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The Diapason an International Monthly Devoted to the Organ, the Harpsichord and Church Music

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The Diapason an International Monthly Devoted to the Organ, the Harpsichord and Church Music THE DIAPASON AN INTERNATIONAL MONTHLY DEVOTED TO THE ORGAN, THE HARPSICHORD AND CHURCH MUSIC S;xty-Eightll }'ear No.6 - Whole No. 810 ISSN 0012.23i8 MAY. 1977 Benjamin Britten's Choral Works Surveyed Britten's Music for Britten's Short Choral Works Voices and Organ Without Organ Accompaniments by James McCray by Robert E. Snyder The significant musical contribution that Benjamin Britten made by his To fully examine and di ~ cuss all of compositions of all types can hardly he Britten's music for chorus and organ o\'crestimatcd. He was one of the would require more space than is giants of the twentieth century, and 3\'ailablc within the scope of this arti­ was recognizcd during his life not only clc. I-lis contribution in this genre is in England, but throughout the world. considerable, both in quantity and in for his achievements. Among his com­ quality. Several of his works will con­ positions for chorus there are a size­ tinue to be perfofmed 0:\5 part of the ahle number for performance unac­ choral heritage. companied or with piano. This article This SlIIVCY \\ ill attempt to show will discuss the sacred works from this the breadth of his writing and will body of choral literature. point out several consistent style /lymn 10 SI. Cecilia, Op. 27, writ­ characteristics. Britten's interest in mu­ ten at sea to a text by 'V.H. Auden, sic for \'oices and organ stimulated was completed on April 2, 1942. Com­ creativity throughout most of his com­ positions honoring the patron saint of positional life. 'Vhcrcas his interest in music (Britten was born 011 SI. solo organ music seems to be repre­ Cecilia's Day) seem to have a special hensible, it abounds when used in spirit about them, no matter who the combination with chorus. Britten asso­ composer may have been; Britten's is ciated the organ with the church no exception and has been perform~d rather than as an autonomous instru­ with regularity. Scored for SSATn ment, and he therefore returned to that soli, small SSATB chorus unaccom­ instrument as a sound source whcn p.mied, with divisi in the male sec­ writing music to be perfonned in tions on the last page, this stunning church. Not all of his choral music twelve-minute work can be effectively for the church employs organ, but its performed by five solo voices. usc in conjunction with music having a The te:Uure of this work demands sacred text is frequent. clear, transparent \'oices tlmt at times The works of Britten fall into two need to be dance~like, and at other general categories those with and moments, rich and opulent. A com­ those without opus number. This lack plete range of dynamics is required, of organized chronology was nO[ plus a full vocal range. The soprano peculiar to the early years, but con­ soloists soar to a high A and B flat tinued throughout his lifetime. and the work ends with the second The earliest example of music for basses on a Jow E for four and a voices and organ dates from 1935, half measures. Excellent intonation is when Britten was 22. The work, T c a necessity in the soft sections. Deum iu C A/ajor, was first performed 'Vith the exception of the second in January 1936 and was reviewed in section, "I cannot grow, I have no The Sunday Referee by Constant shadow to run away from", where Lambert, who was one of England's nrinen vividly depicts the text with an leading composers at the time. Lam­ Britten's Five Canticles ascending and descending scale that bert said, "1\'[r. Britten is, I admit, (>mploys imitation between the two rather a problem to me. One cannot by Louard E. Egbert soprano voices and later in the tenor hut admire his extremely mature and It is with solemn rcspect that this he wrotc with constant and subtle ref­ part, H,."w to St. Cecilia is fairly economical methods, yet the rather writcr examines some of the religious­ erences to expressive and structural homophonic. The voices consistently drab and penitential content of his dramatic works of Benjamin Britten. devices of the past in a way all his move rhythmically from chord to chord music leaves me quite unmO\'ed. At A general study Stich as this can hope own. Peter Pears' remark that "Brit­ at the same time. The women's voices the same time he is the most oUl'itand­ to illuminate only some of the more ten doesn't care for Counterpoint that in the opening section, and whenever ing t<llent of his generation and I obvious features of his vocal works, and sounds like Counterpointnl accounts the text, "Blessed Cecilia ..