Britten's Spring Symphony in Sweden - Radio Broadcast

Anne Sofie von Otter, Daniel Harding, Mark Padmore

They're celebrating the Centenary of Benjamin Britten in Sweden, too (and they even imported some Brits to help them out.) Under the direction of Daniel Harding, the Swedish Radio Chorus and Symphony presented Britten's Spring Symphony on May 24th this year.

This work is scored for three soloists, choruses, and orchestra. Britten drew from several sources for his texts, including a poem by W.H. Auden. Britten said that the work represents "the progress of Winter to Spring and the reawakening of the earth and life which that means."

The concert starts with Frank Peter Zimmerman playing the Hindemith Violin Concerto. If you want to skip that (for lack of time only, of course), ASvO's interview (in Swedish) starts at 1:15. English interviews with Sophie Bevan and Mark Padmore start at about 1:22, and the Britten starts at about 1:32.  Here is a link to the Sveriges Radio page for the concert, and here is an analysis of the symphony from program notes for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Sveriges Radio usually leaves these archives up for about a month.

 

Poetry Sung in the Spring Symphony 

Part 1 

Introduction: Shine Out (Anonymous) (mixed chorus)

The Merry Cuckoo (Edmund Spenser) (tenor solo)

Spring, the Sweet Spring (Thomas Nashe) (soprano, alto and tenor soli, mixed chorus)

The Driving Boy (George Peele, John Clare) (soprano solo and boys' choir)

The Morning Star (John Milton) (mixed chorus)

Part 2 

Welcome, Maids of Honour (Robert Herrick) (alto solo)

Waters Above! (Henry Vaughan) (tenor solo)

Out on the lawn I Lie in bed (W. H. Auden) (alto solo and mixed chorus)

Part 3 

When will my May Come? (Richard Barnfield) (tenor solo)

Fair and Fair (George Peele) (soprano and tenor soli)

Sound the Flute! (William Blake) (male chorus, female chorus and boys' choir)

Part 4

Finale: London, to Thee I do Present (Anon, closing words Beaumont and Fletcher) (soprano, alto and tenor soli, mixed chorus and boys' choir)

You can find the complete texts at The Lied, Art Song, and Choral Texts Archive, save the Auden, which they did not reproduce since it is (or may be) still under copyright.