1913–1976 · English

Britten, Benjamin

The 20th century's greatest operatic voice in English, whose Peter Grimes, War Requiem and song cycles combine intellectual rigour with emotional directness.

Opera (14)

Op.33
Peter Grimes (opera)1944–45
Op.64
A Midsummer Night's Dream (opera)1960
Op.88
Death in Venice (opera)1971–73
Op.54
The Turn of the Screw (opera)1954
Op.50
Billy Budd (opera)1951
Op.37
The Rape of Lucretia (opera)1946
Op.39
Albert Herring (comic opera)1947
Op.53
Gloriana (opera)1953
Op.38
The Beggar's Opera (arr.)
Op.41
The Little Sweep (Let's Make an Opera)
Op.51
Noye's Fludde (church opera)
Op.73
The Burning Fiery Furnace (church parable)
Op.75
The Prodigal Son (church parable)
Op.79
Owen Wingrave (opera)

Requiem (1)

Op.66
War Requiem1961

Orchestral Work (3)

Op.34
The Young Person's Guide to the OrchestraF major1945
Op.10
Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge1937
Op.26
Scottish Ballad1941

Song Cycle (5)

Op.31
Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings1943
Op.18
Les Illuminations1939
Op.8
Our Hunting Fathers1936
Op.60
Nocturne1958
Op.22
Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo1940

String Quartet (4)

Op.25
String Quartet No. 1 in D majorD major1941
Op.36
String Quartet No. 2 in C majorC major1945
Op.94
String Quartet No. 31975
Op.21
String Quartet No. 1 in D major (revised numbering)

Solo Suite (3)

Op.72
Cello Suite No. 1G major1964
Op.80
Cello Suite No. 21967
Op.87
Cello Suite No. 31971

Choral Work (2)

Op.44
Spring Symphony1948–49
Op.28
A Ceremony of Carols1942

Cantata (1)

Op.42
Saint Nicolas (cantata)1948

Suite (3)

Op.4
Simple SymphonyB-flat major1934
Op.49
The Prince of the Pagodas (ballet)
Op.82
Suite on English Folk Tunes

Violin Concerto (1)

Op.15
Violin Concerto1939

Piano Concerto (1)

Op.13
Piano Concerto1938

Symphony (2)

Op.20
Sinfonia da Requiem
Op.61
Cello Symphony

Church Parable (1)

Op.71
Curlew River (Church Parable)1964

Chamber (8)

Op.2
Phantasy Quartet
Op.14
Temporal Variations for Oboe and Piano
Op.43
Six Metamorphoses after Ovid (oboe solo)
Op.46
Lachrymae for Viola and Piano
Op.63
Nocturnal after John Dowland (guitar)
Op.65
Cello Sonata in C
Op.74
Gemini Variations
Op.83
Suite for Solo Harp

Sacred & Choral (12)

Op.3
A Boy Was Born
Op.12
Advance Democracy (choral)
Op.27
Hymn to St Cecilia
Op.30
Rejoice in the Lamb (Festival Cantata)
Op.32
Festival Te Deum
Op.52
Cantata academica
Op.56
Cantata Misericordium (earlier)
Op.59
Missa Brevis in D
Op.62
Cantata Misericordium
Op.67
Psalm CL
Op.69
Voices for Today
Op.93
Welcome Ode

Piano Piece (1)

Op.5
Holiday Diary (piano suite)

Song (22)

Op.6
Our Hunting Fathers (song cycle)
Op.7
Friday Afternoons (children's songs)
Op.9
On This Island (song cycle)
Op.24
Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings (earlier)
Op.29
The Ballad of Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard
Op.35
The Holy Sonnets of John Donne
Op.40
A Charm of Lullabies
Op.45
Canticle I: My Beloved is Mine
Op.47
Five Flower Songs
Op.48
Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac
Op.55
Canticle III: Still Falls the Rain
Op.58
Sechs Hölderlin-Fragmente
Op.68
Songs and Proverbs of William Blake
Op.70
The Poet's Echo
Op.76
Children's Crusade
Op.77
Who Are These Children?
Op.78
Canticle IV: The Journey of the Magi
Op.81
Canticle V: The Death of Saint Narcissus
Op.84
Sacred and Profane
Op.86
Phaedra (dramatic cantata)
Op.90
Eight Folk Song Arrangements
Op.92
A Birthday Hansel

Concerto (2)

Op.11
Piano Concerto (original)
Op.19
Diversions for Piano (Left Hand) and Orchestra

Orchestral (5)

Op.16
Young Apollo
Op.17
Canadian Carnival
Op.23
Prelude and Fugue for 18 Strings
Op.57
A Midsummer Night's Dream (incidental)
Op.89
Lachrymae for Viola and String Orchestra