Britten: A Boy Was Born; Rejoice in the Lamb; Festival Te Deum

Featuring

Matthew Best
Mary Seers
Michael Chance
Philip Salmon
Quentin Hayes
Thomas Trotter

Janet Coxwell
Corydon Singers
Westminster Cathedral Choir
Benjamin Britten

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Composition History

Britten's work "Rejoice in the Lamb" was commissioned in 1943 by St Matthew's Church, Northampton, to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary.

Composer Biography

Benjamin Britten's compositions involving a chorus span his entire working life, from 1929 until his last completed score in 1976.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Britten rarely set accepted liturgical texts, a practice considered almost 'un-English' compared to other English composers.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Britten often sought out unusual texts for his compositions, as exemplified by his use of Christopher Smart's "Jubilate Agno" for "Rejoice in the Lamb."

Critical Reception

Britten's "A Wedding Anthem" is one of his least often heard occasional pieces, with its neglect attributed to its very special nature.

Composition History

Britten composed "A Wedding Anthem (Amo Ergo Sum)" in 1949 to celebrate the marriage of the Earl of Harewood and Marion Stein, two close friends.

Composition History

The "Festival Te Deum" of 1944 was written for the centenary of St Mark's Church, Swindon, at the same time Britten was working on his opera "Peter Grimes."