The twentieth century has witnessed a renaissance in the composition of choral music. Not since the Baroque, has choral writing held the prominent position with composers that it has today. At the same time, English composers have regained a stature and influence they have not held since the time of Purcell. It was not until the time of Edward Elgar, Gustave Holst, and Ralph Vaughn-Williams that English music began to recover from the decline of the nineteenth century. Benjamin Britten has played a large role in both the choral renaissance and the recovery of English music.

This study examines the relationship between sonnet form and musical form in Benjamin Britten's sonnet cycles with a view toward identifying the musico-poetic form how the musical form interprets the poetry. Several issues come to the fore: 1) articulation of the large-scale divisions of the poetic form in the music; 2) potential of the musical setting to make connections between lines of the text ; 3) potential of the musical setting to follow or imitate the thought processes of the poem; and 4) placement of the departure and return.

Benjamin Britten is one of the foremost contemporary English composers. He has successfully revived English opera, dead since Purcell, and this is one of his most significant contributions to the contemporary music world. Therefore, the purpose of this document is to give the reader some insight into Britten' s operatic style. The first chapter contains a sketch of Britten's life with particular reference to his operas, along with general characteristics of his writing. The following chapter has been devoted to a closer consideration of four of his2 operas: Peter Grimes, ;Theof. Lueretia, Albert Herring, and Gloriana. Since an analysis of entire operas would exceed the limitations of this paper, the soprano role has been selected as representative of Britten's operatic style. The vocal score of Turn of the Screw was not available for this study, and his other operas do not contain soprano roles. With each analysis a brief synopsis of the plot is included as a background for the musical analysis. Following the plot is a general treatment of the outstanding style features of the role. In order to present another facet of Britten's writing, the specific analysis of each soprano role is handled from a thematic standpoint. That is, the role is scrutinized for important recurring motives, the significance of these motives is noted, and examination made of their relationship to the opera as a. whole. Reti's Thematic Process in Mlusic has proved an invaluable guide to this type of analysis.

Diss.--Comparative literature--Stanford (Calif.)--Univ., 1998. / Bibliogr. p. 190-198.

Ralph Vaughan Williams and Benjamin Britten were two of the most prominent and popular composers in England in the first half of the twentieth century; however, their musical styles represent two different schools of thought, pastoralism and modernism. Despite their differences, they had much in common. They attended the same school; were heirs of a movement to promote English music, the English Musical Renaissance; and greatly admired their predecessor Henry Purcell. This document investigates how these two composers formulated diverse compositional styles even though they shared a common musical heritage.The investigation in this document is two-part. First, the investigation depicts the origin and formulation of both composers' styles through a discussion and comparison of their musical backgrounds, teachers, influences, and ideals. This discussion includes information on their personal training and ideas, as well as influential movements, composers, and teachers. The second portion includes analysis and comparison of Vaughan Williams' and Britten's Festival Te Deums. The document includes a discussion of the origin of the Te Deum text and history of musical settings. Specific elements of the Festival Te Deums are discussed, compared, and traced to possible origins of influence in each composer's heritage. This document includes an analysis of Purcell's Te Deum in comparison to the Vaughan Williams and Britten settings as a demonstration of the affects of a common influence on their music.The influences and ideals of each composer clearly manifest themselves in their respective Festival Te Deums. The analysis confirms there are obvious differences in their respective musical ideas; however, the effects of similar influences on their musical styles are not always similar. Although Vaughan Williams and Britten followed the principles of the English Musical Renaissance and emulated Purcell, each composer was so distinct in his musical interpretation that it is difficult to recognize the similar influences in the music itself. In this way, both remained committed to their heritage, but each developed a unique musical voice.

