Benjamin Britten: A Life for Music

by Neil Powell

Powell, Neil

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction

528 pages, Hardcover

First published January 31, 2013

Reviews

[Washington Post · Rating 1 out of 5]

Much of Neil Powell's biography seems a one-sided, flattened and defensive hagiography when it is not merely a grim mustering of facts. His Britten all but walks on water. This fawning volume may be the right biography for the Aldeburgh Festival to stock in its gift shop.Those with a serious interest in Britten will want to look elsewhere.

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[Zach Finkelstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deeply moving, profound summary of Britten's life and work. Knowledge of classical music welcome but not needed. One of the most accessible and literary biographies I've ever read, in part I think because it is written by a poet and journalist and not a musicologist.

[Sammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A frustrating, occasionally elitist, intermittently brilliant biography that ultimately fails to quite succeed in any of its chosen fields.

Is that harsh? Perhaps. I don't really agree with negative reviews since, as a working writer myself, I think that the job, the chance, and the salary come before individual judgment on the internet. But here I am, determined to have my say anyhow.

Powell is clearly a Britten acolyte, and a dedicated one at that. His work is carefully researched and shows a true love of the source material. Benjamin Britten deserves to be studied and discussed, and I applaud this latest edition. Unfortunately... well, it's a bit irritating, isn't it?

Where to start? Powell's writing style, perhaps. I don't know anything about the man - whether he be 25 or 105 - but his language comes across as tiresomely academic at times. This is a Britten biography, but Powell also expects you to be more than conversant with the poets Britten set, including Auden, Crabbe, and Rimbaud. Moreso, he expects you to understand the details of Auden's life, to be familiar with Crabbe's manifesto, and to speak French well enough that you can grasp the subtleties of Rimbaud's texts. There is no elucidation here, no translation (even in footnotes), and, worse, a lot of use of that dreaded phrase "of course", to show the reader that the author is more knowledgeable than you are. ("Of course, the final movement of this symphony is far more than that..." -- um, is it? Shouldn't your book be showing us that, Mr. Powell, rather than assuming we know it already?)

If this is a biography, it's a gratingly one-sided example. Truth be told, it's more of a hagiography. Powell isn't a prude; he'll happily discuss sexual intimacy. He's also level-headed enough to acknowledge that Britten's relationships with teenage boys were neither salacious nor completely pure, grounded as they were in his own psychological concerns. Still, wherever possible, the author finds a way to absolve Britten of anything approaching psychological complexity. Dealing with a rather harsh letter Auden wrote to the composer, in which he accused him of - among other things - deliberately surrounding himself by devotees to avoid any objective treatment of his career, Powell bends over backwards to defend Britten against Auden's comments, even as he himself acknowledges they were true! It all feels a little too awkwardly defensive, like this book was being written primarily for the Britten Estate, and he didn't want to tread on any toes. Not, mind you, that I'm expecting some kind of tabloid journalism piece, but I'd like at least the veneer of objectivity.

At times, Powell's reliances on sources can become tiresome. While the early years of Britten's life are primarily known to us through the composer's own diaries, I still felt as if the extensive quoting at some times came close to lazy writing. The fact of the matter is, this is the 21st century. Many people reading this biography will be of an age young enough to not necessarily understand the complexities of 1920s schoolboy slang, whereas Powell clearly expects that we will. Little moments like this stand out. If the book wants to be a biography of Britten, it fails from both an objective standpoint and an explanatory one. If the book wants to be an annotated study of his every movement and private thought, it gets a little closer to the mark, but the book is not advertised or presented as such.

