Canon of Recorded Repertoire and Whereas Pears' Other Recordings of the Serenade and Les Illuminations (With Boyd Neel and Benjamin Britten as Conductors) have Been in Circulation, this Mono Recording with Goossens Receives Its First and Much-anticipated Release on CD. All Three Recordings Date from the 1950s and Catch Pears in Full Vocal Flight.
    A Portrait of Britten
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		A Portrait of Britten

      Manufacturer: Nimbus Records
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      All Works by BrittenAll Works by Britten | Britten, Sir Benjamin | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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      SymphoniesSymphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
      VariationsVariations | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
      General ContemporaryGeneral Contemporary | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
      ViolaViola | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
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      Modern & 20th CenturyModern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
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      Hadley, JerryHadley, Jerry | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      ASIN: B00000JCAX
      Release Date: 1999-06-15

      Tracks:

      1. Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Intro And Theme - Roger Best
      2. Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Adagio - Roger Best
      3. Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: March - Roger Best
      4. Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Romance - Roger Best
      5. Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Aria Italiana - Roger Best
      6. Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Bourree Classique - Roger Best
      7. Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Wiener Walzer - Roger Best
      8. Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Moto Perpetuo - Roger Best
      9. Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Funeral March - Roger Best
      10. Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Chant - Roger Best
      11. Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Fugue And Finale - Roger Best
      12. Simple Sym, Op.4: Boisterous Bourree - Roger Best
      13. Simple Sym, Op.4: Playful Pizzicato - Roger Best
      14. Simple Sym, Op.4: Sentimental Saraband - Roger Best
      15. Simple Sym, Op.4: Frolicsome Finale - Roger Best
      16. Lachrymae-Reflections On A Song Of Dowland: Lento-Allegretto, Andante Molto-Animato-Tranquillo... - Roger Best
      17. Plrd And Fugue, Op.29: Prld: Grave - Roger Best
      18. Plrd And Fugue, Op.29: Fugue: Allegro Energico - Roger Best

      Tracks:

      1. Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op.33a: I. Dawn - Michael Bochmann
      2. Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op.33a: II. Sunday Morning - Michael Bochmann
      3. Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op.33a: III. Moonlight - Michael Bochmann
      4. Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op.33a: IV. Storm - Michael Bochmann
      5. Ste On English Folk Tunes 'A Time There Was...', Op.90: I. Cakes And Ale - Michael Bochmann
      6. Ste On English Folk Tunes 'A Time There Was...', Op.90: II. Bitter Withy - Michael Bochmann
      7. Ste On English Folk Tunes 'A Time There Was...', Op.90: III. Hankin Booby - Michael Bochmann
      8. Ste On English Folk Tunes 'A Time There Was...', Op.90: IV. Hunt The Squirrel - Michael Bochmann
      9. Ste On English Folk Tunes 'A Time There Was...', Op.90: V. Lord Melbourne - Michael Bochmann
      10. Gloriana: The Courtly Dances, Op.53a - Michael Bochmann
      11. The Young Person's Guide To The Orch, Op.34: Vars And Fugue On A Theme Of Purcell - Michael Bochmann

      Tracks:

      1. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Fanfare - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
      2. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Villes - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
      3. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Phrase - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
      4. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Antique - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
      5. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Royaute - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
      6. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Marine - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
      7. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Interlude - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
      8. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Being Beauteous - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
      9. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Parade - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
      10. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Depart - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
      11. Ser, Op.31: Prologue - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
      12. Ser, Op.31: Pastoral - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
      13. Ser, Op.31: Nocturne - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
      14. Ser, Op.31: Elegy - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
      15. Ser, Op.31: Dirge - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
      16. Ser, Op.31: Hymn - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
      17. Ser, Op.31: Sonnet - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
      18. Ser, Op.31: Epilogue - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
      19. Nocturne, Op.60 - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead/Michael Hirst/Paul Arden Taylor/David Campbell/Keith Rubach...
      Britten: Serenade/Les Illuminations/Nocturne
      Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
      • Jerry Hadley: Ave Atque Vale
      • Almost as good as Pears
      		 Britten: Serenade/Les Illuminations/Nocturne

