Benjamin Britten in the mid-1950s (Wikipedia)
The music of Benjamin Britten has a spell on me and it never stop to surprise me. You always find enchanting combinations of musical instruments and human voices. Wonderful melodies as well as not so easy to listen to pieces.
That’s why I was happy to find this article from the Guardian – “Benjamin Britten at 100 – time for a new appraisal? A more relaxed attitude may be emerging towards the colossal musical legacy of Britain’s modern titan of the opera”
Britten’s 100th anniversary is an excellent time to look back at his legacy. Read the comments left on the article they give some perspective as well.
One of my favorite Britten pieces is Exultate – Ceremony of Carols. Listen to the unique combination of the choir and harp as well as the live tempos:
Related articles
- Benjamin Britten at 100 – time for a new appraisal? (guardian.co.uk)
- Britten’s got talent: The celebrations for the centenary of Benjamin Britten will span the globe (independent.co.uk)
- Benjamin Britten biography reveals how censors cut composer’s ‘obscene’ opera (telegraph.co.uk)
- Benjamin Britten inspires new work ahead of centenary celebrations (guardian.co.uk)
- Benjamin Britten, music and peace (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
- Music: Celebrating the centenary of composer Benjamin Britten (walesonline.co.uk)
- Letters: Britten’s boys and censorious hysteria (guardian.co.uk)
- Music: CBSO concert memory is one to treasure (birminghampost.net)
ListenToGoodMusic 
Britten is indeed one of my favorite composers; he seamlessly mixes formal classical style and folk music together to make masterpieces. Another composer who does this well is the Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian. Have you heard of him?
http://etudesforall.wordpress.com/2013/01/22/khachaturian-conducts-khachaturian-vol-2/
Yes I have but I can’t say that I really know him. I know and love “Spartacus” and maybe a few more. I never connected Khachaturian to Britten but I’ll go and listen to find the similarities – thanks!