Well, what about the subtitle, "A Life for Music"? A little clearer, perhaps, but not by much. Simply put, unless you have heard most pieces Britten wrote in his 50-year career, you're out of luck. Powell rarely provides more than a one-sentence description of a work, even for the early pieces, and he'll often refer off-the-cuff to an individual song or movement from a work. It reminds me a little of Joan Sutherland's heartwarming but repetitive biography ("February 16th, another Norma. February 19th, rehearsal for Esclarmonde. February 21st, Esclarmonde."). On occasion, Powell - gasp! - is even willing to be dismissive of a piece of music, but even then doesn't go into detail. Despite his introductory comments, Powell is very well-versed in music, and he provides thoughts on British music of the early 20th century on a regular basis, but again he will refer to composers and their works without giving any kind of explanation. Essentially, if you get yourself a Complete Works of Britten, along with books on the history of music and numerous other recordings of other composers, you'll be set with the knowledge to parse this text. Well, you may say, perhaps this book is intended as a musicological study. If so, unfortunately it also fails. Powell doesn't provide enough information for newcomers to the works, but nor does he provide much cogent discussion of individual works to appeal to those who already know them. Altogether, it is deeply unsatisfying.

There are moments of delight. Rhetorical flashes. Insights into the young Britten's character that benefit from the fact that Powell is trying to see through the eyes of someone from the era. An academic's ability to read between the lines of personal correspondence. Yet, I can't shake the feeling that this book is one big disappointment. Lacking in even a cursory introduction to musicology, philosophy, or languages, the book forges on assuming its reader is an Oxford don in his 50s, with access to an academic library and a working knowledge of not just every Britten work, but all the popular recordings. The worship of Britten is so intense that at one point, Powell goes openly defensive using the phrase "anyone who ever met Britten or [Peter] Pears knows..."! However, by keeping the study at a surface level, Powell is rarely able to articulate the place of Britten's music in a larger cultural web, beyond quoting the inadequately conservative major newspaper reviews. The result is a book that appeals neither to the anorak nor the newcomer. I class myself somewhere in between - I'm conversant in most of Britten's operas, and have a passionate love of the works of other early 20th century British composers such as Vaughan Williams - and I sometimes found myself struggling, or at least bemused on the part of readers with less of a tertiary education.

Powell's failure to articulate reaches its apex in his attempts to uncover the unspoken moments of Britten's life. While I mentioned above that he brings insight, I should clarify that this is mostly in cases where the event is a known quantity, and Powell is primarily clearing up queries. In cases of hypothesised events, Powell is either drawing his conclusions from thin air, or is just poor at explaining them to the lay-reader. Interpreting examples of the teenage Britten's (wonderfully erudite) diaries, he will cite a specific sentence as near-proof of an infatuation, when the sentence reads as simply that: a sentence. I have no doubt Powell is closer to the era than I, and he may well be finding hidden meanings I cannot. However, he ploughs on with his volley of "of course"s and "clearly"s, never stopping to explain his findings. (This is even more frustrating when the visionary Powell sees evidence in photographs of, for instance, Peter Pears' discontent while living at Crabbe Street... but includes the photograph in the book, where it looks to all eyes like a perfectly friendly group shot.) I'll stand up for his overall motivation, absolutely. Powell is not looking for the "naughty", and he shows a proper hesitance in ever reaching outright conclusions, but few of his opinions ever feel definitive.

(In a moment of defense, it should be noted that Powell does grapple with the biases both for and against Britten that emerged in his mid- and later-life.)

This is not the definitive Britten biography, not by far. It's a helpful guide to the composer's movements throughout his life, and not an unworthy read. But, ultimately, this is a disappointment. The target audience - being neither music-lovers nor musicologists - must surely be opera house gift shops and other biographers who need a handy collection of Britten quotes. I guess I will start the search for a better book on the subject, and in the meantime continue my exploration of the composer's complete works. If nothing else, at least this book helps whet the appetite for all the works the reader may not be familiar with.

