Song Cycle `Songs from the Chinese` for Voice and Guitar (1957), op. 58 (Britten)

Benjamin Britten (1913–1976)


Song Cycle `Songs from the Chinese` for Voice and Guitar (1957), op. 58

   

Text: Chinese poets translated by Arthur Waley
1. `Book of Songs` (Book of Odes) is the earliest existing collection of Chinese poems and songs. It comprises 305 poems and songs, with many range...Read more
Text: Chinese poets translated by Arthur Waley
1. `Book of Songs` (Book of Odes) is the earliest existing collection of Chinese poems and songs. It comprises 305 poems and songs, with many range from the 10th to the 7th centuries BC.
2. Po Chü-i = Bai Juyi (772–846) was a Chinese poet of the Tang dynasty.
3. Wu-ti (156 BC–87 BC)- Emperor Wu of Han (Han Wu Ti), personal name Liu Che, was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty of China, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. He is cited in Chinese history as the greatest emperor of the Han dynasty and one of the greatest emperors in Chinese history.
4. Lu Yu - Li Houzhu (937–978), personal name Li Yu, was the last ruler of the Southern Tang Kingdom from 961 to 975 during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. He was also a well-known poet - the `first true master` of the CI form.
5. Arthur David Waley (1889–1966) was an English orientalist and sinologist.

Duration: 10.0`
First performance: 17 Jun 1958, Peter Pears - tenor, Julian Bream - guitar
Dedication: `For Peg and Lu, from Ben, Peter and Julian`

Numbers:
1 The big chariot (from `The book of songs`)
2 The old lute (Po Chü-i)
3 The autumn wind (Wu-ti)
4 The herd-boy (Lu Yu)
5 Depression (Po Chü-i)
6 Dance song (from `The book of songs`)

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5. Depression (Po Chü-i)
        (3)

1. The Big Chariot (from `The book of songs`)
        (4)

3. The autumn wind (Wu-ti)
        (4)

6. Dance song (from `The book of songs`)
        (4)

4. The herd-boy (Lu Yu)
        (4)

Recorded: July 1969, London.
        (1)
 
 

 
 
     

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