Benjamin Britten

Benjamin Britten

Known for: Sound
Biography: 1913-11-22
Deathday: 1976-12-04 (63 years old)

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Biography

Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other vocal music, orchestral and chamber pieces. His best-known works include the opera Peter Grimes (1945), the War Requiem (1962) and the orchestral showpiece The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (1945).

Born in Lowestoft, Suffolk, the son of a dentist, Britten showed talent from an early age. He studied at the Royal College of Music in London and privately with the composer Frank Bridge. Britten first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy was Born in 1934. With the premiere of Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to international fame. Over the next 28 years, he wrote 14 more operas, establishing himself as one of the leading 20th-century composers in the genre. In addition to large-scale operas for Sadler's Wells and Covent Garden, he wrote chamber operas for small forces, suitable for performance in venues of modest size. Among the best known of these is The Turn of the Screw (1954). Recurring themes in his operas include the struggle of an outsider against a hostile society and the corruption of innocence.

Britten's other works range from orchestral to choral, solo vocal, chamber and instrumental as well as film music. He took a great interest in writing music for children and amateur performers, including the opera Noye's Fludde, a Missa Brevis, and the song collection Friday Afternoons. He often composed with particular performers in mind. His most frequent and important muse was his personal and professional partner, the tenor Peter Pears; others included Kathleen Ferrier, Jennifer Vyvyan, Janet Baker, Dennis Brain, Julian Bream, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Osian Ellis and Mstislav Rostropovich. Britten was a celebrated pianist and conductor, performing many of his own works in concert and on record. He also performed and recorded works by others, such as Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, Mozart symphonies, and song cycles by Schubert and Schumann.

Together with Pears and the librettist and producer Eric Crozier, Britten founded the annual Aldeburgh Festival in 1948, and he was responsible for the creation of Snape Maltings concert hall in 1967. In his last year, he was the first composer to be given a life peerage.

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Filmography

all 62

Movies 61

self 8

Writer 4

TV Shows 1

Producer 1

Original Music Composer
Benjamin Britten: Válečné rekviem

Benjamin Britten: Válečné rekviem (2023)

Movie
Music
Peter Grimes - Polish National Opera

Peter Grimes - Polish National Opera (2023)

Movie
Original Music Composer
Peter Grimes

Peter Grimes (2023)

Movie
Music
The Turn of the Screw - I Teatri di Reggio Emilia

The Turn of the Screw - I Teatri di Reggio Emilia (2023)

Movie
Sound
Le Songe d’une nuit d’été - Opéra de Lille

Le Songe d’une nuit d’été - Opéra de Lille (2023)

Movie
Music
A Midsummer Night's Dream - RSO

A Midsummer Night's Dream - RSO (2023)

Movie
Original Music Composer
Peter Grimes

Peter Grimes (2021)

Movie
Composer
The Turn of the Screw - OperaGlass Works

The Turn of the Screw - OperaGlass Works (2021)

Movie
Music
The Turn of the Screw

The Turn of the Screw (2020)

Movie
Music / Lyricist
A Midsummer Night's Dream

A Midsummer Night's Dream (2019)

Movie
Original Music Composer
Britten Death in Venice

Britten Death in Venice (2018)

Movie
Music
Gloriana

Gloriana (2018)

Movie
Music
Benjamin Britten: Billy Budd

Benjamin Britten: Billy Budd (2017)

Movie
Self
Britten's Endgame

Britten's Endgame (2015)

Movie
Original Music Composer
Britten: Death in Venice

Britten: Death in Venice (2014)

Movie
Self
Britten: Nocturne

Britten: Nocturne (2013)

Movie
Musical
Britten: The Rape of Lucretia

Britten: The Rape of Lucretia (2013)

Movie
Music
Peter Grimes on Aldeburgh Beach

Peter Grimes on Aldeburgh Beach (2013)

Movie
Self
Alan Bennett and the Habit of Art

Alan Bennett and the Habit of Art (2010)

Movie
Original Music Composer
Britten: Death in Venice

Britten: Death in Venice (2010)

Movie
Original Music Composer
Death in Venice

Death in Venice (2008)

Movie
Original Music Composer
Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes (2008)

Movie
Self (archival footage)
Folk Britannia

Folk Britannia (2006)

TV
Writer
Benjamin Britten - A Midsummer Night's Dream

Benjamin Britten - A Midsummer Night's Dream (2006)

Movie
Self
Britten's Children

Britten's Children (2004)

Movie
Music
The Turn Of The Screw

The Turn Of The Screw (2004)

Movie
Original Music Composer
Owen Wingrave

Owen Wingrave (2001)

