Britten, Benjamin. (1913–1976) & Pears, Peter. (1910–1986)

"Saint Nicolas" - Signed Score

London: Boosey & Hawkes. 1948. Choral score to Britten's 1948 cantata Saint Nicolas, signed in blue ink by the composer and by Peter Pears at the head of the first page of music. Small upright folio. 33 pp. B. & H. 16343. Spine reinforced with paper, wrappers and a few pages with small repairs to edges, bound with a later decorative cord. Overall in very good condition, contained in a custom blue cloth folder. The unique creative partnership between these two artists may be claimed to have been without parallel elsewhere in musical history.

Originally written for the centenary of Peter Pears’ old school Lancing College in 1948, Britten’s cantata tells the life of the fourth-century Bishop of Myra in a work of great poetry and sensitivity. It was conceived and composed with semi-amateur performance in mind and the technical demands of the choral and orchestral writing are appropriately straightforward. The audience also gets to join in two well-known hymns, All people that on earth do dwell and God moves in a mysterious way. (14204)


Printed Music
Classical Music