Flanders and Swann - Guide to Britten

[@kentishmaid21]

This is new to me and absolutely brilliant! Oddly it doesn't feature on "The Complete" Flanders and Swann CD box set - which is therefore not complete!

[@jojoUK120]

Allie Riley My father used to sing the verse about Peter Piers folk songs and then dissolve into giggles, but I’ve never heard the whole thing or seen it for sale anywhere. Such a shame I didn’t find this before he died, it would’ve made his day

[@sarahhall738]

Fantastic they are brilliant and as for Benjamin Brittan he had a house in our village.

[@TheClockwise770]

Love this song , absolute genius ,brought back a lot of happy memories listening to this at my Aunts . thank you for posting

[@Seal0626]

How have I never heard this before?

[@andygelsthorpe7518]

The album this is from is "And Then We Wrote." I bought a copy of this in 1975. Gramophone reviewed it in November of that year.It was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Christmas Eve 1974. There are 13 tracks on the album. I don't think any appear on "The Complete Flanders and Swann" CD set, which I have (copyright 1991 EMI). My favourite is the Lord Chamberlain's Regulations.

[@jonjamg]

Yes you're right. F&S liked some of the censors comments - I like this!

[@bloggulator]

Absolutely hilarious. Those two were true geniuses...or is that genii?

[@Freimaco]

Well I never! This is the third 'new' Flanders & Swann track I've discovered via KZbin. I should probably stop calling myself a Flanders & Swann affithianado! Thank you so much for posting this.

[@RatelHBadger]

Have some Madeira and best not think about it.

[@paulfaulkner8788]

Love Donald Swann's use of 7/4 time.

[@5610winston]

Swann was a genius, one of the finest composers of the twentieth century and an even more brilliant wit.

[@gdj6298]

@@5610winston He was always much too modest about his skills. If you haven't already, get hold of a copy of 'Swann's Way' - it gives a good insight into his life, both inside and outside of the partnership with Flanders.

[@DavidColemanFilms]

My favourite line is: "It made bundles for Britten and piles for Piers."

[@GrizzledGeezer]

That's a pretty dirty joke.I'm not a Britten fan. I like "Turn of the Screw", and "Peter Grimes" is engaging if well-performed. But most of his work is boring.

[@vibraphonics]

How is it dirty?

[@anonUK]

@@vibraphonics Piles are haemorrhoids. Briiten and Pears were gay. QED.

[@vibraphonics]

Even if it was widely suspected that Pears was gay at the time, would Flanders & Swann have made a reference like that in 1974?

[@anonUK]

@@vibraphonics 1974, yes. You heard the reaction, the audience knew what they were up to. 1953, no. Making jokes about "sodomy" back then would have been like making jokes about paedophilia now. The jokes would have existed but for very select audiences and in very broad brushstrokes, "Every girl loves a sailor- and some of the girls really are", that sort of thing. Sex jokes in general had very much less acceptance than they have since 1968-70, being absent from radio and TV unless buried so much as to be undetectable- although we may be retreating on that front after the recent resurgence of a certain type of confrontational feminism. Flanders and Swann would not have been the kind of act to make risqué jokes before that time. There were three turning points: legalisation of homosexuality which happened about the same time as the Julian and Sandy radio sketches, and the Jeremy Thorpe case from 1974 on (the reference to the Harewoods being "dogged"). In 1970-73, Monty Python did some gay themed sketches, such as the judges, the camp military parade and the Life of Tchaikovsky, although they were very close to the writers of Julian and Sandy (but certainly not in that way...)

[@DavidWilsonJohnson]

thank you for posting this...totally new to me...how could I have missed it??

[@allandray]

The "Joan" referred to was not Sutherland but Joan Cross (hence the joke) who appeared in leading roles in "Peter Grimes", "The Rape of Lucretia", "Albert Herring", "Gloriana" (in the title role) & "The Turn of the Screw" hence she would be miffed at finding there was no role for her in "Billy Budd": en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Cross

[@ReganAtSea]

Oh, Britten was (is) brilliant and this is brilliant too!

[@jonjamg]

@Dulciethecat Yes if you check 3:52 you can see I had put up Joan's name just in case! Flanders explained that he was told the people in the Provinces would not get this song - but they did!! Britten was very popular and well known in those days! (not so much today unfortunately)

[@jonjamg]

@Dulciethecat Are you a Britten fan? Flanders was disappointed that Britten never went to one of thier concerts!! Sending him up like this - no wonder. Did Benjie have a sense of humour?

[@richardlitwin4046]

He hated criticism - he was hypersensitive. But with his friends, notably Pears, Shostakovich, Rostropovich, Vishnevskaya, pictures show him relaxed and happy.

[@michaelburling]

Apparently they were the most po-faced pair, devoid of any sense of humour, especially when they were the butt of any joke. I bet they hated this!

[@jefolson6989]

@@michaelburling Britten had an easy smile and the look of someone thinking of something funny to say. That was an illusion. I challenge anyone to produce evidence that Britten/Pears ever said anything humorous. I can only imagine what their household was like. I picture the two of them having dinner, seated at opposite ends if the table, in silence,except for the loud ticking of a grandfather clock!

[@michaelburling]

@@jefolson6989 A famous tenor of the day was invited to their house for a weekend houseparty. They had a Union Jack flag flying outside their house; the tenor, known for practical jokes, got up in the night and exchanged the flag for a large pair of ladies knickers. Needless to say he was never invited again!

[@Freimaco]

The Last Tram and The War Of 14-18. Both have been posted by the same gentleman who posted this one. I've just found another one I didn't know, as well. I'll be listening to it later when I'm not at work.

