Children's Crusade, Op. 82, subtitled a Ballad for children's voices and orchestra[1] is a composition by Benjamin Britten. He completed it in 1969, setting Bertolt Brecht's poem Kinderkreuzzug 1939 [de] for children's choir with some solo parts, keyboard instruments and an array of percussion, to be performed mainly by children. It was first performed in an English version at St Paul's Cathedral in London on 19 May 1969.
Benjamin Britten composed several works for performance by children.[2][3] He wrote Children's Crusade in October and November 1968,[4][5] setting a narrative poem by Bertolt Brecht entitled Kinderkreuzzug 1939, translated by Hans Keller.[6] The composer stated that he had been interested in setting the text for some time, and suggested it as appropriate when he was approached to compose a work for the 50th anniversary of the Save The Children Fund.[4]
Children's Crusade was performed, in an English version,[5] by members of the Wandsworth School Choir, conducted by Russell Burgess, at St Paul's Cathedral in London on 19 May 1969, as part of a commemorative service.[1] The same year, the performance was repeated as part of the Proms, in a concert at the Royal Albert Hall on 31 August, with Mozart's Symphony No. 25 in G minor and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 "Pathetique".[7]
The first performers recorded the work in 1970 for a collection of Britten Rarities, with the Wandsworth School Boys' Choir, among the soloists Adrian Thompson, pianists Ian Cobb and John Clegg, organist Jonathan Smith and six percussionists.[9] The first performance of the German version took place in Braunschweig in 1980 by girls and boys of the Braunschweiger Jugendchor (Brunswick Youth Choir), conducted by Manfred Ehrhorn, followed by the first recording in German a year later. It was reissued in 2012.[5]
The topic is a group of children in Poland during World War II in quest of peace. It was, after Britten's War Requiem, another work inspired by his pacifist convictions, pointing out the "futility of war, witnessed through the eyes of a group of brave Polish children in the face of overwhelming odds",[2] based on Brecht's imagery.[2]
Music
Britten scored the vocal part for a boys' choir with nine solo parts. The orchestra includes a battery of percussion, two pianos and electronic organ or portable organ. The work takes about 19 minutes to perform.[1] The percussion is intended to be played by children with the help of a few adults. The pianos and organ are designed to establish pitch.[2] The work has been regarded as "a bleak pacifist message",[12] and an "utterly serious piece of music, cleverly designed so as to involve as many children as possible in conveying the rather desperate, bleak message of Brecht’s poem".[10]
References
^ abcd"Children's Crusade". Faber. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
^ abcdSpicer, Paul. "The Children's Crusade" (PDF). Britten Choral Guide. Boosey & Hawkes. p. 11. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
^Flynn, Angie (July 2006). Benjamin Britten's compositions for children and amateurs: cloaking simplicity behind the veil of sophistication(PDF). National University of Ireland, Maynooth.
^ abc"Benjamin Britten, Bertolt Brecht: / Children's Crusade / (Libretto in German)". sicus.de. 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
^ abBritten, Benjamin (1970). Children's Crusade; a Ballad for Children's Voices and Orchestra, Op. 82 ; Words by Bertolt Brecht. Faber Music.
^"Prom 39 / 19:30 Sun 31 Aug 1969 Royal Albert Hall". BBC. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
^Ford, Boris; Britten, Benjamin (2013). Children's Crusade, Op. 82 (1968) (Kinderkreuzzug). Benjamin Britten's Poets: An anthology of the poems he set to music. Manchester, England: Carcanet Press. pp. 378–379. ISBN978-1-84-777690-7.
