Boosey & Hawkes (@booseyandhawkes.bsky.social)

🎶Benjamin Britten: Notes from the Archive – “War Requiem” Episode 3 Head of Archive and Library at The Red House, @chilton-bb.bsky.social, guides us through the story of the premiere performance of Britten’s choral masterpiece. bit.ly/3PYUK2i

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Benjamin Britten: Notes from the Archive - War Requiem Commissioned to celebrate the opening of the new cathedral at Coventry, built to replace the one destroyed by bombs during the Second World War, Benjamin Britten’s ‘War Requiem’ embodies his deeply held pacifist and humanitarian beliefs. In this episode of "Notes from the Archive", Head of Archive and Library at The Red House, Dr Christopher Hilton, guides us through the story of the premiere performance, including letters to the Soviet Ministry of Culture, the rush to find a replacement soprano soloist, as well as ear and eyewitness accounts from 1962. In a collaboration between ‪‪@BrittenPearsArts and Boosey & Hawkes, the series “Benjamin Britten: Notes from the Archive” explores the work and life of Benjamin Britten, one of the most important and widely performed British composers of the 20th century. Released throughout 2026, a year which marks 50 years since Britten’s death, the series ventures behind the scenes in the archives of the composer at his former home, The Red House in Aldeburgh, diving deeper into iconic works, their history, and the social context that surrounds them. Stay tuned for monthly releases! Find out more about the series here: https://www.boosey.com/cr/news/102818 Presented by Dr Christopher Hilton, Head of Archive and Library - The Red House, Aldeburgh Produced by Adam West Film by Ben Tomlin Music: 'Requiem aeternam' and 'Agnus Dei' from 'War Requiem' Composed by Benjamin Britten Performed by Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Atlanta Boy Choir, Lorna Haywood, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Benjamin Luxon, Robert Shaw. Courtesy of Telarc International https://bit.ly/3PYUK2i