[@jonjamg]

How odd - as I have known about this one for years - cannot recall which Album it was originally on. Like I said to jumbodwj, I must have had this for over 30 years. A number of users have said it was new to them.

[@ThePassamezzo]

One of their best lines "all over the civilised word - and in America!" and the phrase "it made Gay rich and Rich gay", would have a different meaning these days.

[@Greencapybara]

I think they were damn well aware of the innuendo

[@DieFlabbergast]

@@Greencapybara They might have been, but most of the public would not have been. I was there.

[@richardhering6521]

Sorry to be pedantic, but the joke about Billy Budd - "oh it made Joan Cross" - is not a reference to Joan Sutherland, but to English soprano Joan Cross.

[@jonjamg]

thank you Richard I will change the comment when online properly.

[@DanWotanBarrett]

brilliant

[@jonjamg]

Mine of course!! Too much of a gentleman!

[@jonjamg]

@RosciusAtrox Helps with the enjoyment if you know something about Benjie! This was a BBC Radio Broadcast.

[@Londonfogey]

Fantastic! I love the skit on 'The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra'! I thought I was the only person who took the mickey out of Britten (some of his stuff was ok but I've never quite understood what was so amazing about him...)

[@DieFlabbergast]

@Richard Harrold the fact that both F&S and Moore did send-ups, and that they were appreciated by their audiences, is testimony to the quality of Britten's music. You only satirise artists who are _worth_ satirising.

[@John-ws9uz]

@@DieFlabbergast There was a more recent send up 'Lord Benji of Britten' by Kit & the Widow on their '100 Not Out' CD. No holds barred in that one!

[@gilgamess]

Hard to define "complete". There are at least two versions of "At the Drop of a Hat", with different tracks and they are recorded at two different theaters and it just snowballs from there!

[@jonjamg]

Gentleman!! Must be the age!

[@gilgamess]

Calm yourself with a afifthoflimonade! There are two box sets out now for Flanders and Swann.

[@vibraphonics]

The Rape of Lucretia was splendid fun, And night after night was discreetly done. But best of them all we should like to state, Was the night when the curtain came down too late. Wow, that lyric has not aged well

[@donnadvorak843]

what are the other two?!

[@jonjamg]

@jumbodwj Don't know - I have had it for about 30 years! LOL

[@Mousy677]

as a gay opera fan i'm pretty much legally mandated to like britten so this is absolutely my speed.

[@jonjamg]

You're not the first to say that and I don't suppose you will be the last! I am of the opinion there are still others out there to be found!

[@jonjamg]

Ah but are they complete?

[@michaeltravisano1161]

They referred to sea flower what is a sea flower or flour is it an animal an instrument, real or imaginary?

[@jonjamg]

Siffleur is a whistler. Britten apparently used whistling in the productions.

[@Freimaco]

Ha ha! Yours or mine? ;)

[@inesdeerausquin5658]

"In all the civilized nations... and in America..." dear me... they can't resist the jabs at the US, but they're so good.... LOL

[@marquisdemoo1792]

Never -Trump- truer?

[@jonjamg]

Oh please don't send him up again!

[@jamme1234567890]

What is this a reference to?

[@jonjamg]

@@jamme1234567890 Benjamin Britten an English composer. It seems Flanders and Swann did not like Britten's music.

[@jamme1234567890]

@@jonjamg I know who Britten is; I've just never understood the line "Please don't send him up again", and it gets a big laugh from the audience. I assumed it was a reference to one of his works.

[@jonjamg]

@@jamme1234567890 Send him up means to make fun of him . Often immitating in a comical way.

[@MrZORROish]

@@jonjamg look up Dudley Moore's Little Miss Britten

[@veaterecosan5636]

First time I've come across this one. Speaking musical taste, can't stand Britten - or Pears for that matter! (That's 'Pears' as in 'Piers' not 'Pears'!) Should I call that "Purcell Preference"? LOL

[@jonjamg]

Mother always used Persil, Omo gave me schoolboy giggles

[@jefolson6989]

I appreciate Pears (correctly pronounced) . He was a great singer with a NOT great voice. Was indifferent about Britten until I read that he hated Brahms. Thought he was over rated. Many dont care for Brahms, But for the MOST overrated composer ever to bash a great composer and still put out his murky crap is too much! I miss many jokes in this since I only know Grimes and Billy Budd and avoid the rest. ...and (yes its tru!( Im a gnu)

[@DieFlabbergast]

@@jefolson6989 Brahms was a good composer: to call him "great" would be going too far. Britten was undoubtedly a great composer, and was recognised as such by his friend Shostakovich, another of the 20th century's greatest composers.

[@jefolson6989]

@@DieFlabbergast actually I agree. The vast majority of Brahms output is crap. All those chamber works, endless solo piano stuff and the dumb Hungarian stuff! But the few serious works of Brahms that ARE great, are VERY GREAT ( 3 of the symphonies, the Requiem, and , if you cut the finales, the concerti.) I don't think he had any more in him. If you listen to only those select pieces, as I do, then he IS great. But , as a member of the " three Bs" there is a huge gulf between Brahms and Bach/Beethoven. I appreciate Mr Pears in music other than Britten, because it's odd, strange, bizarre, but technically he was suprising as the evangelist in the Bach passions and Acis and Galetea recording. Very difficult music, but he Handles Handel very well. Also ok in Dowland songs. He always sounded old. The British are very loyal to their own. And Britten was a brilliant pianist and conductor. But the atmosphere of his operas is claustrophobic to me. Sometimes dramatically effective. Composers should refrain from making negative comments about fellow composers since it invites criticism of their own works. As if they arent entitled to an opinion . Same with all performers authors composers etc. So they usually keep quiet .