[John Vanderslice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saw this book browsing through a bookstore in London on a trip, and I bought it for my son, who is a cellist and a fan of Britten's music. Curious about it, I started to read the first few pages and became totally hooked. It's a superb and very fair, if sympathetic, study of the man: his life, his friendships, his family, his aspirations, his accomplishments, his many strengths, and a few glaring weaknesses. Powell carried out impeccable research for the book, and while not a professional musician, he is deeply informed about classical music and Britten's music specifically. He offers opinions about many of Britten's pieces, but does not trying to clinically analyze them, which on the whole is a positive approach. This is, after all, a biography, not a book on music theory. What we learn most about is Britten the man. And what comes through loud and clear is what a good person Britten was. His longtime partner, Peter Pears, made a telling comment after Britten died, one that Powell passes along: "How could such a good man not make great music?" Well, Pears should know, as the two were "married" for over three decades. And, think about it. It is a telling comment. How many other composers, to say nothing of writers, painters, architects, dancers, etc. would you say the same thing about? Probably not too many. They made great art because they were good, not in spite of being good (or not good)? Britten's goodness comes through loud and clear. More than anything, he seems to have been a naturally warm, naturally honest, and naturally understated person. Most of all--and this is Powell's biggest point--Britten completely identified with the small, unassuming coastal community in which he was raised, always loved, and eventually moved back to (albeit part-time). As a professional composer, talented pianist, and superb conductor of his own music, he had to been in London frequently; and he also had to travel quite a bit abroad. But he never personally identified with London or any other metropolitan center; more like he put up with them. I can totally relate. In that regard, Britten is a man after my own heart. At the end of the book, Powell flat out admits that he considers Britten to be the most important composer in British history and easily among the best world composers of the 20th century. I don't know enough to say whether that's accurate, but I can say--having read this book with pleasure--that it's a terrible tragedy Britten died so (relatively) young. (Early sixties.) He certainly had more great music in him. (He composed right up until the end.) And he would been a hell of an interesting person to meet.

[Book Grocer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Purchase Benjamin Britten here for just $12!

Plenty of material here both for the general reader and for Britten afficionados. This book introduces you to all musical works composed by one of the most important English composers of the 20th Century, through his own comments taken from his diaries, as well as comments from other people close to Britten.

Paul - The Book Grocer

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though a bit more technical in places than I could really be comfortable with, this is an excellent, instructive account of Britten‘s life. Recommended.

[Kalindi Bellach · Rating 4 out of 5]

I skimmed this for research, and read carefully the parts relating to my paper. It seems thorough and well-written, and I enjoyed it.

[Trevor Harvey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A workmanlike account of Britten's life which manages to avoid the negative aspects of his character.

[CJ Bowen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Powell wants us to believe that Benjamin Britten was a good man. I will happily say that he wrote a great deal of beautiful and technically excellent music, which I have enjoyed hearing and singing. Factors that complicate a full life judgment are his ambiguous relationships with young boys, and his constant co-opting and twisting of poetry and texts from the religious soul of England, and infusing them with meaning and subtext far afield from what they ought to mean. (Imagine a lightly edited performance of Britten's Billy Budd by the Westboro Baptist Church to gain a sense of the impropriety.) Powell presents a Britten who repeatedly gives religious people what they want, both through his music and through his outward piety, but the core is hollow; he offers up homosexuality in the clothes of Christianity.

This book tilts toward hagiography, and certainly presents a sympathetic Britten throughout. Powell occasionally wanders into special pleading, assuring us on no apparent grounds whatsoever that any negative judgments of Britten's life and work are misguided. Just trust him.

Frequently, Powell tries to edit Britten: "He surely...", "He would have...". It is as if he believes that wants to usher into a place of privileged access to his subject's mind and way of thinking, but instead of demonstrating such from Britten's writing or life, we are stuck trusting Powell. A sad biographer's shortcut.

Auden features so largely that one gets the impression that Powell wishes he were writing the poet's biography instead. Surely Auden had a profound impact on Britten; surely one could have written a duography if one wanted.

