'Corpus Christi Carol' - Autograph Musical Manuscript

Autograph fair copy musical manuscript in the hand of the composer, six pages on two sets of adjoining sheets, 6.75 x 10, January 19, 1961, signed and inscribed on the cover sheet in fountain pen "For John Hahessy, Corpus Christi Carol, (from 'A Boy was Born'), Benjamin Britten," similarly inscribed and titled and initialled "BB" at the head of the first page of music and signed again in full "Benjamin Britten / Jan. 19th 1961" at the conclusion. Britten has penned the music and lyrics for the complete song across five pages of three systems each, voice and piano, dedicating it to John Hahessy, a boy soprano who worked with Britten often and premiered several of his works and who went on to become a tenor performing under the name John Elwes. Sold together with a musical manuscript of the vocal part only that was used by John Hahessy to learn his part for the premiere, penned in the hand of Imogen Holst, the only child of Gustav Holst, herself a composer, arranger conductor, teacher, musicologist and musical administrator. Holst worked as Britten’s assistant from the early 1950s until 1964; she taught and coached the young boy soprano, John Hahessy, on the Corpus Christ Carol for the premiere. Both with very light foxing but overall in fine condition. 

In 1933, a young Benjamin Britten, then still a student at the Royal College of Music, included a sparkling setting of “Corpus Christi Carol” in his choral composition A Boy Was Born, alongside carols such as “In the Bleak Midwinter”, thus firmly setting it in the context of Christmas and the nativity. This has become the “standard” version, the one most widely performed by choirs. Britten first met John Hahessy while he was head chorister at Westminster Cathedral when Britten's Missa Brevis was performed there. When Hahessy's voice began to change, and he temporarily had an alto register, he made several recordings with Britten, including Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac and this carol, which Britten then arranged for piano and solo treble voice and dedicated to Hahessy. A notably pure and brilliant-sounding recording from 1961 features the young singer with Britten at the piano and may be heard here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcvwkOPmhlc .  (23092)

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Classical Music

Opera

Signature

• Sold