•" appears, would always go to hear any first per­ therefore Ins been lim'ted to a survey only for his expediency in departing frequently sing a series of first inver­ formance of his." This is a remarkable nf the five canlicles, published in 1949, from the complete contrapuntal pro­ sion chords at the same rhythmic statement because of Britten's youth 1953. 1956. 1971, and 1975. cess if it best suited his purpose, It speed. This work is so etherially beau­ and lack of recognized or frequently Unc'\cclled as style studies, Briuen's ncglects to suggest that in the final tiful th<lt one can sing or listen to it performed compositions. nlllticies span his lifc and creative analysis Britten was usually tuneful. repeatedly. There was an earlier work, A boy output and show all incre<lsingly dra~ Perhaps at the bottom of that remark The Oxen is the first of four short was Born, Op. 3, which used the organ matic pencll<lut, an importmlt aspect lies the notion that he <llways seemed Christmas pieces by Britten that Faber ad libilum, but it should not be COIl­ of his style. One is almost alarmed at anxious to compromise device for the Music Ltd. (G. Schirmer) published sidered as a work conceived for voices the variety of expression Britten was s;lke of sonority or to avoid any con­ from 1966-1968. The first three arc and organ. One setting of the Corpus capable of achie\·ing with such an fines of key or mode. His pervasive for women's voices, and fourth for Christi Carol from that opus employs amazing economy of means. Thus, his usc of melodic and rhythmic fragmen­ SATB. The Oxen is a carol setting of unison voice (s} and organ, but that music may well represent the most feel­ tation was brilliant, but a fine sense a poem by the well-known Thomas "arrangement" is beyond the plan of ingful of this century. In avoiding the of proportion and continuity was main­ Hardy, whose texts Gerald Finzi em­ this article. irony of Stravinsky, the abruptness of tained. Out of this fluency also came ployed in several of his song cycles. (Co"limlt~tl. /mge 10) Berg, and the sunkncss of Schoenberg, (Continued. P'lge II) (Co'Uiuued, page 14) THE DIAPA~ON Back 1JJ $dwoJ? Eslablished in 19m Summer provides many people with a little more time than usual and the opportunity to undertaKe projects for which there isn't time during the usual workaday schedule. For organists, this may include catching up An ['Jternational Monthly Devoted to th. Organ, the Harpsichord and Church Mwi. on back issues of the journals, planning next season's music, reading 000)(5 Offidal Journal of the AmeYican Institute of Or,anbuildns that have been put aside, learning some new music, travelling, nnd recover­ ing from the proverbial month of Sundays. Prob.bly no one needs. list of MAY, 1977 Eallo, ways to spend summer leisure time - we all have more we'd like to do AllTHUI LAWRlNCl than we can ever get around to. FEAT1IIIES Nevertheless, a reminder is in order: there arc many special and wonder­ lrinn'. Mualc for VolCH aDd. OfIJGD 1,,1i,"It. ~ ful events in the world of music scheduled for this summer - workshops, by ,0". MeCruy I, 10 DOROTHY 10S.R Brltten'. Fin CanllclH concerts, festivals, summer schools! regional conventions, etc. OUf column by Lauord E. Egbert 1, 11.)3 A.. I,'an' Editor of summer activities has been fll I of such listings for the past several Britten'. Short Cboral Worb months, and there seems to be something for every taste, schedule, and Without Orvcm Accompcmlment WESLEY VOS br Robert E- larder I, 14·15 budget. Most combine a reasonable amount of education and listening with Cont,ibutlng Edi,o,. pleasant surroundings and leisure activities. So, why not consider attending A Tribute to E. 'ower Ilgqa br Lawnnce Moe LARRY 'ALMEII an event or two? It mi~ht be well worthwhile - and fun. Let the pile of • HarpsJcltotd FClTorUe Memori... of II Cnal OrgaDlat books .nd weeds grow • little longerl -AL br Daniel 'lDkham .. JAMES McCRAY. Hall aDd FanweU~ tbe lllllJfP VictOR WEIER Memorial S.mc- C".,., Moo/< gn ]Jtid 9.dAUJl br Barbora Own • The late Benjamin Brillen lVas one of tile great com(lOsers of our time. rellx-Ale.cmd,. Cullman. Foreign Co" ..pon""" br Cal.... rt ,0bnaOD Few would contest this statement, but many organists and church musicians '·7 DALE CARR might wonder what Britten's music could have to do with them. After all, REVIEWS Groningen he wrote only one organ p:eec and it is not a very interesting one. He wrote Muaic lor VoIce. lind OrqDD little that could be considered strict church music. However, he did write a by Jame.
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