Benjamin Britten in Context

Benjamin Britten pianist conductor educator composer of a wide range of music from large-scale operas and choral works to string quartets and songs is acknowledged as a pivotal figure in mid-twentieth-century Britain. This volume explores the contexts for his multi-faceted career and his engagement with his contemporaries in music art literature and film British musical institutions royal and governmental entities and the church as well as his ground-breaking projects philosophical and ideological tenets. The book is thematically structured in five parts: Britten''s relationships with Peter Pears his close friends mentors and colleagues; musical life in Britain; his interactions with previous and contemporary generations of composers; his professional work with choreographers librettists stage designers and directors; and his socio-cultural religious and political environment. The chapters shed light on the many opportunities and challenges of post-war British musical life that shaped Britten''s creative output.