A negative consequence of Britten's homosexuality (which Powell interestingly mirrors at times in his own authorial attitude) is his failure to understand or appreciate family life and its importance to those he worked with. Several relationships strained or broke because Britten's colleagues had their priorities in life straighter that Britten was able to comprehend. Powell gives a great deal of credit to Britten's mother for his musicality, but he manifests an annoyance with her for requiring of Britten love and care in her later years. If only she had been out of the way, Britten could have got more music done!

Powell's own musical abilities far outstrip my own, but when he prefaces things with a statement of his own limitations at reading complicated music, it profoundly weakens any musical judgments offered later.

The closing personal reminiscences of the author are perfect for prefacing a reading at the bookstore; they sit uncomfortably in the main text of the book. The biographer has given way to the fan before the book ended, and this is for the worse.

The subject and his story are truly fascinating, but they deserve a more professional telling, because Benjamin Britten was a good musician.

I received an ARC of Benjamin Britten: A Life for Music as part of the Librarything Early Reviewers program.

[Jennifer Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a composer and as a voice for the arts, Benjamin Britten was a monumental figure for music and for the Arts in England during the 20th Century. His compositions, lasting provisions for musicians, and his operas are all enduring legacies, as is the simple goodness that all who knew him seem to attest to. Coming into this biography, I knew him as a sometime contemporary of W.H. Auden who was also the composer of the operas based on James' Turn of the Screw and Mann's Death in Venice, and somewhere I had a passing memory that his compositions often fed off of poetry, such as that of Thomas Hardy, Whitman, and Shakespeare.

Powell's biography, though, is ambitious. Moving through Britten's entire life, it undertakes a study of how his life fed off of music, and fed music in return. With constant quotations from Briten's own journals (especially in the first half of the book when his life was not so well documented by others), and with constant attention to what was being written and performed when, Powell's book is many things. It is biography. It is also a monument and a catalogue and a celebration.

In truth, there were sections where I found this work to be incredibly slow-moving--the constant attention to what was being written and performed, for who and when and how, and the constant attention to names whose lives intersected with Britten's, however briefly, was sometimes tedious--particularly in the middle portion of the book when Britten's life revolved entirely around his compositions, many of them shorter works, so that the biography sometimes felt like a listing or a cataloguing exercise moreso than prose. (Though, no doubt, this is an impressive bout of research on Powell's part.) And, these sections were probably all the more tedious for me because I am not a musician, or even really versed in the language of orchestras and music theory. Certainly, these sections would have been far more interesting for readers more knowledgeable about these areas or Britten's work in particular. And yet.

The beginning of the work so fascinated me, even so detached as it was, that I couldn't help but keep going through these middle reaches of the text, and the final sections of the work more than made up for those few sections where I found myself struggling with any desire to continue. In the end, I so appreciate Powell's careful objectiveness, and his care in staying away from the more media-driven scandals which were sometimes associated with Britten's name in the press (primarily because of homophobia and/or suspicions regarding his pacifist nature) which, really, had little to no basis in Britten's reality.

On the whole, this work does have its faults, but it is also a fascinating study of a leading composer of the twentieth century and a man who, very simply, ensured that his life revolved around music, from beginning to end. For those interested, it will be a worthwhile read.

[Avempace · Rating 3 out of 5]

The genius of Benjamin Britten's (BB) music is attested to by masterpieces ranging from the operatic (Peter Grimes), his song cycles, his magnificent War Requiem and his symphonic and chamber music including his great Solo Cello Suites, comparable only to Bach's. What is astonishing is that it comes into plain view in his very earliest formal work, Quatre Chansons Françaises, a song cycle composed at the tender age of 14. Very few talents in music history have revealed their hand so early and decisively. The intersections of his public sentiments and private life, a pacifist openly living with his partner Peter Pears at a time when homosexuality was a criminal offense, brought much antipathy if not outright hostility. Writing in a tonal idiom at a time when the Western music establishment became firmly wedded to a serialist modernity did not help either. The occasion of his centenary (2013) offers a chance to take the full measure of his art and life.

