Britten on Music

by Paul Kildea

Benjamin Britten was a most reluctant public speaker. Yet his contributions were without doubt a major factor in the transformation during his lifetime of the structure of the art-music industry. This book, by bringing together all his published articles, unpublished speeches, drafts, and transcriptions of numerous radio interviews, explores the paradox of a reluctant yet influential cultural commentator, artist, and humanist. Whether talking about his own music, about the role of the artist in society, about music criticism, or wading into a debate on Soviet ideology at the height of the cold war, Britten always gave a performance which reinforced the notion of a private man who nonetheless saw the importance of public disclosure.

Genres: Music

448 pages, Hardcover

First published October 9, 2003

About the author

Paul Francis Kildea is an Australian conductor and author, considered an expert on Benjamin Britten.

Reviews

[Shannon McCue · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you weren't convinced by carpenter, this should do it.