      Manufacturer: Nimbus Records
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      All Works by BrittenAll Works by Britten | Britten, Sir Benjamin | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
      Hadley, JerryHadley, Jerry | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      ASIN: B00005YBAF
      Release Date: 1992-12-02

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Jerry Hadley: Ave Atque Vale.......2007-07-18

      The musical world has lost yet another great singer with the death of Jerry Hadley. Not only will his fine opera and recital performances be greatly missed, we must attempt to understand the personal pain that would result in his choice of passing.

      Jerry Hadley was another American product, born in the US, trained here and under the tutelage of Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge, and made it to the stages of the New York City Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, Glyndebourne, Covent Garden etc, and recorded not only superb performances of Mozart operas and others but also gave a bow to operetta and musical theater. His voice was rich, full, dark when necessary and thrillingly bel canto in roles too infrequently heard. His stage presence was that of a handsome, dashing leading man and audiences loved him.

      For this listener this very special recording of the works of Benjamin Britten is one of his finest and while it is variably available, perhaps now it will be re-mastered for wider distribution. In each of the three works on this very well produced CD - 'Les illuminations' Op. 18, 'Serenade, for tenor, horn & strings' Op. 31, and Nocturne, for tenor, 7 instruments & strings, Op. 60 - Hadley's concept of the poetry is sincere and unlike many other recordings of these works his diction is flawless. One wonders why orchestral concerts across the country did not utilize Jerry Hadley more frequently for these works.

      The recording is well balanced with fine collaboration from the English String Orchestra as conducted by William Boughton. Anthony Halstead provides the gentle and technically superb French Horn performance in the Serenade. Many still prefer the initial Peter Pears recordings of these works for sentimental reasons and there have been other excellent recordings by both women (in the 'Les illuminations') and other tenors, but Jerry Hadley approached these vocally demanding little jewels with a profound respect of the composer's intentions. It is a recording that will always be a fitting tribute to a very fine tenor whose career was tragically foreshortened. Recommendation: add this CD to your collection - it IS available! Grady Harp, July 07

      4 out of 5 stars Almost as good as Pears.......2003-05-30

      The British tenor Peter Pears recorded two of these works (Serenade and Les Illuminations) in his prime, somewhere in the late 60's or early 70's. (To my knowledge that LP has not been remastered to CD...) His close friend Benjamin Britten wrote these works for Pears; Serenade was written for Pears and Dennis Brain, the brilliant French horn player whose life was tragically cut short by an auto accident.

      Jerry Hadley doesn't quite match the intensity that Pears' performances had, but they are fine nonetheless. The differences are most notable in the middle sections of the Serenade, which Pears made absolutely electrifying. But it certainly is good to have these neglected works in up-to-date digital recordings.
      Britten: Serenade for tenor, horn & strings; Les Illuminations; Nocturne
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        		Britten: Serenade for tenor, horn & strings; Les Illuminations; Nocturne

        Manufacturer: Class. for Pleas. Us
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        All Works by BrittenAll Works by Britten | Britten, Sir Benjamin | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
        ASIN: B000069DPK
        Release Date: 2002-10-01

        Tracks:

        1. I. Fanfare
        2. II. Villes
        3. IIIa. Phrase
        4. IIIb. Antique
        5. IV. Royauta
        6. V. Marine
        7. VI. Interlude
        8. VII. Being Beauteous
        9. VIII. Parade
        10. IX. Dapart
        11. On A Poet's Lips I Slept (Shelley)
        12. Below The Thunders Of The Upper Deep (Tennyson) (J
        13. Encinctured With A Twine Of Leaves (Coleridge) (Hu
        14. Midnight's Bell Goes Ting, Ting, Ting, Ting, Ting
        15. But That Night When On My Bed I Lay (Wordsworth) (
        16. She Sleeps On Soft, Last Breaths (Owen) (Nicholas
        17. What Is More Gentle Than A Wind In Summer? (Keats)
        18. When Most I Wink, Then Do Mine Eyes Best See (Shak
        19. Prologue (Horn Solo) - David Pyatt
        20. 1. Pastoral: The Day's Grown Old (Charles Cotton)
        21. 2. Nocturne: The Splendour Falls On Castle Walls - CLEOBURY/AINSLEY
        22. 3. Elegy: O Rose, Thou Art Sick (William Blake) - CLEOBURY/AINSLEY
        23. 4. Dirge: This Ae Nighte (Anon. 15th Century) - CLEOBURY/AINSLEY
        24. 5. Hymn: Queen And Huntress (Ben Jonson) - CLEOBURY/AINSLEY
        25. 6. Sonnet: O Soft Embalmer Of The Still Midnight - CLEOBURY/AINSLEY
        26. Epilogue (Horn Solo) - CLEOBURY/AINSLEY
        A Britten Serenade
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          		A Britten Serenade
          Benjamin Britten , Simon Streatfeild , Benjamin Butterfield , James Sommerville , and Henriette Schellenberg
          Manufacturer: Cbc
          ProductGroup: Music
          Binding: Audio CD

          All Works by BrittenAll Works by Britten | Britten, Sir Benjamin | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
          General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
          GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
          GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
          GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
          ASIN: B00000DCRA
          Release Date: 1998-10-20

          Tracks:

          1. Ser, Op.31: I. Prologue - Benjamin Butterfield/James Sommerville
          2. Ser, Op.31: II. Pastoral - Benjamin Butterfield/James Sommerville
          3. Ser, Op.31: III. Nocturne - Benjamin Butterfield/James Sommerville
          4. Ser, Op.31: IV. Elegy - Benjamin Butterfield/James Sommerville
          5. Ser, Op.31: V. Dirge - Benjamin Butterfield/James Sommerville
          6. Ser, Op.31: VI. Hymn - Benjamin Butterfield/James Sommerville
          7. Ser, Op.31: VII. Sonnet - Benjamin Butterfield/James Sommerville
          8. Ser, Op.31: VIII. Epilogue - Benjamin Butterfield/James Sommerville
          9. Les Illuminations, Op.18: I. Fanfare - Henriette Schellenberg
          10. Les Illuminations, Op.18: II. Villes - Henriette Schellenberg
          11. Les Illuminations, Op.18: III. Phrase - Henriette Schellenberg
          12. Les Illuminations, Op.18: III. Antique - Henriette Schellenberg
          13. Les Illuminations, Op.18: IV. Royaute - Henriette Schellenberg
          14. Les Illuminations, Op.18: V. Marine - Henriette Schellenberg
          15. Les Illuminations, Op.18: VI. Interlude - Henriette Schellenberg
          16. Les Illuminations, Op.18: VII. Being Beauteous - Henriette Schellenberg
          17. Les Illuminations, Op.18: VIII. Parade - Henriette Schellenberg
          18. Les Illuminations, Op.18: IX. Depart - Henriette Schellenberg
          19. Nocturne, Op.60: I. On A Poet's Lips I Slept - Vincent Ellin
          20. Nocturne, Op.60: II. Below The Thunders Of The Upper Deep - Vincent Ellin
          21. Nocturne, Op.60: III. Encinctured With A Twine Of Leaves - Richard Turner
          22. Nocturne, Op.60: IV. Midnight's Bell Goes Ting - Lawrence Vine
          23. Nocturne, Op.60: V. But That Night - Gregory Hodgson
          24. Nocturne, Op.60: VI. She Sleeps On Soft Last Breaths - Douglas Bairstow
          25. Nocturne, Op.60: VII. What Is More Gentle Than A Wind In Summer? - Martha Durkin/Connie Gitlin
          26. Nocturne, Op.60: VIII. When Most I Wink, Then Do Mine Eyes Best See - Benjamin Butterfield
          Britten: Les Illuminations/Nocturne/Serenade
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            		Britten: Les Illuminations/Nocturne/Serenade

