Britten Thematic Catalogue

Beta Version

BTC862 BALLAD OF HEROES

For tenor (or soprano) solo, chorus and orchestra, op. 14
Subtitle: For tenor (or soprano) solo, chorus and orchestra
Other titles: Anthems for Englishmen

Title under which the work was initially advertised.

Period of composition: 28 Feb - 29 Mar 1939
First performance: 5 Apr 1939 >>
Type of performance: Concert performance
Location: Festival of Music for the People, Queen's Hall, London
Performance details:

Walter Widdop ten, twelve Co-Operative and Labour Choirs, LSO, Constant Lambert cond

Genre: Choral
Text: Randal Swingler (1909-1967) and W.H. Auden (1907-1973)
Performing forces:

Orchestra: 3 fl (II=picc), 2 ob, ca (=ob III*), 2 cl in B flat, cl in E flat*, 2 bn, dbn (=bn III*) - 4 hn, 2 tpt in C, 3 trbn, tuba - timp, 2 perc (xyl, sd, td, bd, whip, cymb) - harp - str.

Offstage: 3 tpt in C*, sd*

The work may be performed in a reduced orchestration, omitting the instruments marked with * and the third flute part.

Duration: 15'
Dedication: 'To Montagu and Enid Slater'

Montagu Slater (1902-1956), writer and librettist of Peter Grimes, op. 33; and Enid Slater (1903-1988), photographer.

Notes

The score uses material from King Arthur (Mar-Apr 1937).

Movements

  • 1 Funeral march
  • 2 Scherzo (dance of death)
  • 3 Recitative and choral - epilogue (funeral march)

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