Composer

:

Benjamin Britten

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1943

Average_duration

:

10:51

Movement_count

:

7

Movement ....

Benjamin Britten's 'Folksong Arrangements, Vol. I British Isles' is a collection of arrangements of traditional folk songs from the British Isles. The collection was composed in 1943 and premiered in the same year at the Wigmore Hall in London. The collection consists of eight movements, each of which is based on a different folk song. The first movement, 'The Salley Gardens', is a gentle and melancholic setting of an Irish folk song. The second movement, 'Little Sir William', is a dark and brooding setting of an English ballad about a murder. The third movement, 'The Bonny Earl o' Moray', is a lively and energetic setting of a Scottish ballad about a nobleman's murder. The fourth movement, 'The Trees They Grow So High', is a nostalgic and wistful setting of an English folk song about the passing of time. The fifth movement, 'The Ash Grove', is a delicate and ethereal setting of a Welsh folk song. The sixth movement, 'Oliver Cromwell', is a rousing and patriotic setting of an English ballad about the famous Puritan leader. The seventh movement, 'The Plough Boy', is a cheerful and lively setting of an English folk song about a farm worker. The final movement, 'Sweet Polly Oliver', is a tender and romantic setting of an English ballad about a woman who disguises herself as a man to follow her lover to war. Britten's arrangements are characterized by their simplicity and directness, which allow the beauty and emotional power of the original folk songs to shine through. The arrangements are also notable for their use of traditional folk instruments, such as the harp and the guitar, which add to the authenticity and charm of the music. Overall, 'Folksong Arrangements, Vol. I British Isles' is a beautiful and evocative collection of traditional folk songs, expertly arranged by one of the greatest composers of the 20th century.

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