Nocturne (Britten): Difference between revisions
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'''''Nocturne for tenor, |
'''''Nocturne for tenor, seven obbligato instruments and strings''''', [[Opus number|Op.]] 60, is a [[song cycle]] by [[Benjamin Britten]]<ref>Britten himself used the spelling "obligato".</ref>. Premiered in the [[Leeds Town Hall]] at the centenary [[Leeds Festival (classical music)|Leeds Festival]] on 16 October [[1958 in music#Classical music|1958]] by [[Peter Pears]] and the [[BBC Symphony Orchestra]] under [[Rudolf Schwarz (conductor)|Rudolf Schwarz]],<ref>[http://www.piersgaveston.com/BrittenWorks.aspx "Britten's Complete Works"] by Scott Eric Smith</ref> it is his fourth and final orchestral song cycle, after ''Our Hunting Fathers'' (Op. 8, 1936), ''Les Illuminations'' (Op. 18, 1939) and ''[[Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings]]'' (Op. 31, 1943). It is dedicated to [[Alma Mahler-Werfel|Alma Mahler]].<ref>[http://www.alma-mahler.at/engl/almas_life/almaunddiemusik2.html "Alma in the music of other composers – Benjamin Britten: ''Nocturne'', Op. 60 (Dedicated to Alma)], short analysis</ref> |
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The theme of the piece |
The theme of the piece, as its name ''[[Nocturne]]'' suggests, is sleep and darkness, both in the literal and figurative sense. In this respect, the work is reminiscent of Britten's earlier ''[[Serenade]]''. Unlike ''Serenade'', ''Nocturne'' is presented as a [[Through-composed|continuous piece]] rather than separate [[Movement (music)|movements]]. This is emphasised by a number of figures which occur throughout, most notably the 'rocking'<ref>'rocking' as in [[wikt:rock#Verb|"Rock the baby to sleep"]]</ref> string [[Motif (music)|motif]] which opens the work. The conflicting tonal relationship between [[C (musical note)|C]] and [[D♭ (musical note)|D-flat]] is also evident throughout, reflecting the contrast between the untroubled and the more perturbed aspects of sleep which are also described by Britten's choice of poems. |
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The seven obbligato instruments for which the piece is scored are [[flute]], [[cor anglais]], [[clarinet]], [[bassoon]], [[harp]], [[ |
The seven [[obbligato]] instruments for which the piece is scored are [[Western concert flute|flute]], [[cor anglais]], [[clarinet]], [[bassoon]], [[Pedal harp|harp]], [[Horn (instrument)|French horn]] and [[timpani]]. |
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== Structure == |
== Structure == |
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The piece sets eight sections of poetry to music, each accompanied by strings and (with the exception of the first) by an obligato instrument: |
The piece sets eight sections of poetry to music, each accompanied by strings and (with the exception of the first) by an obligato instrument: |
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# [[Percy Bysshe Shelley|Shelley]] – "[[s:Page:Prometheus Unbound - Shelley.djvu/60|On a Poet’s Lips I Slept]]" from ''[[Prometheus Unbound (Shelley)|Prometheus Unbound]]'' |
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# [[Alfred, Lord Tennyson|Tennyson]] – "[[s:The Kraken|The Kraken]]", with bassoon |
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# [[Samuel Taylor Coleridge|Coleridge]] – "Encinctured with a twine of leaves" from ''[http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/cain/ The Wanderings of Cain]'', with harp |
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# [[Thomas Middleton|Middleton]] – "Midnight Bell" from ''[[Blurt, Master Constable]]'', with French horn |
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# [[William Wordsworth|Wordsworth]] – "But that night when on my bed I lay" from [[The Prelude|''The Prelude'' (1805)]], with timpani |
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# [[Wilfred Owen|Owen]] – "[[s:The Kind Ghosts|The Kind Ghosts]]", with cor anglais |
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# [[John Keats|Keats]] – "[[Sleep and Poetry]]", with flute and carinet |
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# [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]] – [[Sonnet 43|Sonnet XLIII]], with all the obbligato instruments |
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==Notes== |
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<references /> |
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==External links== |
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*[http://pitchperfectmusic.org/articles/articles/benjamin-brittens-nocturne-introduction/ Extensive analysis, full lyrics] by Gregory Blankenbehler (20 November 2010) |
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[[Category:Compositions by Benjamin Britten]] |
[[Category:Compositions by Benjamin Britten]] |
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Revision as of 15:32, 2 April 2011
Nocturne for tenor, seven obbligato instruments and strings, Op. 60, is a song cycle by Benjamin Britten[1]. Premiered in the Leeds Town Hall at the centenary Leeds Festival on 16 October 1958 by Peter Pears and the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Rudolf Schwarz,[2] it is his fourth and final orchestral song cycle, after Our Hunting Fathers (Op. 8, 1936), Les Illuminations (Op. 18, 1939) and Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings (Op. 31, 1943). It is dedicated to Alma Mahler.[3]
The theme of the piece, as its name Nocturne suggests, is sleep and darkness, both in the literal and figurative sense. In this respect, the work is reminiscent of Britten's earlier Serenade. Unlike Serenade, Nocturne is presented as a continuous piece rather than separate movements. This is emphasised by a number of figures which occur throughout, most notably the 'rocking'[4] string motif which opens the work. The conflicting tonal relationship between C and D-flat is also evident throughout, reflecting the contrast between the untroubled and the more perturbed aspects of sleep which are also described by Britten's choice of poems.
The seven obbligato instruments for which the piece is scored are flute, cor anglais, clarinet, bassoon, harp, French horn and timpani.
Structure
The piece sets eight sections of poetry to music, each accompanied by strings and (with the exception of the first) by an obligato instrument:
- Shelley – "On a Poet’s Lips I Slept" from Prometheus Unbound
- Tennyson – "The Kraken", with bassoon
- Coleridge – "Encinctured with a twine of leaves" from The Wanderings of Cain, with harp
- Middleton – "Midnight Bell" from Blurt, Master Constable, with French horn
- Wordsworth – "But that night when on my bed I lay" from The Prelude (1805), with timpani
- Owen – "The Kind Ghosts", with cor anglais
- Keats – "Sleep and Poetry", with flute and carinet
- Shakespeare – Sonnet XLIII, with all the obbligato instruments
Notes
- ^ Britten himself used the spelling "obligato".
- ^ "Britten's Complete Works" by Scott Eric Smith
- ^ "Alma in the music of other composers – Benjamin Britten: Nocturne, Op. 60 (Dedicated to Alma), short analysis
- ^ 'rocking' as in "Rock the baby to sleep"
External links
- Extensive analysis, full lyrics by Gregory Blankenbehler (20 November 2010)