Britten Thematic Catalogue

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BTC1079 UNTITLED PIECE (unfinished)

For four horns, percussion and strings
Subtitle: For four horns, percussion and strings
Other titles: In memoriam Dennis Brain

Title under which it was first performed.

Composition date: ca. Jan 1958
Date notes

Britten wrote to Yehudi Menuhin on 18 Jan 1958 that he was planning a piece in memory of Dennis Brain, and to Ludwig Hesse two days later that it was one of the pieces he 'ought to be' working on. See Letters from a life, vol. 5.

First performance: 11 Jan 2005 >>
Type of performance: Concert performance
Location: Royal Academy of Music, London
Performance details:

The work was orchestrated from Britten's draft by Colin Matthews, and a few bars derived from the sketch inserted at the close to finish the piece.

Genre: Orchestral
Performing forces:

4 hn in F - t bells - str

Notes

This piece was begun as a memorial to the British horn player Dennis Brain (1921-1957), and intended for the 1958 Aldeburgh festival. Britten did not complete it, however, and other works were played at the festival as a tribute to Brain.

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