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Few composers have cast such a long shadow over a nation's musical consciousness as Benjamin Britten. Born in 1913 in the seaside town of Lowestoft in Suffolk, Britten was the first of his generation to attain international recognition; while at home his music breathed new life into the cultural fabric of post-war Britain. An accomplished pianist and conductor, he re-established "English" opera with the overwhelming success of "Peter Grimes", first heard in 1945. Together with his partner in life and music, the tenor Peter Pears, he founded the Aldeburgh Festival in 1948. The level of recognition Britten achieved is all the more remarkable because in 1948 he was still only 35!

Across the week Donald Macleod explores these formative years. It's a rich seam of music to mine, with works including Les Illuminations, the Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra and Sinfonia da Requiem. The week concludes with excerpts from Peter Pears's acclaimed recording of Peter Grimes and the triumphal conclusion of Britten's Spring Symphony, premiered in 1949 by Pears and the contralto Kathleen Ferrier.

Concluding this week's series, Donald Macleod finds Britten's opera Peter Grimes heralding a new dawn in British opera.

Sunday Morning (Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes)
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Libor Pešek, conductor

Embroidery Aria (Peter Grimes, Act 3 Sc 1)
Claire Watson, soprano, Ellen Orford
James Pease, bass-baritone, Balstrode
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Benjamin Britten, conductor

Finale (Peter Grimes, Act 3, Sc 2)
Claire Watson, soprano, Ellen Orford
James Pease, bass-baritone, Captain Balstrode
Peter Pears, tenor, Peter Grimes
Raymond Nilsson, tenor, Boles
Owen Brannigan, bass, Swallow
Jean Watson, contralto, Auntie
Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Benjamin Britten, conductor

Occasional Overture, Op 38
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Simon Rattle, conductor

Canticle 1, Op 40
Philip Langridge, tenor
Steuart Bedford, piano

Spring Symphony, Op 44 (Part 4: Finale)
Martyn Hill, tenor,
Alfreda Hodgson, contralto
Elizabeth Gale, soprano
Senior Choirs of the City of London School for Girls and City of London School
London Symphony Orchestra
Richard Hickox, conductor.