Jake Heggie, Lennox Berkeley, and Francis Poulenc all agreed with Benjamin Britten's belief that profound musical ideas can be found in intimate forms, not just 'big music'.
Composition History
Jake Heggie's Friendly Persuasions, featured on this album, is a homage to Francis Poulenc, recreating four 'transformative friendships' in Poulenc's life.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded at Crear, Kilberry, Argyll, UK, from February 18-21, 2013.
Composition History
Benjamin Britten composed The Holy Sonnets of John Donne after visiting the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in July 1945, working feverishly to make sense of the horror he witnessed.
Performer Biography
John Mark Ainsley, the tenor on this recording, has appeared with many of the world's greatest orchestras and conductors, including the London, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco Symphony orchestras.
Performer Biography
Malcolm Martineau, the pianist on this recording, is recognized as one of the leading accompanists of his generation and has worked with many of the world's greatest singers.
Cultural Impact
The experience at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945 deeply affected Benjamin Britten and, according to his partner Peter Pears, 'coloured everything he had written subsequently'.
