---
product_id: 196333798
title: "Britten: Britten To America"
price: "€ 28.98"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 4
url: https://www.desertcart.gr/products/196333798-britten-britten-to-america
store_origin: GR
region: Greece
---

# Britten: Britten To America

**Price:** € 28.98
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Britten: Britten To America
- **How much does it cost?** € 28.98 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.gr](https://www.desertcart.gr/products/196333798-britten-britten-to-america)

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- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

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## Description

What better way to mark the end of Britten's centenary than release some unrecorded works, the majority of which haven't been heard since they were performed in the 1940s. This is Britten with a difference - there are blues numbers, jazz, a 'Tibetan' chant, a Bach chorale and even a ukulele player. Britten made the hazardous journey from the United States back to England in the spring of 1942. Within a few weeks he had face a Tribunal exempting him from military service as a conscientious objector. In his statement to the Tribunal he had said "I believe sincerely that I can help my fellow human beings best, by continuing the work I am best qualified to do", and almost immediately he began giving concerts with Peter Pears in towns, rural villages and prisons. He also wrote major scores for radio propaganda programmes, including An American in England, six programmes about wartime conditions in England produced by the BBC for live transmission in the USA by CBS; and Britain to America, three programmes as part of a weekly transmission by NBC. Music from these two series is accompanied by incidental music to two plays by Auden and Isherwood: The Ascent of F6 and On the Frontier; and Roman Wall Blues, from a lost radio production with Auden, Hadrian's Wall.

Review: Incidentally wonderful - I'm not familiar with any of the music on this disc, except the setting of "Stop All the Clocks",later arranged as a cabaret number, which is here heard in its original choral form as part of "The Ascent of F6". These pieces were all written as incidental music to plays or radio programmes, and they have the simplicity and vigour that good incidental music needs. I must confess that I prefer this aspect of Britten to most of his more ambitious/pretentious works. These pieces are performed by two main sets of musicians: Ex Cathedra conducted by Jeffrey Skidmore, and the Halle conducted by S'Mark Elder. All bring complete commitment to the music.
Review: More early Britten - This may be mainly for the Britten fan or completest, as NMC release some more little or unknown BB material. It's a curious mixture of music and dialogue and you probably would not listen to it all in one sitting. The pieces were recorded for the BBC after Britten and Pears return from America in 1942. It is well recorded and performed but not full on Britten although glimpses of his genius do shine through. I love Brittens music so I'm biased, and would want this in my collection.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN  | B00FQJHLX4 |
| Best Sellers Rank | 255,440 in CDs & Vinyl ( See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl ) 8,714 in Symphonies for Orchestras |
| Customer reviews | 4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars (5) |
| Item model number  | 5023363019026 |
| Label  | Nmc Recordings |
| Manufacturer  | Nmc Recordings |
| Number of discs  | 1 |
| Product Dimensions  | 14.5 x 12.6 x 0.99 cm; 106.03 g |

## Images

![Britten: Britten To America - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81ih4+eu+KL.jpg)
![Britten: Britten To America - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91d2v4g+mkL.jpg)
![Britten: Britten To America - Image 3](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91j6fybtSDL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Incidentally wonderful
*by A***R on 19 January 2014*

I'm not familiar with any of the music on this disc, except the setting of "Stop All the Clocks",later arranged as a cabaret number, which is here heard in its original choral form as part of "The Ascent of F6". These pieces were all written as incidental music to plays or radio programmes, and they have the simplicity and vigour that good incidental music needs. I must confess that I prefer this aspect of Britten to most of his more ambitious/pretentious works. These pieces are performed by two main sets of musicians: Ex Cathedra conducted by Jeffrey Skidmore, and the Halle conducted by S'Mark Elder. All bring complete commitment to the music.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ More early Britten
*by K***T on 3 March 2014*

This may be mainly for the Britten fan or completest, as NMC release some more little or unknown BB material. It's a curious mixture of music and dialogue and you probably would not listen to it all in one sitting. The pieces were recorded for the BBC after Britten and Pears return from America in 1942. It is well recorded and performed but not full on Britten although glimpses of his genius do shine through. I love Brittens music so I'm biased, and would want this in my collection.

### ⭐⭐⭐ Review
*by V***P on 23 June 2025*

Britten to America might initially be confusing since Benjamin Britten didn’t write any of this music in the US or Canada. However, the last track is taken from the radio series Britain to America, a wonderful play on words. Notwithstanding, three large-scale incidental music scores are programed alongside two short soprano jingles. The latter are characterfully sung by Mary Carewe, where the song Where Do We Go From Here could easily be an old-fashioned James Bond opener. The larger works are narrated by Samuel West, both evoking dignified narration and colorful characterizations. The Ascent of F6 and On the Frontier is music to two W. H. Auden plays, each bearing a mix of verbose prose and verse alongside witty lyrics. The Ascent of F6 is a befuddling mess of words, although when the poet rhymes ‘tennis elbow’ with ‘have got B. O.’, there is some charm. On the Frontier is better, where I am reminded of the skewering of war and governments in The Mouse That Roared. The music is scored for two pianos and an array of percussion. Both find Britten riffing on popular music styles of the 30s, Ascent in a modern, Britten-esque way, and Frontier more populous sounding. A ukulele is added to the former, while two trumpets fill out the latter work more satisfactorily. My favorite of the program is An American in England, probably due to the full orchestration played by the Hallé Orchestra under Sir Mark Elder. The subject of women fulfilling men’s duties ramping up to WWII is interesting, but it is the music which carries this listener. The main theme is used throughout, and it is a strong one, mixed with lots of musical visualizations to aid the radio program’s script. While I find this recording more curious than lovable, those wanting to explore the unplumbed depths of Britten’s composing career will find much to enjoy. The performers are excellent and the NMC engineering is first rate. I don’t know how much I will actually revisit this recording, and I certainly wouldn’t guide new listeners wanting to explore Britten’s music here. Let’s call it a light recommendation.

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*Product available on Desertcart Greece*
*Store origin: GR*
*Last updated: 2026-02-22*