            Manufacturer: Angel Records
            ProductGroup: Music
            Binding: Audio CD

            All Works by BrittenAll Works by Britten | Britten, Sir Benjamin | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
            General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
            GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
            GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
            ASIN: B000002S71
            Release Date: 1996-09-10

            Tracks:

            1. Les Illuminations, Op.18: I. Fanfare - John Mark Ainsley
            2. Les Illuminations, Op.18: II. Villes - John Mark Ainsley
            3. Les Illuminations, Op.18: IIIa. Phrase - John Mark Ainsley
            4. Les Illuminations, Op.18: IIIb. Antique - John Mark Ainsley
            5. Les Illuminations, Op.18: IV. Royaute - John Mark Ainsley
            6. Les Illuminations, Op.18: V. Marine - John Mark Ainsley
            7. Les Illuminations, Op.18: VI. Interlude - John Mark Ainsley
            8. Les Illuminations, Op.18: VII. Being Beauteous - John Mark Ainsley
            9. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Parade - John Mark Ainsley
            10. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Depart - John Mark Ainsley
            11. Nocturne, Op.60: On A Poet's Lips I Slept- - John Mark Ainsley
            12. Nocturne, Op.60: Below The Thunders Of The Upper Deep - John Mark Ainsley/Julie Andrews
            13. Nocturne, Op.60: Encinctured With A Twine Of Leaves - John Mark Ainsley/Hugh Webb
            14. Nocturne, Op.60: Midnight's Bell Goes Ting, Ting, Ting, Ting, Ting - John Mark Ainsley/Stephen Bell
            15. Nocturne, Op.60: But That Night When On My Bed I Lay - John Mark Ainsley/David Hockings
            16. Nocturne, Op.60: She Sleeps On Soft, Last Breaths - John Mark Ainsley/Nicolas Daniel
            17. Nocturne, Op.60: What Is More Gentle Than A Wind In Summer? - John Mark Ainsley/Kate Hill/Julian Farrell
            18. Nocturne, Op.60: When Most I Wink, Then Do Mine Eyes Best See - John Mark Ainsley
            19. Ser, Op.31: Prologue - John Mark Ainsley/David Pyatt
            20. Ser, Op.31: 1. Pastoral - John Mark Ainsley/David Pyatt
            21. Ser, Op.31: 2. Nocturne - John Mark Ainsley/David Pyatt
            22. Ser, Op.31: 3. Elegy - John Mark Ainsley/David Pyatt
            23. Ser, Op.31: 4. Dirge - John Mark Ainsley/David Pyatt
            24. Ser, Op.31: 5. Hymn - John Mark Ainsley/David Pyatt
            25. Ser, Op.31: 6. Sonnet - John Mark Ainsley/David Pyatt
            26. Ser, Op.31: Epilogue - John Mark Ainsley/David Pyatt
            Benjamin Britten: Les Illuminations/Serenade
            Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
            • Britten in Outer Space
            		 Benjamin Britten: Les Illuminations/Serenade

            Manufacturer: Berlin Classics
            ProductGroup: Music
            Binding: Audio CD

            All Works by BrittenAll Works by Britten | Britten, Sir Benjamin | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
            General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
            GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
            GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
            GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
            ASIN: B0000035RR
            Release Date: 1995-08-22

            Tracks:

            1. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Fanfare
            2. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Villes
            3. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Phrase
            4. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Antique
            5. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Royaute
            6. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Marine
            7. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Interlude
            8. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Being Beauteous
            9. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Parade
            10. Les Illuminations, Op.18: Depart
            11. Ser, Op.31: Prologue
            12. Ser, Op.31: Pastoral
            13. Ser, Op.31: Nocturne
            14. Ser, Op.31: Elegy
            15. Ser, Op.31: Dirge
            16. Ser, Op.31: Hymn
            17. Ser, Op.31: Sonnet
            18. Ser, Op.31: Epilogue

