BENJAMIN BRITTEN

Britten On Film

 

Coal Face (first recording)

Night Mail (first complete recording)

The Way to The Sea

Negroes

Peace of Britain

The Tocher (Rossini Suite)

Telegrams

The King’s Stamp

Men Behind The Meters

When you’re feeling like expressing your affection

 

Simon Russell Beale - narrator

Mary Carewe - soprano

Birmingham Contemporary Music Group

City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus

Choir of King Edwards’ Boys School, Birmingham / Martyn Brabbins

 

The first ever comprehensive collection of music written by Britten, working with WH Auden, for 1930’s information films made by the GPO Film Unit and others. A range of material and styles from shorter items which use well-known ballads such as the cabaret song when you’re feeling like expressing your affection and Around the Village Green.

 

Includes music from the longer films; Night Mail (including the famous Auden poem), The King’s Stamp and The Way to the Sea.

 

Supported by the Britten Estate, this recording is historically important and features a comprehensive booklet with photographs and film stills.

 

The scores for this recording were specially reconstructed from manuscript and other sources held at the Britten-Pears Library, by composers Joseph Phibbs and Lloyd Moore under the supervision of Colin Matthews, Executive Producer of NMC and Director of the Britten-Pears Estate.

 

The disc features a new performing edition of The Way to the Sea along with a premiere recording of Coal Face and the first recording of the complete music to Night Mail.

 

Features Simon Russell Beale as narrator, who is currently enjoying the role of King Arthur in Monty Python’s award winning show, Spamalot.

 

NMC Recordings NMCD112