{"product_id":"war-requiem-op-66-britten","title":"Boosey \u0026 Hawkes — War Requiem, Op. 66","description":"\u003cp\u003efor soprano, tenor and baritone solos, chorus, orchestra, chamber orchestra, boys' choir and organ\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eScoring: 3 (3=picc), 2, ca, 3 (III=cl in Eb and bass cl), 2, dbl bn; 6, 4, 3, 1; timps, 4 perc (2 sd, td, bd, tamb, trgl, cymb, castanets, whip, Chinese blocks, gong, bells in C and F#, vibr, antique cymbals in C and F#); piano, grand org (ad lib); strings.Chamber orch: fl (=picc), ob (=ca), cl, bn; hn; perc (timp, sd, bd, cymb, gong); harp, string quintet (2 vl, vla, vc, db)Chamber organ (or harmonium) to accompany boys' choir\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eText: Missa pro defunctis and Wilfred Owen\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Boosey \u0026amp; Hawkes\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDifficulty level: 5\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn many ways this magnum opus, one of the 20th century's defining works, was also Britten's defining moment. For a long time Britten had felt that the gap in his output was a major choral\/orchestral work. When Coventry mounted an Arts Festival to celebrate the dedication of its new cathedral in 1962 Britten was an obvious choice to ask for a major work. This, for Britten, was the opportunity for which he had been waiting. As a lifelong, passionate pacifist it was his opportunity to write a work which reminded its audience of the reason for the building of this new cathedral, but also, and far more importantly, to demonstrate in the most powerful way possible the horror, devastation, futility and utter waste of war.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis inspired idea was to mix the words of the Missa pro defunctis (Mass for the Dead) in Latin with the poems of one of the greatest of the First of the spirit War poets, Wilfred Owen. He uses nine of Owen's poems which form a kind of song cycle which weaves in and out of the formal sections of the Latin Mass.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen Britten's recording was released the following year it sold 200,000 copies within the first five months which was almost unheard of for a classical work, and possibly unique for a large-scale contemporary one. This was the moment of destiny for which Britten had been preparing all his adult life. The peace movements of the 1960s, the Cuban missile crisis, nuclear testing, anti-nuclear protests, the war-weariness of the seemingly endless conflict in Vietnam, all these things contributed to the public's readiness to hear this message which Britten so powerfully addressed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDuration: 85 minutes\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePaul Spicer, Lichfield, 2011\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eProduct details\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVoicing:\u003c\/strong\u003e CHORAL SCORE\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFormat:\u003c\/strong\u003e Choral Score\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSeries:\u003c\/strong\u003e BH Large Choral\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 80\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 10.5 × 6.9 × 0.2 in\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 7 oz\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eBoosey \u0026amp; Hawkes — historic British publisher of Stravinsky, Britten, Copland, Bernstein.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAuthorized dealer. Shipped insured, dealer-direct from Milwaukee, with worldwide delivery available.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Boosey \u0026 Hawkes","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53479210025278,"sku":"48009030","price":38.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0695\/1396\/9982\/files\/48009030-wl_3f38cf2a-5452-40ee-b350-7f7580f90b3e.jpg?v=1778793105","url":"https:\/\/themusiciansclub.net\/products\/war-requiem-op-66-britten","provider":"The Musicians Club","version":"1.0","type":"link"}