            Customer Reviews:

            4 out of 5 stars Britten in Outer Space.......2001-05-02

            The "Serenade" has to be Britten's most compressed and dramatic work; all the force of his greatest operas is distilled into a few minutes. Listen to the opening horn-solo;in just a few seconds, it establishes the otherworldly atmosphere that prevails throughout the work. It is scored for the natural horn,and its rough, dark tones bring out the qualities perfectly. ....The Serenade was written in 1942, and you can hear the Blitz as an undertone to almost every note. Yet it is overtly just a nocturnal, a piece about the approach of night, with poems drawn the finest of five centuries of English literature. The "Dirge" is such a tour-de-force that it might cause us to overlook the other pieces, but this would be a mistake. The wonderful delicacy of the Keats sonnet is the profoundest expression of wistfulness and sehnsucht in English music. An absolutely unique work which deserves to be at the top of the list of English classics, but it is probably too rarified to appeal to the Proms crowd. ....Peter Schreier's rendition is great, except that his English is bad, so you don't always understand what he's singing (hence only four stars). Still, a German would probably have a better feel for this work than an Englishman or American. ....The horn work is flawless, and the fact than you can hear Opitz straining to bring the right notes out of this ancient instrument adds to the effect. ...."Les Illuminations" is mainly important as an indicator of how Britten developed the techniques he would later use in the "Serenade" (which should have been first on the disc). ....Anyone who appreciates Britten's operas MUST have the "Serenade".
            Britten - Les illuminations / Lott, Rolfe Johnson, M. Thompson, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, B. Thompson
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              		Britten - Les illuminations / Lott, Rolfe Johnson, M. Thompson, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, B. Thompson
              Benjamin Britten , Royal Scottish National Orchestra , Bryden Thomson , Felicity Lott , Anthony Rolfe Johnson , and Michael Thompson
              Manufacturer: Chandos
              ProductGroup: Music
              Binding: Audio CD

              All Works by BrittenAll Works by Britten | Britten, Sir Benjamin | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
              GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
              GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
              ASIN: B00000J8R0
              Release Date: 1999-06-22

              Tracks:

              1. Les Illuminations, Op. 18: I - Fanfare
              2. Les Illuminations, Op. 18: II - Villes
              3. Les Illuminations, Op. 18: IIIa - Phrase
              4. Les Illuminations, Op. 18: IIIb - Antique
              5. Les Illuminations, Op. 18: IV - Royaute
              6. Les Illuminations, Op. 18: V - Marine
              7. Les Illuminations, Op. 18: VI - Interlude
              8. Les Illuminations, Op. 18: VII - Being Beauteous
              9. Les Illuminations, Op. 18: VIII - Parade
              10. Les Illuminations, Op. 18: IX - Depart
              11. Quatre chansons francais: I - Nuit de juin
              12. Quatre chansons francais: II - Sagesse
              13. Quatre chansons francais: III - L'enfance
              14. Quatre chansons francais: IV - Chanson d'automne
              15. Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: Prologue
              16. Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: Pastoral
              17. Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: Nocturne
              18. Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: Elegy
              19. Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: Dirge
              20. Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: Hymn
              21. Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: Sonnet
              22. Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: Epilogue
              Britten: Serenade Op31; Illuminations Op18
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                		Britten: Serenade Op31; Illuminations Op18

                Manufacturer: Chandos
                ProductGroup: Music
                Binding: Audio CD

                All Works by BrittenAll Works by Britten | Britten, Sir Benjamin | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
                GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
                GeneralGeneral | Folk | Styles | Music
                GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
                Folk SongsFolk Songs | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
                ASIN: B000000AI4
                Release Date: 1992-10-28

                Tracks:

