Britten Thematic Catalogue

Beta Version

BTC632 A WEALDEN TRIO

For two sopranos and mezzo-soprano
Period of composition: 28 Apr - 12 Aug 1929
Revised: 12 Aug-29 Oct 1929; 29 Oct 1929-30 May 1930; Nov 1967
First performance: 19 Jun 1968 >>
Type of performance: Concert performance (1967 revision)
Location: Aldeburgh Parish Church, Aldeburgh Festival
Performance details:

Ambrosian Singers, Philip Ledger cond

Genre: Vocal or choral (unaccompanied)
Text: Ford Maddox Ford (1873-1939)

The author's name is written as 'Ford Madox Hueffer' on several of the sources. This was the author's original name, which he changed to 'Ford Madox Ford' during World War I.

Dedication: For Rosamund [1967 version]

Rosamund Strode (1927-2010). Britten's music assistant from 1964 onwards.

Notes

The third version of the piece (see manuscript sources) was written out to form part of a submission for a composition scholarship at the Royal College of Music.

The composer's note in the original edition observes: 'This piece was originally intended for three solo voices, but it can be sung by three soloists with chorus, or by one soloist (mezzo-soprano) with chorus, or the whole may be sung tutti.'

All content copyright (C) Britten-Pears Foundation 2012 unless stated. Please note all BTC numbers are provisional at this stage.