Britten Thematic Catalogue

Notes

The 'secondo' part of the duet is entitled 'The "push-me" duet', and the primo part is marked 'The "scratch-yer-eyes-out" duet. The melody of the duet is the Tyneside folk song 'The keel row'. There is a poem written out at the bottom of the score, which is presumably by Britten:

[At the bottom of the 'secondo' (left hand) page] Oh! she pushed him,/ Oh! she pushed him,/ Oh! her little Benjamin! [At the bottom of the 'primo' (right hand) page] And He nearly,/ scratched yer eyes out/ poor little Barbarin! ('Little Barbarin' is a reference to Britten's sister, Barbara.)