Benjamin Britten / Various Benjamin Britten / Various CD

The opening of Peter Grimes in 1945 changed British music and international opera forever. Amongst a host of premiere recordings, this set collects for the first time the 1948 scenes from Grimes (with original cast and conductor), the 1947 Glyndebourne Lucretia (also under Goodall), and the early HMV recordings of the two sonnet cycles, Britten's two concertos are fascinatingly set contemporaneous recordings of Rubbra and Berkeley.

1. Peter Grimes, Op.33 (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 1 Scene 1: Whatever You Say... Let Her Among You Without Fault Cast the First Stone (Ellen) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Tom Culbert/Bbc Theatre Chorus/Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Sir R 2. Peter Grimes, Op.33 (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 1 Scene 2: Now the Great Bear and Pleiades (Peter) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Tom Culbert/Bbc Theatre Chorus/Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Sir Reginald Goodall/Herbert Dawson 3:22 3. Peter Grimes, Op.33 (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 1 Scene 2: Interlude III: Sunday Morning (Orchestra) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Tom Culbert/Bbc Theatre Chorus/Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Sir Reginald Goodall/Herbert Dawson 2:20 4. Peter Grimes, Op.33 (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 2 Scene 1: Glitter of Waves and Glitter of Sunlight (Ellen/Chorus) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Tom Culbert/Bbc Theatre Chorus/Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Sir Reginald Goodall/Herbert Da 5. Peter Grimes, Op.33 (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 2 Scene 1: Wherefore, I Pray and Beseech You (Rector/Chorus/Ellen) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Tom Culbert/Bbc Theatre Chorus/Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Sir Reginald Goodall/Herbert Da 6. Peter Grimes, Op.33 (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 2 Scene 1: O All Ye Works of the Lord (Chorus/Ellen/Peter) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Tom Culbert/Bbc Theatre Chorus/Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Sir Reginald Goodall/Herbert Dawson 5:5 7. Peter Grimes, Op.33 (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 2 Scene 2: In Dreams I've Built Myself Some Kindlier Home (Peter) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Tom Culbert/Bbc Theatre Chorus/Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Sir Reginald Goodall/Herbert Daw 8. Peter Grimes, Op.33 (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 3 Scene 1: Embroidery in Childhood Was a Luxury of Idleness (Ellen) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Tom Culbert/Bbc Theatre Chorus/Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Sir Reginald Goodall/Herbert D 9. Peter Grimes, Op.33 (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 3 Scene 1: Interlude VI (Orchestra) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Tom Culbert/Bbc Theatre Chorus/Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Sir Reginald Goodall/Herbert Dawson 2:28 10. Peter Grimes, Op.33 (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 3 Scene 2: Grimes!... Steady. There You Are (Chorus/Peter/Ellen) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Tom Culbert/Bbc Theatre Chorus/Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Sir Reginald Goodall/Herbert Daw 11. Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo Op. 22 (1993 Digital Remaster): 1. S? Come Nella Penna E Nell'inchiostro (XVI) Sir Peter Pears/Benjamin Britten 2:03 12. Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo Op. 22 (1993 Digital Remaster): 2. a Che Pi? Debb'io Mai L'intensa Voglia (XXXI) Sir Peter Pears/Benjamin Britten 1:20 13. Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo Op. 22 (1993 Digital Remaster): 3. Veggio Co' Bei Vostri Occhi Un Dolce Lume (XXX) Sir Peter Pears/Benjamin Britten 3:10 14. Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo Op. 22 (1993 Digital Remaster): 4. Tu Sa' Ch'io So, Signior Mie, Che Tu Sai (LV) Sir Peter Pears/Benjamin Britten 1:46 15. Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo Op. 22 (1993 Digital Remaster): 5. Rendete a Gli Occhi Miei, O Fonte O Fiume (XXXVIII) Sir Peter Pears/Benjamin Britten 1:50 16. Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo Op. 22 (1993 Digital Remaster): 6. S'un Casto Amor, S'una Piet? Superna (XXXII) Sir Peter Pears/Benjamin Britten 1:15 17. Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo Op. 22 (1993 Digital Remaster): 7. Spirto Ben Nato, in Cui Si Specchia E Vede (XXIV) Sir Peter Pears/Benjamin Britten 4:48 18. The Holy Sonnets of John Donne Op. 35 (1993 Digital Remaster): 1. Oh My Black Soule! Sir Peter Pears/Benjamin Britten 3:19 19. The Holy Sonnets of John Donne Op. 35 (1993 Digital Remaster): 2. Batter My Heart Sir Peter Pears/Benjamin Britten 1:13 20. The Holy Sonnets of John Donne Op. 35 (1993 Digital Remaster): 3. Oh Might Those Sighes and Teares Sir Peter Pears/Benjamin Britten 3:04 21. The Holy Sonnets of John Donne Op. 35 (1993 Digital Remaster): 4. Oh, to Vex Me Sir Peter Pears/Benjamin Britten 1:04 22. The Holy Sonnets of John Donne Op. 35 (1993 Digital Remaster): 5. What If This Present Sir Peter Pears/Benjamin Britten 2:57 23. The Holy Sonnets of John Donne Op. 35 (1993 Digital Remaster): 6. Since She Whom I Loved Sir Peter Pears/Benjamin Britten 3:48 24. The Holy Sonnets of John Donne Op. 35 (1993 Digital Remaster): 7. at the Round Earth's Imagined Corners Sir Peter Pears/Benjamin Britten 2:47 25. The Holy Sonnets of John Donne Op. 35 (1993 Digital Remaster): 8. Thou Hast Made Me Sir Peter Pears/Benjamin Britten 1:24 26. The Holy Sonnets of John Donne Op. 35 (1993 Digital Remaster): 9. Death, Be Not Proud Sir Peter Pears/Benjamin Britten 4:10 27. The Rape of Lucretia Op. 37 (Revised 1947 Version: Abridged) (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 1 Scene 1: Rome Is Now Ruled By the Etruscan Upstart (Male Chorus) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Norman Lumsden/Denis Dowling/Frederick Sharp/Nancy Evans/Flora Nielsen/ 28. The Rape of Lucretia Op. 37 (Revised 1947 Version: Abridged) (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 1 Scene 1: It Is An Axiom Among Kings (Female ; Male Chorus) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Norman Lumsden/Denis Dowling/Frederick Sharp/Nancy Evans/Flora Nielsen/Margar 29. The Rape of Lucretia Op. 37 (Revised 1947 Version: Abridged) (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 1 Scene 1: Here the Thirsty Evening (Male Chorus/Collatinus/Junius/Tarquinius) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Norman Lumsden/Denis Dowling/Frederick Sharp/Nancy Evans/Fl 30. The Rape of Lucretia Op. 37 (Revised 1947 Version: Abridged) (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 1 Scene 1: Lucretia! Lucretia! (Junius/Male Chorus/Collatinus) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Norman Lumsden/Denis Dowling/Frederick Sharp/Nancy Evans/Flora Nielsen/Marg 31. The Rape of Lucretia Op. 37 (Revised 1947 Version: Abridged) (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 1 Scene 1: With You Two Arm in Arm Again (Collatinus/Tarquinius/Junius) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Norman Lumsden/Denis Dowling/Frederick Sharp/Nancy Evans/Flora Nie 32. The Rape of Lucretia Op. 37 (Revised 1947 Version: Abridged) (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 1 Scene 1: Interlude: Tarquinius Does Not Wait (Male Chorus) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Norman Lumsden/Denis Dowling/Frederick Sharp/Nancy Evans/Flora Nielsen/Margar 33. The Rape of Lucretia Op. 37 (Revised 1947 Version: Abridged) (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 1 Scene 2: Their Spinning Wheel Unwinds (Female Chorus/Lucretia/Bianca/Lucia) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Norman Lumsden/Denis Dowling/Frederick Sharp/Nancy Evans/Flo 34. The Rape of Lucretia Op. 37 (Revised 1947 Version: Abridged) (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 1 Scene 2: It Is Better to Desire (Bianca/Lucretia/Lucia/Female Chorus) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Norman Lumsden/Denis Dowling/Frederick Sharp/Nancy Evans/Flora Nie 35. The Rape of Lucretia Op. 37 (Revised 1947 Version: Abridged) (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 1 Scene 2: The Oatmeal Slippers of Sleep (Female ; Male Chorus) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Norman Lumsden/Denis Dowling/Frederick Sharp/Nancy Evans/Flora Nielsen/Mar 36. The Rape of Lucretia Op. 37 (Revised 1947 Version: Abridged) (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 1 Scene 2: None of the Women Move (Female Chorus/Tarquinius/Male Chorus/Bianca/Lucia/Lucretia) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Norman Lumsden/Denis Dowling/Frederick Shar 37. The Rape of Lucretia Op. 37 (Revised 1947 Version: Abridged) (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 2 Scene 1: She Sleeps As a Rose (Female ; Male Chorus) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Norman Lumsden/Denis Dowling/Frederick Sharp/Nancy Evans/Flora Nielsen/Margaret Rit 38. The Rape of Lucretia Op. 37 (Revised 1947 Version: Abridged) (1993 Digital Remaster), Act 2 Scene 1: Lucretia!... What Do You Want? (Tarquinius/Lucretia) Sir Peter Pears/Joan Cross/Norman Lumsden/Denis Dowling/Frederick Sharp/Nancy Evans/Flora Nielsen/Ma 39. The Rape of Lucretia Op. 37 (Revised 1947 Version: Abridged) (1993 D