Published on the occasion of the centenary, Neil Powell's biography follows in great details and in chronological order the life of BB. There is much to learn about his solid middle class background, early musical life influences including those of his mother and his teacher the composer Frank Bridge, his sexuality and the evolution of his music. The biography does not delve too deep into his music, as would be expected from a work aiming at a wider audience. It has hits and misses, the former including the wealth of biographical details it provides, especially those of his early life. To my mind however, it fails to have deeper insights into those key encounters and influences that have shaped his art. For example, I was very interested in his relationship with Auden, given that it was relevant to his art, especially in relation to poetry, and his sexuality. One great song cycle of Britten penned early in his career, Our Hunting Fathers, was the product of this collaboration. Yet another key interaction later in life was that with Dmitri Shostakovich. Both artists have been significantly influenced by this relationship, despite the language barrier. Shostakovich's 14th symphony was dedicated to BB, while BB's The Prodigal Son was dedicated to Shostakovich. The analyses of both of those encounters and their significance was superficial, mired in listing events rather than unraveling their deeper significance. There is a hagiographic sentiment that infects the narrative which at times lessens from its impact. Overall a good biography, but one that fell short of being a definitive artistic and intellectual one.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I would really give this book 3.5 stars)
This new biography of Britten is well-written and provides a lot of information on his life. The great strength of this book is Powell's clear, engaging writing and how much his liking for Britten and his music comes through. Powell provides a very positive and admiring view of Britten, but thankfully avoids either over-idealizing the man or awkwardly trying to turn human flaws into "great man" virtues in the manner of Einstein's biography of Mozart. However, since Powell is not a musicologist, the focus is firmly on the events and trajectory of Britten's life, not on his compositional developments or on analysis of his music. This lack is my only serious criticism of the book, since I often find it illuminating to have the biographical and musicological threads intertwined. I especially would have liked some more in-depth analytical discussion of how some of the major events ad experiences of Britten's life may have affected his music, especially his experiences seeing Belsen after the war, which Britten himself said affected every thing he wrote afterwards. Nonetheless, this was a solid biography, full of good writing and interesting observations.

I received this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received Benjamin Britten: A Life for Music as part of a Goodreads giveaway.

Powell's biography sheds light on Britten, the life of one of the 20th century's great and most influential composers. Beginning with his early life as a child prodigy, Powell takes us through the experiences that shaped Britten's unique style, including his prep- and public school experiences, his travels, his personal relationships (in particular, his long-term relationship with Peter Pears), and, of course, his professional collaborations and accomplishments.

As with so many kinds of genius (and ordinariness), Britten's story is also laden with complexity. An overbearing, ambitious mother, a complicated sexual identity, ongoing (perhaps psychosomatic?) medical issues, and wildly varying levels of confidence in the quality of his work. Powell's work is a sympathetic portrayal of an exceedingly multifaceted and complicated man.

As a relative musical novice, some of the technical terms and references went over my head--mentally, I tended to skim over them while reading. If you're in a similar boat, knowledge-wise, be prepared for such passages on a fairly regular basis.

Recommended.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This biography is a comprehensive and sometimes overwhelming compendium of all things Britten, and it delves deeply into the life and work of a fascinating man and brilliant composer. Britten's view of art and creation, his relationship with himself and the world around him, and his lifelong dedication to excellence hold lessons for all of us. Those lessons, learned, highlight a specific moment in time, point toward a specific state of humanity, and make slogging through this incredibly long encyclopedia-style text valuable. A third of the heft could be cut if the author didn't list every performer to be involved with every production of every work, along with numerous other completely forgettable and seemingly irrelevant details, but I was glad to learn about some of the more obscure (to non-industry types) works. Overall, it was worth the physical exertion both of hauling this giant book around for the months it took me to read it and of that reading itself. Just be prepared to be in it for the long haul.

