Benjamin Britten. A Life in the Twentieth Century.
by Kildea, Paul:
- Used
- Hardcover
- Signed
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Cley-Next-The-Sea, Norfolk, United Kingdom
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: Allen Lane, 2013 First edition, first impression. SIgned by the author with dedicatory message, on title page. HB. Cloth and dustjacket. 665pp. With 59 b&w photos & illustrations in plates. Colour pictorial endpapers. Acclaimed biography of Britten showing great sensitivity to his music and the complexity of his relationships. Fine in Fine jacket, now in clear sleeve.
Synopsis
Benjamin Britten was Britain's greatest twentieth-century composer - and in the eyes of many, the greatest since Purcell (a figure who often inspired him) three hundred years earlier. Britten broke decisively with the romantic, nationalist school of figures such as Parry, Elgar and Vaughan Williams and recreated English music in a fresh, modern, European form. With Peter Grimes (1945) and Billy Budd (1951) he arguably composed the last operas - from any composer in any country - which have entered both the popular consciousness and the musical canon. He did all this while carrying two disadvantages to worldly success - his passionately held pacifism, which made him very suspect to the authorities in the years during and immediately after the Second World War - and his homosexuality, specifically his forty-year relationship with Peter Pears, for whom many of his greatest operatic roles and vocal works were created. One of the strengths of Kildea's book is the way it traces the development of this relationship and portrays their life together. For Britten, that life was increasingly lived in and around Aldeburgh, whose atmosphere and personalities form another wonderful dimension to the book. Kildea shows clearly how Britten made this creative community, notably with the foundation of the Aldeburgh Festival and the building of Snape Maltings, but also how costly the determination that this required was in terms of his friendships and the lives of some of those around him. Above all, this book helps us understand the relationship of Britten's music to his life, and takes us as far into his creative process as we are ever likely to go. Kildea reads dozens of Britten's works with enormous intelligence and sensitivity, and always in a way which those without formal musical training can understand. It is one of the most moving and enjoyable biographies of a creative artist of any kind to have appeared for years.
Reviews
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- David Ford Books
(GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 24689
- Title
- Benjamin Britten. A Life in the Twentieth Century.
- Author
- Kildea, Paul:
- Book Condition
- Used
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- London: Allen Lane, 2013
- Bookseller catalogs
- Entertainment;
Terms of Sale
David Ford Books
Payment by GB Sterling Pound cheque, Bank Transfer, PAYPAL. Any extra postage required will be quoted at time of order confirmation.
Books may be returned within 7 days, with prior notification, if not as described
About the Seller
David Ford Books
Biblio member since 2006
Cley-Next-The-Sea, Norfolk
About David Ford Books
Member of Provincial Bookfairs Association.
David Ford Books is a member of the P.B.F.A. and sells a wide range of quality out of print and antiquarian books through their book sales and at bookfair throughout the UK. The condition of our books is of the utmost importance to us, with few falling below the VG and many in Fine condition. All dust wrappers are protected. Should you wish to discuss a book, or your requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us by email or (as I prefer to talk to customers personally) by telephone.
David Ford Books is a member of the P.B.F.A. and sells a wide range of quality out of print and antiquarian books through their book sales and at bookfair throughout the UK. The condition of our books is of the utmost importance to us, with few falling below the VG and many in Fine condition. All dust wrappers are protected. Should you wish to discuss a book, or your requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us by email or (as I prefer to talk to customers personally) by telephone.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Title Page
- A page at the front of a book which may contain the title of the book, any subtitles, the authors, contributors, editors, the...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
Frequently asked questions
This Book’s Categories
May the Fourth Be With You!
As the Star Wars franchise continues to grow, change, and churn out money-making film after film now under the control of Disney, we can bet that the desire to own Star Wars collectibles will also continue to grow. Check out our gallery of goodies from a galaxy far, far away...
How to properly store your collection
Don't let a few small mistakes erode the value of your growing book collection. Review these tips to help preserve the beauty of your books!