Poster Print of Music – Benjamin Britten – Wandsworth School Boys Choir – St. Pauls Cathedral prints.paimages.co.uk
May 05, 2023
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Children s Crusade Op 82 subtitled a Ballad for children s voices and orchestra 1 is a composition by Benjamin Britten He completed it in 1969 setting Bertolt Brecht s poem Kinderkreuzzug 1939 de for children s choir with some solo parts keyboard instruments and an array of percussion to be performed mainly by children It was first performed in an English version at St Paul s Cathedral in London on 19 May 1969 Children s CrusadeBallad for children s voices and orchestraby Benjamin BrittenBenjamin Britten in 1968 when he began to compose the workOpus82Occasion50th anniversary of the Save The Children FundTextKinderkreuzzug 1939 de by Bertolt Brecht translated by Hans KellerLanguageGermanComposed1968 1968 1969DedicationHans Werner HenzePerformed19 May 1969 1969 05 19 Published1970 1970 Scoringchildren s voices2 pianosorganpercussion Contents 1 History 2 Theme 3 Music 4 References 5 External linksHistory EditBenjamin Britten composed several works for performance by children 2 3 He wrote Children s Crusade in October and November 1968 4 5 setting a narrative poem by Bertolt Brecht entitled Kinderkreuzzug 1939 translated by Hans Keller 6 The composer stated that he had been interested in setting the text for some time and suggested it as appropriate when he was approached to compose a work for the 50th anniversary of the Save The Children Fund 4 Children s Crusade was performed in an English version 5 by members of the Wandsworth School Choir conducted by Russell Burgess at St Paul s Cathedral in London on 19 May 1969 as part of a commemorative service 1 The same year the performance was repeated as part of the Proms in a concert at the Royal Albert Hall on 31 August with Mozart s Symphony No 25 in G minor and Tchaikovsky s Symphony No 6 Pathetique 7 It was published by Faber Music in 1970 1 6 dedicated to Hans Werner Henze 8 The first performers recorded the work in 1970 for a collection of Britten Rarities with the Wandsworth School Boys Choir among the soloists Adrian Thompson pianists Ian Cobb and John Clegg organist Jonathan Smith and six percussionists 9 The first performance of the German version took place in Braunschweig in 1980 by girls and boys of the Braunschweiger Jugendchor Brunswick Youth Choir conducted by Manfred Ehrhorn followed by the first recording in German a year later It was reissued in 2012 5 In 2002 and 2003 the work was recorded with other music by Britten for children by the Choristers of Christ Church Cathedral and Worcester College Chapel Choristers Christian Wilson piano John Madden percussion and chamber organ and the Oxfordshire Youth Percussion Ensemble conducted by Stephen Darlington 10 A 2015 recording by the Madchenchor Hannover conducted by Gudrun Schrofel combined the work with Britten s A Ceremony of Carols 11 Theme EditThe topic is a group of children in Poland during World War II in quest of peace It was after Britten s War Requiem another work inspired by his pacifist convictions pointing out the futility of war witnessed through the eyes of a group of brave Polish children in the face of overwhelming odds 2 based on Brecht s imagery 2 Music EditBritten scored the vocal part for a boys choir with nine solo parts The orchestra includes a battery of percussion two pianos and electronic organ or portable organ The work takes about 19 minutes to perform 1 The percussion is intended to be played by children with the help of a few adults The pianos and organ are designed to establish pitch 2 The work has been regarded as a bleak pacifist message 12 and an utterly serious piece of music cleverly designed so as to involve as many children as possible in conveying the rather desperate bleak message of Brecht s poem 10 References Edit a b c d Children s Crusade Faber Retrieved 11 November 2020 a b c d Spicer Paul The Children s Crusade PDF Britten Choral Guide Boosey amp Hawkes p 11 Retrieved 22 November 2013 Flynn Angie July 2006 Benjamin Britten s compositions for children and amateurs cloaking simplicity behind the veil of sophistication PDF National University of Ireland Maynooth a b Britten Benjamin 2003 Kildea Paul Francis ed Children s Crusade Op 82 1969 Oxford New York Oxford University Press pp 386 387 ISBN 978 0 19 816714 3 a b c Benjamin Britten Bertolt Brecht Children s Crusade Libretto in German sicus de 2012 Retrieved 12 November 2020 a b Britten Benjamin 1970 Children s Crusade a Ballad for Children s Voices and Orchestra Op 82 Words by Bertolt Brecht Faber Music Prom 39 19 30 Sun 31 Aug 1969 Royal Albert Hall BBC Retrieved 12 November 2020 Ford Boris Britten Benjamin 2013 Children s Crusade Op 82 1968 Kinderkreuzzug Benjamin Britten s Poets An anthology of the poems he set to music Manchester England Carcanet Press pp 378 379 ISBN 978 1 84 777690 7 Culot Hubert March 2004 Benjamin Britten 1913 1976 The Rarities Children s Crusade Op 82 musicweb international com Retrieved 13 November 2020 a b Culot Hubert August 2001 Benjamin Britten 1913 1976 The Golden Vanity Op 78 1966 A Ceremony of Carols Op 28 1942 Missa Brevis in D Op 63 1959 Children s Crusade Op 82 musicweb international com Retrieved 13 November 2020 Britten Children s Crusade amp A Ceremony of Carols prestomusic com Retrieved 12 November 2020 Bridcut John 2012 Children s Crusade op 82 1969 Essential Britten A Pocket Guide for the Britten Centenary Faber amp Faber ISBN 978 0 57 129074 1 External links EditBenjamin Britten Children s Crusade op 82 full score British Library Children s Crusade Britten Thematic Catalogue Performance by Cor Vivaldi on YouTube Seigo Inoue Children s Voices as Musical Materials In Case of Benjamin Britten s Children s Crusade schedule irsclcongress2019 com 2019 Children s Crusade Op 82 Der Kinderkreuzzug text in Italian English German French antiwarsongs org Poster Print of Music Benjamin Britten Wandsworth School Boys Choir St Pauls Cathedral prints paimages co uk Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Children 27s Crusade Britten amp oldid 1121760155, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
