The Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra Reviews
Front encompass of The Immature Person's Guide to the Orchestra, as released on Decca London's British Collection. Fatigued by and (c) Andrew Davidson.
The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op.34, besides known equally Variations and fugue on a theme of Henry Purcell for narrator and orchestra or orchestra alone (31 December 1945, Britten aged 32)
Dedication To the children of John and Jean Maud: Humphrey, Pamela, Caroline and Virginia, for their edification and entertainment
Optional Text Eric Crozier
Duration 17′
Audio
Clips from the composer'southward own recording with the London Symphony Orchestra. With thanks to Decca.
Theme – Allegro maestoso e largamente
Variation A: Flutes & Piccolo – Presto
Variation B: Oboes – Lento
Variation C: Clarinets – Moderato
Variation D: Bassoons – Allegro alla marcia
Variation E: Violins – Brillante – alla polacca
Variation F: Violas – Meno mosso
Variation G: Cellos
Variation H: Double Basses – Cominciando lento ma poco a poco accelerando
. Variation I: Harp – Maestoso
Variation J: Horns – 50'istesso tempo
Variation K: Trumpets – Vivace
Variation L: Trombones & Bass Tuba – Allegro pomposo
Variation M: Percussion – Moderato
Fugue – Allegro molto
Groundwork and Disquisitional Reception
The notes accompanying The Immature Person's Guide on the Britten Thematic Catalogue are worth reprinting equally an authentic history of the slice. 'The music was originally composed for a picture show, Instruments of the Orchestra, made past the Crown Film Unit for the Ministry building of Didactics, produced by Alexander Shaw (b. 1910), directed by Muir Mathieson (1911-1975), with a script by Montagu Slater (1902-1956). The motion-picture show featured the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Malcolm Sargent and was first screened on 29 November 1946 at the Empire Theatre, Leicester Square.
As a concert piece of work, the piece may be performed with or without the commentary. The theme is the Rondeau from Purcell'southward Abdelazer, or The Moor'southward revenge, Z 570/ii′.
Britten was not a fan of Sargent – to put it mildly – and struggled with his credible willingness to take the credit for the film and its contents. But he thoroughly enjoyed writing the piece, dividing the orchestra into sections, and then the instruments within those units. He finished it on New Year's Eve, 1945 – rather advisable for a yr in which his devotion to Purcell had been unstinting.
It is worth running through the instruments Britten chooses to show off in the Young Person's Guide. The woodwind section comprises piccolo and two each of flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons, while for the brass he chooses iv horns, 2 trumpets, three trombones and a tuba. The percussion section is especially imaginative, Britten opting for timpani, bass drum, cymbal, tambourine, triangle, side drum, Chinese block, xylophone, castanets, gong and whip. These are complemented by harp and a total string section, which for the sake of abyss are first and second violins, violas, cellos and double basses.
Eric Roseberry, writing in The Cambridge Companion to Benjamin Britten, sums up the composer's achievement. 'In a sense, this happy work brings to an end an important phase in Britten's career. From now on, the orchestra (in particular the chamber orchestra), with no less brilliance and subtlety, was to join forces with the vocal Britten, the Britten of opera and song-bicycle, the Britten of Saint Nicolas, the Spring Symphony and the later choral cantatas. Yet the early orchestral repertoire holds its place and is gaining increasing recognition. Far from being a youthful corpus that was overtaken by the 'mature' opera composer, it survives as a bright achievement in itself, fully consistent with Britten'south devotion to music as a linguistic communication of man feeling'.
Thoughts
What a thrill to listen again to The Young Person'south Guide To The Orchestra, my own personal introduction to Britten, and I'g certain that of many others. It has the ability either to regain a person'south childhood in the infinite of a few seconds, or to practice exactly what Britten set out to do, educating immature people on the instruments of the orchestra and their capabilities.
One of the great things about this piece is that it needs very picayune analysis. In that location are no hidden meanings or references. It is just as information technology says – a guide to the orchestra. Within that there is ample adventure to marvel at Britten's resource in the manner he groups the instrumental families, but likewise in the way he brings out their graphic symbol. You tin can witness the armed services-style trumpets and snare drums, suggesting a marching band, or the expansive harp, whose swirling arpeggios form a rich dull passage in the eye of the piece, or the perky and mischievous bassoons.
The final fugue is a triumph, expertly worked out but also managing a transition from the minor key to the major, its parts moving at different speeds as nosotros triumphantly reach the close. At that place is a suddenly brilliant parallel to Prokofiev's Classical Symphony as the fugue establishes itself, brilliantly energetic, and the triumphant horn theme that brings back Purcell'south original carries all before it, a commemoration of music itself to cap Britten's 'Purcell yr'.
The Young Person'southward Guide is a reminder of how much fun music can be, and shows off the orchestra as 1 of its best resources. In writing this piece Britten was quite literally a kid in a toy store – and information technology shows!
Recordings used
London Symphony Orchestra / Benjamin Britten (Decca)
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra / Richard Hickox (Chandos)
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle (EMI)
Paul Hogan (narrator), Orchestre de Paris / Igor Markevitch (EMI)
Perhaps surprisingly the discography for this piece is relatively limited, but that is because there are several dearly loved versions. Eric Crozier's text is also a rarity these days.
For those preferring to do without the narration we have Britten's ain version with the London Symphony Orchestra, starting the Purcell theme with a hefty kick. The vividly coloured score is hugely entertaining here, and the fugue a existent thrill.
Digital sound aids our exploration of the orchestra in the hands of Richard Hickox and Sir Simon Rattle, who both offer fantabulous versions with their ensembles on pinnacle form.
The idea of narrating a piece of classical music does bring Hollywood stars out of the woodwork. Few pairings in music are less likely than Crocodile Dundee star Paul Hogan and usher Igor Markevitch, but they are surprisingly skillful on EMI. Hogan opts to employ his ain text, which is dry and pretty entertaining. "Go along together you lot!", he exhorts on occasion, while as well declaring the percussion department are the 'full backs' of the orchestra. It is that sort of flexibility that has made this piece such a success and fabricated it available to such a wide audition.
Spotify
Clicking on this playlist link will give you access to versions by Britten himself, Hickox, Rattle, Steuart Bedford, Eduard van Beinum and the Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Boston Pops Orchestra, conducted by Arthur Fiedler.
Too written in 1945: Bartók – Viola Concerto
Next up: Pray Goody
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Source: https://goodmorningbritten.wordpress.com/2013/10/18/listening-to-britten-the-young-persons-guide-to-the-orchestra-op-34/