{"product_id":"a-boy-was-born-op-3-britten","title":"A Boy Was Born op. 3","description":"\u003cp\u003eChoral Variations for unaccompanied* SATB with boys' voices\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTexts:Theme A Boy was Born Anon. 16th century\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVariation 1 Lullay, Jesu Anon. before 1536\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVariation 2 Herod Anon. before 1529\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVariation 3 Jesu, as Thou art our saviour Anon. 15th Century\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVariation 4 The Three Kings Anon. 15th Century\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVariation 5 In the bleak mid-winter Christina Rossetti\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLully, lulley, lully, lulley Anon. before 1536\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVariation 6 (Finale) Noel!, Welcome Yule Anon. 15th century\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChristmas Thomas Tusser A Christmas Carol Francis Quarles\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Chester Music\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDifficulty level: 5\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e*an organ part was created by Ralph Downes in 1957-58 which should only be used in extremis.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe extent of Britten's early genius can, to some extent, be measured by thiswork. Written while a student  at the Royal College of Music aged only 19 itdemonstrates the  most  precocious  creative gifts. A rock-solid technique  is evident, but also the ability to develop ideas over a large span of time (this is a major work) and, while testing even the best of choirs to its limits, Britten nevertheless  always writes within the grasp of what is possible, and not only possible but supremely effective. Each movement contributes to the developing relationship with the initial theme, while also sitting perfectly within the sense of an unfolding 'Suite' of movements.  The conductor  needs to realise the tempo relationships and the contrasts of mood, pace and dynamics, and judge the scale of each movement in relation to the others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOne of the issues with this work is that it requires a boys' choir in addition to the main choir. This, of course, can also be a girls' or even a mixed group of upper voices. It does have to be a separate group, however, and in some performances  they also have their own conductor,  but they should not  be placed at a distance due to the intricacy of their part in relation to the whole.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA Boy was Born is one of the most excitingly satisfying of Britten's choral works. While it should not be undertaken by any but the most ambitious amateur choirs, its challenges are certainly surmountable with a good run of rehearsals.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDuration: 32 minutes\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePaul Spicer, Lichfield, 2011\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Chester Music","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53484049891646,"sku":"14041340","price":21.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/themusiciansclub.net\/en-cn\/products\/a-boy-was-born-op-3-britten","provider":"The Musicians Club","version":"1.0","type":"link"}