Movie
Writer
Gloriana

Gloriana (2000)

Movie
Compositor
Billy Budd

Billy Budd (1997)

Movie
Music
Jak se dělá opera

Jak se dělá opera (1996)

Movie
Writer / Music
Peter Grimes

Peter Grimes (1994)

Movie
Music
War Requiem

War Requiem (1989)

Movie
Self (archive)
Ken Russell's ABC of British Music

Ken Russell's ABC of British Music (1988)

Movie
Composer
Fatherland

Fatherland (1986)

Movie
Music
Fanny and Alexander

Fanny and Alexander (1982)

Movie
Writer
A Midsummer Night's Dream

A Midsummer Night's Dream (1981)

Movie
Original Music Composer
Death in Venice

Death in Venice (1981)

Movie
Self
Benjamin Britten: A Time There Was…

Benjamin Britten: A Time There Was… (1979)

Movie
Composer
Owen Wingrave

Owen Wingrave (1971)

Movie
Conductor / Music Score Producer
Peter Grimes

Peter Grimes (1969)

Movie
Self - Conductor
The Burning Fiery Furnace

The Burning Fiery Furnace (1967)

Movie
Conductor/Composer
Benjamin Britten's War Requiem

Benjamin Britten's War Requiem (1964)

Movie
Benjamin Britten - In Rehearsal and Performance with Peter Pears

Benjamin Britten - In Rehearsal and Performance with Peter Pears (1964)

Movie
Composer
Gay/Britten:  The Beggar's Opera

Gay/Britten: The Beggar's Opera (1963)

Movie
Music
Los artistas plásticos de Chile

Los artistas plásticos de Chile (1960)

Movie
Composer
Instruments of the Orchestra

Instruments of the Orchestra (1946)

Movie
Composer
Men of the Alps

Men of the Alps (1939)

Movie
Composer
God's Chillun

God's Chillun (1938)

Movie
Composer
Advance Democracy!

Advance Democracy! (1938)

Movie
Composer
Mony a Pickle

Mony a Pickle (1938)

Movie
Composer
Around the Village Green

Around the Village Green (1937)

Movie
Composer
Love from a Stranger

Love from a Stranger (1937)

Movie
2
Composer
The Line to Tschierva Hut

The Line to Tschierva Hut (1937)

Movie
Composer
The Way to the Sea

The Way to the Sea (1936)

Movie
Music
People of Britain

People of Britain (1936)

Movie
Composer
Night Mail

Night Mail (1936)

Movie
Composer
Calendar of the Year

Calendar of the Year (1936)

Movie
Composer
Message from Genova

Message from Genova (1936)

Movie
Composer
Sixpenny Telegram

Sixpenny Telegram (1935)

Movie
Music
The King's Stamp

The King's Stamp (1935)

Movie
Original Music Composer
Coal Face

Coal Face (1935)

Movie
Composer
Cable Ship

Cable Ship (1933)

Movie

Ratings

Average 3.32
Based on 72.5 Thousand movie and tv ratings over time
1933
1946
1994
1969
2023
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Information

Known For
Sound

Gender
Male

Birthday
1913-11-22

Deathday
1976-12-04 (63 years old)

Birth Name
Edward Benjamin Britten

Birth Place
Lowestoft, United Kingdom

Religion
Anglicanism

Height

Father
Robert Victor Britten

Mother
Edith Rhoda Hockey

Citizenships
United Kingdom

Awards
Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal, Companion of Honour, Johann-Heinrich-Merck-Ehrung, Wihuri Sibelius Prize, Léonie Sonning Music Prize, Ernst von Siemens Music Prize, Order of Merit


This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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Benjamin Britten
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Leigh Melrose
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Janet Baker
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John Shirley-Quirk
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John Shirley-Quirk worked together with Benjamin Britten in:
4 Movies
John Culshaw
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John Culshaw worked together with Benjamin Britten in:
4 Movies
Eric Crozier
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Eric Crozier worked together with Benjamin Britten in:
4 Movies
Catherine Wyn-Rogers
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Catherine Wyn-Rogers worked together with Benjamin Britten in:
3 Movies
Clive Bayley
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Clive Bayley worked together with Benjamin Britten in:
3 Movies
John Graham-Hall
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John Graham-Hall worked together with Benjamin Britten in:
3 Movies
Deborah Warner
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Deborah Warner worked together with Benjamin Britten in:
3 Movies
Christopher Gillett
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Christopher Gillett worked together with Benjamin Britten in:
3 Movies
George Crabbe
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George Crabbe worked together with Benjamin Britten in:
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