Britten: Variations & Fugue on a Theme by Purcell, Op. 34

Featuring

Vasily Petrenko
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Benjamin Britten

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Cultural Impact

Britten's 'The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra' became a regular feature for schools concerts worldwide, affectionately known as 'YPG'.

Critical Reception

The Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra's recording of 'The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra' was awarded 'Orchestral Record of the Year' in New York in 1948.

Composer's Artistic Vision

While Benjamin Britten wrote many works for children to perform, 'The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra' was conceived as a showcase for a professional symphony orchestra.

Compositional Technique

The theme for Britten's variations is taken from a Rondeau in D minor from the incidental music to Abdelazar, or The Moor's Revenge by Henry Purcell, a 17th-century English composer.

Composition History

Benjamin Britten's 'The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra' was originally commissioned for a film to educate people about an orchestra and its instruments.

Notable Performances

The concert premiere of Britten's 'The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra' was given by the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Malcolm Sargent, on October 15, 1946.