The purpose of this study was to recognize the unique character of Benjamin Britten's writing for cello and to exhibit his exceptional contribution to the cello repertory. Britten made a significant contribution to the cello repertory with his six cello works: Sonata. for Cello and Piano in C, Op. 65, Cello Symphony, Op. 68, The Three Cello Suites, Op. 72, Op. 80, Op. 87, and Tema `Sacher . However, many of these compositions are underperformed and overlooked by today's performers. This disregard by the general public for Britten's cello works may be because of the interest in other extreme compositional styles employed by several other composers in the 20th century. While Britten's contemporaries focused on extremely inventive methods of writing, Britten focused on his own renovation of the traditional elements.This study focused on Benjamin Britten's four solo cello works: The Three Cello Suites, Op. 72, Op. 80, Op. 87, and Tema `Sacher'. It began with a biographical overview of Benjamin Britten's life, his writing philosophy, and the way it influenced his compositional process. This study then delved into the depth of the three solo cello suites, Tema `Sacher', and concluded with a summary of the analysis.Each of the works were examined and analyzed according to Britten's use of the concept of duality. The dual elements of rhythm/tempo/meter, motive, key/tonality/modality, form, and texture were analyzed in details. This study analyzed every movement based on its application of those elements. Excerpts of music were also provided to illustrate with the analysis.This study hopes to allow the public to rediscover the ingenious writing Benjamin Britten achieved and to encourage today's cellists to recognize Britten's importance as a composer in the history of cello composition. / School of Music

The purpose of this study was to acknowledge and bring to light the undeniable significance of Benjamin Britten as a composer and his Piano Concerto in D, Op.13. This dissertation delved into the depth of the concerto with structural and harmonic analysis along with suggested pedagogical methods and performance aspects.The first chapter included an introduction of the piano-concerto genre in general, motivation for the study of Britten's Piano Concerto, review of literature on Britten and the piano concerto, and methodology of the dissertation. The second chapter continued with an overview of Britten's life, accomplishments as a pianist, and his contribution to the piano repertoire in general. The third chapter provided a stylistic analysis on each movement of the concerto. It included structural analysis based on the formal, motivic, thematic, rhythmic, melodic and harmonic elements presented throughout the concerto. Additionally, possible technical challenges and suggestions for practice methods were recommended based on the issues of phrasings, articulations, dynamics, musical expressions and styles. Since each movement has its own unique titles such as Toccata, Waltz, Impromptu, and March, the origins of the genre and Britten's association with the terminology was also examined.The dissertation not only underlined the importance of Britten as a composer for the piano, it also revealed his distinct compositional characteristics shown in the piano concerto in relation to his other significant piano repertoire. The dissertation closed with a summary of the detailed analysis of the concerto and recommended further studies on Britten and his piano concerto. / School of Music

J. S. Bach se ses suites vir onbegeleide tjello word as sentrale werke in die tjelloliteratuur, en spesifiek wat die genre vir onbegeleide tjellomusiek betref, as die norm beskou. Uitgaande van bostaande beskouing vorm die bestudering van die suites dus die basis van hierdie studie. Die werke van Bach staan in die middelpunt van ’n lang ontwikkelingsgeskiedenis van onbegeleide strykersmusiek wat vanaf die 16de tot die 20ste eeu strek. ’n Algemene historiese oorsig van hierdie ontwikkeling word in Hoofstuk 2 weergegee. Die eienskappe van Bach se melodiese styl, en veral die kontraselemente, vorm die uitgangspunt van die analitiese studie van die ses suites in Hoofstuk 3. Op grond van hierdie eienskappe kan latente meerstemmigheid deurgaans in die onbegeleide suites van Bach aangetoon word. Waar Bach se suites die kernpunt van die ontwikkeling van onbegeleide strykersmusiek daarstel, vorm die werke van 20ste eeuse komponiste soos Reger, Bloch en Britten die kulminasiepunt van die hele proses. Hoewel hulle werke en die van Bach tot verskillende stylperiodes behoort, blyk dit egter duidelik uit ’n studie daarvan in Hoofstuk 4 dat daar in die skepping van hierdie werke uitgegaan is van die voorbeeld en basis wat in Bach se suites daargestel is. Die feit dat die werke tot verskillende stylperiodes behoort, bring ook mee dat daar grondliggende verskille, byvoorbeeld wat tonaliteit en vorm betref, tussen die werke van Bach aan die een kant en die werke van Reger, Bloch en Britten aan die ander kant bestaan. n Gemeenskaplike faktor tussen die werke wat in hierdie studie ondersoek is, is dat hulle almal, nieteenstaande grondliggende stylverskille, vir die tjello, wat n melodie–instrument is, geskryf is. Om in die onbegeleide werke beide die horisontale sowel as die vertikale dimensies in die musiek te kan realiseer, moes sekere tegnieke in die melodiese skryfwyse, soos byvoorbeeld meervlakkige beweging in die melodiese lyn deur onder andere pedaalpunte, kontrastering van motiewe en sekwensiële beweging aangewend word. Ooreenstemmende kenmerke in die musiek van die vier komponiste kan dikwels aangetoon word. Afgesien van die ooreenkomste is daar egter ook verskille as gevolg van die onderskeid tussen die individuele sowel as tydstyle wat as grondslag en uitgangspunt van die werke van die verskillende komponiste dien. Selfs in die werke van Reger, Bloch en Britten is daar n ontwikkeling van byvoorbeeld latente meerstemmigheid volgens die voorbeeld van Bach na n meer volwaardige meerstemmigheid soos dit veral in die werke van Britten neerslag vind. / Thesis (D.Mus)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

