Britten Thematic Catalogue

Beta Version

BTC830 GIVE UP LOVE [MISSING]

Cabaret song for voice and piano
Composition date: between 6-8 May 1937
Date notes

According to his diary, Britten wrote three songs for Hedli Anderson on consecutive days between 6 and 8 May 1937. It is most likely that this song, along with I'm a jam tart, were two of these. The other song remains unknown.

Genre: Solo vocal
Text: W.H. Auden (1907-1973)

Notes

Britten and Hedli Anderson recorded this song, along with I'm a jam tart, Johnny and Funeral blues for Columbia Records on 14 July 1938. The records were never released, and it appears that the masters were destroyed.

Auden's text for this song can be found on p. 546 of Letters from a life: selected letters and diaries of Benjamin Britten, vol 1: 1923-1939, ed. Mitchell and Reed (London: Faber, 1998).

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