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Benjamin Britten

ベンジャミン・ブリテン

Benjamin Britten

Aliases: Ben Britten / Edward Benjamin Britten / Baron Britten

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1913-11-22 （Lowestoft, Suffolk）
Died
1976-12-04 （Aldeburgh） age 63
Nationality
United Kingdom, England
Languages
English
Residence History
Lowestoft, Suffolk → London → Aldeburgh, Suffolk → Snape, Suffolk

Career

Occupations
Composer, Conductor, Pianist
Active Years
1930-1976
Affiliations
Aldeburgh Festival, English Opera Group
Influenced By
Frank Bridge, Gustav Mahler, Henry Purcell, Igor Stravinsky
Influenced
Michael Tippett, William Walton

Education

Royal College of Music
Composition / Composition
Period: 1930-1933
Year of Graduation: 1933
Country: United Kingdom
Studied composition with John Ireland
Gresham's School
General
Period: 1928-1930
Year of Graduation: 1930
Country: United Kingdom
As a boarder
South Lodge School
General
Period: 1925-1928
Year of Graduation: 1928
Country: United Kingdom
Day boy

Awards

Order of Merit
1965
Organization: British Monarchy
Result: 受賞
Companion of Honour
1953
Organization: British Monarchy
Result: 受賞
Life Peerage
1976
Organization: British Monarchy
Result: Baron Britten

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Peter Grimes

1945 Opera

Opera about the tragic fisherman Peter Grimes, themes of outsider vs society and corruption of innocence.

Social outsiderCorruption of innocence

War Requiem

1962 Cantata

Anti-war work combining Requiem Mass and Wilfred Owen's war poems.

WarPeaceDeath

The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra

1945 Orchestral

Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell for educational film.

EducationOrchestra introduction

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Clear and transparent orchestrationTonal with atonal elementsEastern music influences
Recurring Motifs
Social outsiderCorruption of innocencePacifism

Health

  • Pneumonia
    生後3ヶ月
    Damaged heart, lifelong health issues
  • Heart valve failure
    1973
    Valve replacement surgery, stroke, ended performing career

Legacy

Central figure in 20th-century British music. 14 operas, founded Aldeburgh Festival.

Museums

  • The Red House Aldeburgh Opened in 1957
  • Benjamin Britten Music Academy Lowestoft Opened in 1979

Archives

  • Britten-Pears Foundation

In Popular Culture

  • Documentaries by Tony Palmer

Quotes

  • Composers should aim at pleasing people today as seriously as we can
    Source: Interview (1960)

Trivia

  • Born on St Cecilia's Day
  • Lifelong partner Peter Pears
  • First composer given life peerage