                1. Les Illumination Op.18: I. Fanfare, Maestoso-Largamente - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/fFELICITY LOTT
                2. Les Illumination Op.18: II. Villes, Allegro energico - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/fFELICITY LOTT
                3. Les Illumination Op.18: IIIa. Phrase, Lento ed estatico - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/fFELICITY LOTT
                4. Les Illumination Op.18: IIIb. Antique, Allegretto, un poco mosso - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/fFELICITY LOTT
                5. Les Illumination Op.18: IV. Royaute, Allegro maestoso - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/fFELICITY LOTT
                6. Les Illumination Op.18: V. Marine, Allegro con Brio - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/fFELICITY LOTT
                7. Les Illumination Op.18: VI. Interlude, moderato ma comodo - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/fFELICITY LOTT
                8. Les Illumination Op.18: VII. Being Beauteous, Lento ma comodo - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/fFELICITY LOTT
                9. Les Illumination Op.18: VIII. Parade, Alla marcia- Sempre ritmico, quasi senze espressione... - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/fFELICITY LOTT
                10. Les Illumination Op.18: IX. Depart, Largo mesto-Largament - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/fFELICITY LOTT
                11. Four French Songs: I. Nuits de Juin, Lento e molto rubato - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/fFELICITY LOTT
                12. Four French Songs: II. Sagesse, Lento ma non troppo - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/fFELICITY LOTT
                13. Four French Songs: III. L'Enfance, Animato-Lento Animato-Lento-Andante, ma non troppo presto-Lento - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/fFELICITY LOTT
                14. Four French Songs: IV. Chason d'Automne, Moderato con molto ma sempre colla voce - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/fFELICITY LOTT
                15. Ser Op.31: Prologue, Andante - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/ANTHONY ROLFE JOHNSON/MICHAEL THOMPSON
                16. Ser Op.31: Pastoral, Lento - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/ANTHONY ROLFE JOHNSON/MICHAEL THOMPSON
                17. Ser Op.31: Nocturne, Maestro - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/ANTHONY ROLFE JOHNSON/MICHAEL THOMPSON
                18. Ser Op.31: Elegy, Andante appassionato - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/ANTHONY ROLFE JOHNSON/MICHAEL THOMPSON
                19. Ser Op.31: Dirge, Alla marcia grave - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/ANTHONY ROLFE JOHNSON/MICHAEL THOMPSON
                20. Ser Op.31: Hymn, Presto e Lleggiero - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/ANTHONY ROLFE JOHNSON/MICHAEL THOMPSON
                21. Ser Op.31: Sonnet, Adagio - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/ANTHONY ROLFE JOHNSON/MICHAEL THOMPSON
                22. Ser Op.31: Epilogue, Andante - SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH/BRYDEN THOMSON/ANTHONY ROLFE JOHNSON/MICHAEL THOMPSON

                Amazon.com

                Benjamin Britten began writing songs when he was in his early teens. The dominating influences in the West at that time were German, but Britten--as seen here in these works--always took his cues from the French and French neoclassicism. The songs in Les Illuminations for Soprano and String Orchestra are bright and alert with no thunder or bluster. This is especially true in "Quatre Chansons Francaises," four understated and tender songs of longing and desire. If there is a fault here, it lies in the recording ambience. The orchestra sounds a little dull, especially in the "Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings." --Paul Cook

                Music Review:

                1. Bizet: Symphony in C major; Weber: Symphony No. 1
                2. Brahms: Clarinet Sonatas, Op. 120; Vier ernste Gesänge. Op. 121 (arr. for piano)
                3. Brahms: Symphony in C minor No. 1, Op. 68; Symphony in D No. 2, Op. 73
                4. Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1/Scottish Fantasy
                5. Cantatas for Alto
                6. Cartellieri: Concertos for Clarinet and Orchestra
                7. Castelnuovo-Tedesco: 24 Caprichos de Goya para Guitarra, Op. 195
                8. Cellissimo
                9. Chopin: Preludes & Ballades
                10. Christmas Choral Music

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