FEATURED COMPOSERS
Music While you Surf

Explore the best classical music with our free radio player

LISTEN NOW

Benjamin Britten: War Requiem Documentary

Get Adobe Flash player
Now Playing: High Quality 4:3 (480x360, 820kbps)

Views: 2475



Commissioned to celebrate the opening of the new cathedral at Coventry, built to replace the one destroyed by bombs, Britten used the opportunity to write a large-scale composition embodying his deeply held pacifist and humanitarian beliefs. The result, the War Requiem, is regarded by many as his masterpiece in the non-operatic sphere.

Britten intersperses his setting of the traditional Latin Missa pro Defunctis with nine poems of the First World War poet Wilfred Owen, resulting in highly subtle and powerful contrasts and ironies. Written in a direct style, the War Requiem carries overwhelming conviction, and concert audiences the world over continue to respond to its timeless relevance.

This video was produced by the Britten-Pears Foundation and appears on boosey.com with its kind permission. It is part of a series of documentary films produced by the BPF, which are available to presenters for pre-performance events, on web sites, in foyers and within special exhibitions.

Also view the BPF video on Britten's opera Billy Budd.

Featured Clips

Andriessen on Andriessen

Source: Boosey & Hawkes

Views: 2826

The Rake's Progress: DVD Trailer

Source: Opus Arte

Views: 9052

Harrison Birtwistle: The Minotaur DVD

Source: Opus Arte

Views: 8216

John Adams: Doctor Atomic Interview

Source: The Metropolitan Opera

Views: 3771

Karl Jenkins on Karl Jenkins

Source: Boosey & Hawkes

Views: 4574


FAQ | Contact Us | Links | About Us | Shop Directory | Careers | Terms of use | Help