Britten: Songs and Proverbs of William Blake - Tit for Tat
11/1/2012, 29 Tracks, 1:00:12
Featuring
Roderick Williams
Iain Burnside
Benjamin Britten
Did you know?
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Composition History
The song cycle Songs and Proverbs of William Blake was commissioned for baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, with whom Britten had collaborated on the War Requiem.
Composition History
The work Tit for Tat consists of five settings of poems by Walter de la Mare, composed by Britten between the ages of fourteen and seventeen, and later brought together in 1968.
Performer Biography
Roderick Williams, the baritone on this album, has a wide repertoire from baroque to contemporary music and is particularly associated with Mozart's baritone roles in opera.
Composer Biography
Benjamin Britten, born on St Cecilia's Day 1913, composed his first work, a song, at age five and had written over 500 works by age fourteen.
Compositional Technique
Songs and Proverbs of William Blake is unusual for Britten as it is set as one continuous piece, with seven proverbs acting as unifying markers.
Composition History
Britten often wrote his vocal works with specific performers in mind, particularly his partner of forty years, the tenor Peter Pears.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Britten's arrangements of folk-songs, often included as lighter numbers or encores in recitals, breathe new life into traditional songs, going beyond simple harmonies.
