The intersection of two musical giants often produces a spark, but the creative collision between Benjamin Britten and Aaron Copland in the summer of 1939 was more of a symbiotic exchange. It was a period of “mutual admiration,” tennis matches, and swimming in Woodstock, New York, that helped refine the lean, witty, and rhythmically precise language that would define much of Britten’s early maturity.
In a recent program that serves as a poignant precursor to the 50th anniversary of the composer’s death, the Britten Sinfonia presented a curated journey through this formative era. The performance, titled as a reflection on Britten’s time in North America, successfully bridged the gap between the English composer’s European roots and the expansive American spirit he encountered during his residency from 1939 to 1942.
This Britten Sinfonia: Britten in America review finds the ensemble not merely playing notes, but reconstructing a historical moment. Britten and his lifelong partner, tenor Peter Pears, had famously boarded an ocean liner in the spring of 1939, seeking what they described as a “vacation from the general European atmosphere” just as the continent teetered on the edge of total war. The resulting music was a blend of displacement and discovery.
The Woodstock Connection and Early American Works
The program opened with a sharp focus on the immediate fruits of Britten’s American arrival. The performance of Young Apollo, a fanfare commissioned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, set a tone of intellectual playfulness. Directed from the violin by Zoë Beyers, the piece was delivered with a tautness and wit that mirrored Britten’s own youthful energy during his time in the States.
The synergy between the ensemble and the soloists was immediately apparent. Pianist Huw Watkins provided a standout contribution, with mercurial scales and delicate glissandos that brought a sense of spontaneity to the performance, evoking the genuine delight of a composer discovering new sonic possibilities in a new land.
This lightness shifted into something more complex with Les Illuminations. This song cycle, based on the poetry of Arthur Rimbaud, represents a subtler encounter between musical languages. Soprano Elizabeth Watts demonstrated remarkable expressive control, navigating the score’s demands from the harshest lower registers to a creamy, effortless top. The Britten Sinfonia complemented her with a rotation of solo lines and “impish pizzicato,” capturing the fierce, characterful details that make the work a cornerstone of 20th-century vocal music.
A Brooklyn Heights Houseshare and Jazz Influences
Adding a layer of biographical intimacy to the evening were the Six Piano Preludes by Paul Bowles. The inclusion of Bowles—both a writer and a composer—served as a nod to the period when he and Britten shared a house in Brooklyn Heights. The two famously clashed over the rights to the piano, a domestic struggle that belied a deep artistic respect.
Watkins handled the Bowles miniatures with a “woozy poetry,” leaning into the jazz-inflected harmonies that would have been familiar in the New York bars of the era. This segment of the concert highlighted the cosmopolitan nature of Britten’s American experience, showing how he absorbed the sounds of the city as much as the landscapes of the countryside.
| Period | Key Event/Work | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 1939 | Departure for North America | Escape from European political tension. |
| Summer 1939 | Woodstock residency with Copland | Mutual influence on rhythmic and melodic style. |
| 1939–1942 | Brooklyn Heights residency | Collaboration and friction with Paul Bowles. |
| Mid-1942 | Return to the UK | Return to rebuild British opera. |
Copland’s Americana and the Chamber Ideal
The second half of the concert shifted the spotlight to Aaron Copland, the architect of the “American sound.” Ukrainian clarinettist Oleg Shebeta-Dragan led a blistering performance of the Clarinet Concerto. While the piece demanded breathtaking virtuosity, the execution was notably collaborative, avoiding the pitfalls of a mere showcase to instead focus on the work’s inherent dialogue between soloist and ensemble.
The evening culminated in the original chamber scoring of Appalachian Spring. Performing this work in its smaller ensemble version rather than the full orchestral arrangement allows for a greater sense of intimacy and transparency. The Britten Sinfonia navigated the work’s “flipbook of contrasts” with ease, moving from crystalline vulnerability to a weighted, rustic bowing that felt organic and inevitable.
For those following the legacy of Britten Sinfonia, this performance underscored the ensemble’s commitment to exploring the composer’s full trajectory. By pairing Britten with Copland, the program illustrated how the “land without music”—a label often unfairly applied to Britain—was revitalized by a composer who had the courage to leave home and listen to the rest of the world.
The performances took place at The Apex in Bury St Edmunds on May 19 and The Halls in Norwich on May 20, marking a high point in the season’s commemorative efforts.
As the music world moves toward the official 50th anniversary of Britten’s death in 2026, the Britten Sinfonia is expected to continue its deep dive into the composer’s archives and international relationships. The next phase of this anniversary season will likely focus on the return of Britten to England and the subsequent founding of the Aldeburgh Festival.
We invite you to share your thoughts on Britten’s American influence in the comments below or share this review with fellow classical music enthusiasts.