This book was won from the publisher through the Goodreads First Reads program. Thank you!

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Benjamin Britten: A Life for Music is an interesting biography of the twentieth century compose Benjamin Britten, who may be most famous for his operas, but wrote a wide range of classical pieces throughout his life. While his life was made up of mostly his music, he did have fascinating relationships with his siblings, his mother, Auden, Peter Pears and some of the other British creatives who were also present during that time.

For those who want to learn more about Britten's musical compositions, this book does not cover it. This book is almost strictly a biography, though with such a musician it is hard to separate the two. However, this book does show a different side of Britten than what many other books include. Overall, for classical music lovers and Britten enthusiasts, this is a book not to be passed up. If you aren't already familiar with Britten's work, you may find this book boring.

*Reviewer received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. It reminded me how much amazing music he wrote, as recently as when I was in high school. The tone of the book was not highbrow so it was easy to read. Being a musician I would have been happy with more details about the music, but that would not have worked for everyone. The only reason someone wouldn't like this book is if they hated the idea of gay people and didn't want to know that Britten and Peter Pears were essentially married. The author places great importance on this part of Britten's life, which makes sense. I agree with commenters who said that the Powell occasionally resorted to too much speculation about what Britten must have thought or surely would have felt - I think this might come from a younger gay man identifying just a little too much with his subject in a way that may be too modern for the man. As a whole it was a book I was sorry to see end, mostly because I just didn't want Britten to be dead, especially at the early age of 63.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a dedicated classical music fan and looked froward to reading this excellent biography of Benjamin Britten. Certainly, Britten was a well-known composer and public figure in Great Britain—unfortunately less so here in the United States.

Neil Powell has writtten a biography for those who understand music and appreciate classical music. He doesn't spare technical terms and provides much context and understanding of Britten's music. To do otherwise would have failed the dedicated reader, but may put off the more casual one.

Anyone wanting a better appreciation of Britten's music, and also to be guided to which of his works are best to listen to and learn, will not be disappointed.

[Lesley Townsend · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elegantly written without being gossipy or salacious. Not much new factually or musically but insightful observations given about the everyday life of a composer in the twentieth century which was certainly not as glamorous as it sounds. I loved the section on 'Death in Venice' and the comments surrounding a forbidden love.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this bio (but to be honest having my family (Rothman) mentioned multiple times added to my pleasure). I am glad I now know a bit more about Britten. I have to say this was a readable biography, which felt like a relative quick read. Also Britten had a pretty full and happy life and died peaceable which is better than many biographies which end up tragically.

[Karen]

* 14 Books From 2013 Every Music Lover Should Read

Neil Powell’s fascinating biography of the legendary composer Benjamin Britten reveals the troubled personal life of a man who was best known for his consummate professionalism and composure. Powell examines Britten’s body of work while shedding light on his personal struggles and life as a closeted gay man.

[Erin Lyndal Martin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I reviewed this for Bookslut and pretty much panned it there. If you're going to write a 500+ page bio of someone,please make at least make it about someone more likeable than Britten. Or, better yet, don't make it 500 pages full of tiny details about his life that are now irrelevant.

[Richard Sanford · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the finest biographies of a 20th century artist I've read since Blake Bailey's book on Cheever or Patricia Albers' book on Joan Mitchell. There might be a little too much softening but it's compelling and intensely, compulsively readable.

[Jonathan Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it excellent. It left me wanting to learn more about Britten the man and about his music. It also left me with a far greater appreciation of his music and his role as a 20th century composer.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful biography of an interesting composer. The challenges of his life-long illnesses never stopped him from being a prolific composer. Unlike a lot of composers, he enjoyed financial success early in his career. His gay life never seemed to impede his professional life.

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of my favorite composers, and this took me almost three months to read. I don't know if I need to go further than that.