Britten's 'Missa Brevis in D'

Britten's setting of the Mass, in D, sung by the King's College, Cambridge Choir, conducted by Sir Phillip Wilcocks.

[@40Alpaca]

I have a copy of the original recording. I was the alto soloist in the first performance at Westminster Cathedral in July 1959. Britten gave me a signed handwritten score which I sadly misplaced when migrating Australia in 1967. I also recall he delivered a huge tea-chest of boxes of chocolates which the choristers were allowed to dive into - soloists first! The piece was not writen for Malcolm's retirement as suggested, but soon after  Britten heard us perform his "A ceromony of Carols"

[@worldnotworld]

Shame about the lost score! Is this the recording? Are you on it? kzbin.info/www/bejne/oIDEgXiset95q9k

[@timconstable7348]

Arnold Schoenberg invented a technique called Twelve-tone technique also dodecaphony, twelve-tone serialism (find it in wikipedia). In the 1930's and 40's various composers experimented with the idea, including Britten. This is an example of it, where the main theme is composed of all 12 notes of the chromatic scale - to absolutely breathtaking effect! (And great fun to sing, too!)

[@worldnotworld]

He does this with the "Screw" theme in Turn of the Screw as well. The difference is that Britten doesn't stray into the atonality of serialism.

[@brooklynchampion3963]

I sang this at my choir as well. Agnus dei is my favourite.

[@rayandreina]

First Performance: July 22, 1959; Westminster Cathedral; London, England, UK.

[@worldnotworld]

I believe there's a low-quality recording of it somewhere, and I think I actually heard it, and I recall it sounding very strange...

[@cutie3pop3po]

Agnus Dei is my favorite to sing its a beautiful piece

[@musicpiano14]

so magic music

[@wftjet]

I think Britten preferred for this piece the sound of boys at places Westminster Cathedral and St. John's College, where they cultivate a more vibrato-oriented, continental sound. That doesn't take away from this great performance by King's, however.

[@brianwilson49]

i always remember the agnus dei being used in the final credits of a documentary about how a nuclear bomb being dropped on london would pan out. very spooky, and an inspired choice, as the camera panned over a desolate london.

[@mqtrinh]

The piece is called Missa Brevis in D, not D Major, for good reason.

[@worldnotworld]

I've never been able to figure out why he says it's in D. D is the tonal center in the Sanctus/Benedictus and the Agnus Dei, but not the Kyrie or Gloria.

[@OMRLPdedicate]

It depends: if it is based upon chords, with extra notes then that is called chromatic harmony; if not then it is atonality.

[@Minicini]

we too:-)

[@gslik88]

Brings back memories of performing this piece with the Ohio Boychoir in the Sydney Opera House and also I believe Canterbury Cathedral... among many other places. I'll have to dig through some boxes and see if I can find a recording. I sure wish I could still hit those high notes (especially at a mass at 6am!) Very challenging piece but utterly sublime with boy's voices in an area with acoustics that can do it justice. Is the time on the 'Gloria' 7/5 ?

[@RoughSmoothie]

@cavallodelmare it's called dodecaphony.

[@tiborkerecsen6047]

nagyon jó

[@sofikkisun]

Agnus Dei and the Benedictus part... and Hosana in excelsic... or exselcis... I do not remember :P

[@clubcardpoints]

Whole Benedictus is supposed to be 'stacatto' all the way through. Britten will be turning in his grave>

[@worldnotworld]

What do you mean? The treble is a mix of barred notes and staccato, which is how this is sung. The bass clef organ part is about as staccato as the organ in King's College Chapel can get. . .

[@nimrodery]

Please learn the meaning (and spelling) of 'staccato' before you complain about a lack of 'staccato.' Many people have a lousy idea of what it is because of how complicated it is to teach music to high school students. It does NOT mean 'short.'

[@isa21bella]

oh my god... they are singing it too slow!

[@organboi]

"D" is not a key. "D Major" is a key. You shouldn't use structural abbreviations in titles, only in analysis. The key is D Major.

[@johnrandolph6121]

@ organboi Is your comment directed at the poster of this video or Britten? Missa Brevis in D is the name of the piece. A composer can name his piece anything he pleases and there are multiple similar examples.... i.e. Stravinsky, Symphony in C, etc.

[@worldnotworld]

@@johnrandolph6121 Indeed, that is the name of the piece. The Sanctus/Benedictus is clearly in D Major, and the Agnus Dei in D Minor. (Interestingly, the Kyrie and the Gloria really never find their way to D at all!)