J. S. Bach se ses suites vir onbegeleide tjello word as sentrale werke in die tjelloliteratuur, en spesifiek wat die genre vir onbegeleide tjellomusiek betref, as die norm beskou. Uitgaande van bostaande beskouing vorm die bestudering van die suites dus die basis van hierdie studie. Die werke van Bach staan in die middelpunt van ’n lang ontwikkelingsgeskiedenis van onbegeleide strykersmusiek wat vanaf die 16de tot die 20ste eeu strek. ’n Algemene historiese oorsig van hierdie ontwikkeling word in Hoofstuk 2 weergegee. Die eienskappe van Bach se melodiese styl, en veral die kontraselemente, vorm die uitgangspunt van die analitiese studie van die ses suites in Hoofstuk 3. Op grond van hierdie eienskappe kan latente meerstemmigheid deurgaans in die onbegeleide suites van Bach aangetoon word. Waar Bach se suites die kernpunt van die ontwikkeling van onbegeleide strykersmusiek daarstel, vorm die werke van 20ste eeuse komponiste soos Reger, Bloch en Britten die kulminasiepunt van die hele proses. Hoewel hulle werke en die van Bach tot verskillende stylperiodes behoort, blyk dit egter duidelik uit ’n studie daarvan in Hoofstuk 4 dat daar in die skepping van hierdie werke uitgegaan is van die voorbeeld en basis wat in Bach se suites daargestel is. Die feit dat die werke tot verskillende stylperiodes behoort, bring ook mee dat daar grondliggende verskille, byvoorbeeld wat tonaliteit en vorm betref, tussen die werke van Bach aan die een kant en die werke van Reger, Bloch en Britten aan die ander kant bestaan. n Gemeenskaplike faktor tussen die werke wat in hierdie studie ondersoek is, is dat hulle almal, nieteenstaande grondliggende stylverskille, vir die tjello, wat n melodie–instrument is, geskryf is. Om in die onbegeleide werke beide die horisontale sowel as die vertikale dimensies in die musiek te kan realiseer, moes sekere tegnieke in die melodiese skryfwyse, soos byvoorbeeld meervlakkige beweging in die melodiese lyn deur onder andere pedaalpunte, kontrastering van motiewe en sekwensiële beweging aangewend word. Ooreenstemmende kenmerke in die musiek van die vier komponiste kan dikwels aangetoon word. Afgesien van die ooreenkomste is daar egter ook verskille as gevolg van die onderskeid tussen die individuele sowel as tydstyle wat as grondslag en uitgangspunt van die werke van die verskillende komponiste dien. Selfs in die werke van Reger, Bloch en Britten is daar n ontwikkeling van byvoorbeeld latente meerstemmigheid volgens die voorbeeld van Bach na n meer volwaardige meerstemmigheid soos dit veral in die werke van Britten neerslag vind. / Thesis (D.Mus)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Benjamin Britten has written solo and chamber works for the harp which extend harp technique and contribute to a twentieth century public awareness of the instrument. Unlike the majority of harp composers, Britten was internationally known and not a harpist himself. His works form a large part of all contemporary harp literature, yet his solo work and composition for harp and high voice are rarely played because of their difficulty. An examination of A Ceremony of Carols (1942), Suite for Harp (1969), and A Birthday Hansel (1975), will illustrate his contribution to harp performance and technique, and will serve as a valuable resource for harpists.