37 Benjamin Britten Facts: English Composer, Conductor, And Pianist!
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Edward Benjamin Britten, a composer, conductor, and pianist, was popularly known as Benjamin Britten, one of the most loved musicians of the 20th century.
On November 22, 1913, Benjamin Britten was born in Lowestoft, Suffolk in England. He had four older siblings.
He was particularly close to his father, but his mother considered him a prodigal child because of his love for music. He played tennis and cricket as a child.
Benjamin tried to compose a musical piece when he was just five years old. When he was seven, he began training for piano, and at the age of 10, he started taking viola lessons. Later in his life, Britten composed various songs and orchestral poems.
Benjamin Britten's most famous works include Billy Bud, Curlew River, Owen Wingrave, Peter Grimes, War Requiem, The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, and many others. His operas are known to be the best English operas after the 20th century.
In the Young Person's Guide to Orchestra, the theme starts with the full orchestra, and then it is played by different sections in this order; woodwinds, brass, strings, and percussion, followed by the whole orchestra playing the theme again. Britten wanted to clarify the different timbres of the other orchestra sections.
He was a music student at the Royal College of Music in London. He got a composition scholarship. Here, he trained under John Ireland and Arthur Benjamin. He had also worked for radio, theater, and cinema as a music composer.
He met Peter Pears in 1937, who later became his collaborator and life partner. Britten and Pears worked together for a very long time. He even wrote Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo in 1940 for Peter. In 1965, Benjamin was awarded the Order of Merit.
He was skilled in vocal music. He received various prestigious awards during his career.
Some of them are Grammy Hall of Fame (War of Requiem), Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classic (The War Requiem), Grammy Award for Best Classical Album (War Requiem), Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance (War Requiem), British Award for Best Orchestral Album (War Requiem), and many others. He also directed the first Aldeburgh Festival.
He also established the English Opera Group in 1947. It was a small opera company. Benjamin Britten died at the age of 63 on December 4, 1976, due to heart failure. Britten's grave is in St Peter and St Paul's Church in Aldeburgh.
After reading these interesting facts about the renowned composer of the Church Opera, 'The Prodigal Son,' also check Benjamin Disraeli facts and Benjamin Harrison facts.
Fun Facts About Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Brittle is an English composer best known for his opera pieces like Peter Grimes, Billy Budd, Peter Grimes, and The Turn of the Screw.
His other popular albums were Song Cycles, Sinfonia de Requiem, Albert Herring, and others. Below are some fun facts about Benjamin Britten, which you will undoubtedly enjoy.
Benjamin Britten was born on the same day as the feast of Saint Cecilia, which is November 22. In 1942, Benjamin Brittle made a Christmas piece known as Hymn to Saint Cecilia. He started taking piano lessons at a very early age.
Benjamin Britten was popularly known as Baron Britten of Aldeburgh in Suffolk. Along with Peter Pears, Benjamin Britten registered as World War II's objectors.
Benjamin Britten loved and enjoyed poetry. Some of his famous works are also inspired by poetry. For instance, Requiem Mass was inspired by Wilfred Owen, a British poet.
One of the few things hated by Benjamin Britten was criticism. Many of Benjamin Britten's works were inspired by nature and landscapes, especially Suffolk and Aldeburgh.
He directed the first Aldeburgh festival along with others. Benjamin Britten's Red House is now a world heritage site as it was a Britten family home and depicts his life and music.
Benjamin Britten considered himself as the brand ambassador of music. Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears created the Snape Maltings Concert Hall in 1967.
He studied in the Royal College of Music and got private training from Frank Bridge. He earned international fame from the 'Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge.
Undoubtedly, Benjamin Britten has been an extremely influential musician of the 20th century who made an impact all over the world with his brilliant and varied compositions. It would not be an exaggeration to say that he inspired an entire generation of composers and helped with the music industry's evolution.
Life And Career Of Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten was a famous English composer, conductor, and pianist who has worked on various musical pieces, opera, and orchestra. Britten's death was an end to a beautiful era. Here are some of the most important facets of the fulfilling life and career of Benjamin Button:
On November 22, 1913, Benjamin Britten was born in Lowestoft, Suffolk in England. His parents were Robert Victor Britten and Edith Rhoda.
Britten's father was a practicing dentist, and his mother worked as a secretary at Lowestoft Musical Society. His mother, Edith, was passionate about piano and also played it. His father, on the other hand, had no interest in music.
Benjamin had three older siblings, two sisters and one brother- Charlotte Elizabeth Britten, Edith Barbara Britten, and Robert Harry Marsh Britten. None of his siblings went on to learn music. Benjamin was close to both his parents.
His mother considered him a prodigal child. He also suffered from almost fatal pneumonia when he was only three months old. It greatly affected and damaged his heart.
He played cricket and tennis as a kid and began his education formally with the Dame School at the age of seven. He later moved to a prep school in Lowestoft.
Later, young Britten got private training from Frank Bridge and learned music in the Royal College of Music under John Ireland and Arthur Benjamin. He got a compositional scholarship in college.
In 1935, Benjamin was interviewed for a job at BBC. In 1935, he worked with W.H. Auden on documentary films like Coal Face and Night Mail.
They also worked together on songs like Our Hunting Fathers (1936), Cabaret Songs, On This Island, Paul Bunyan, and Hymn to St Cecilia. From the year 1935 to 1937, Benjamin wrote about 40 musical pieces. They were for radio, theatre, and cinema. One of his most famous and extraordinary performances was in the concert hall of Snape Maltings.
In the 1930s, Britten wrote for Night Mail, Love from a Stranger (1937), The Ascent of F6 (1936), On the Frontier (1938), Johnsons over Jordan (1936), King Arthur (1937), and The Sword in the Stone (1939). He met Peter Pears in 1937, who later became his life partner and work collaborator. In 1937, he composed Pacifist March.
He gained popularity internationally after 'the Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge. Benjamin Britten performed in Toronto, Boston, New York, and other places.
He went to North America with Pears and composed other chamber music pieces like Billy the Kid and An Outdoor Overture. In the 40s, Britten returned to England. He did British opera, orchestra and composed various classical music pieces for the rest of his life.
Along with his life partner Peter Pears and Crozier, Benjamin Britten directed the first Aldeburgh Festival in 1948. This also gave fame to the Aldeburgh Jubilee Hall.
He also performed the War Requiem in the New Coventry Cathedral. His last musical pieces include Suite on English Folk Tunes' A Time There Was' (1974) and Third String Quartet (1975). Britten and Pears also worked on various projects together. Britten's music was famous all over the world.
Famous Compositions Of Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten was a famous English composer. He has worked and collaborated on over 100 musical compositions. Mentioned below are some of the most important compositions of Benjamin Britten, which earned him global fame.
He wrote music with inspiration from nature and the people around him. After the 'Variation on a Theme of Frank Bridge, he gained international popularity.
Some of the famous compositions of Benjamin Britten include The War Requiem, Simple Symphony, A ceremony of Carols, Violin Concerto, Nocturne, Cello Sonata, and more.
He proved that serious music theatre could flourish outside the opera house in chamber operas such as The Rape of Lucretia and the church parables.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created many interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Benjamin Britten facts, then why not take a look at Benjamin Rush facts or Benjamin Zephaniah facts?
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Bachelor of Science specializing in Mass Communication.
Adekunle Olanrewaju JasonBachelor of Science specializing in Mass Communication.
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