Benjamin Britten Overview

The great Modernist composer Benjamin Britten was born in Suffolk in 1913. He studied privately with composer Frank Bridge and later went to school at the Royal College of Music in London. Although he picked up technique effortlessly and gleaned a... [more]

The great Modernist composer Benjamin Britten was born in Suffolk in 1913. He studied privately with composer Frank Bridge and later went to school at the Royal College of Music in London. Although he picked up technique effortlessly and gleaned a great deal of knowledge by following the examples of predecessors like Bridge and Mahler, Britten distinguished himself with his eclecticism. He avoided traditional musical structures and orchestration, preferring to experiment with a wide variety of styles and sounds. Recurring musical themes in Britten's work were the use of choruses in operas and symphonies (often in unusual combinations) and the use of chamber ensembles instead of full orchestras. Britten's vocal lines are often incredibly difficult to sing -- and unusual to hear -- as they are full of unpredictable melodic shifts. Britten shunned tradition in a number of ways. For one, he was openly homosexual and wrote many of the lead roles in his operas specifically for his lifelong partner, tenor Peter Pears. Britten also injected his subjects and plots with newness and contemporary relevance. Although plots varied from ghostly possession to rollicking comedy, the theme that Britten most often explored was the individual's attempt to deal with societal and community pressure. Among Britten's most famous works are "Peter Grimes," "The Rape of Lucretia," and "The Turn of the Screw." He and Pears also established the Aldeburgh Festival, a venue where Britten presented many of his works, and the Britten-Pears Foundation, which still supports talented individuals in the music community. [show less]