Britten: The Little Sweep

Description

The Little Sweep (Let’s make an opera), Op. 45

1.  “Sweep! Sweep!” (Audience)
2. “Sweep this chimney!” (Miss Baggott)
3.  “Now, little white boy!” (Clem/Black Bob)
4.  “Pull the rope gently” (Children)
5.  “Is he wounded?” (Children)
6.  “Sooty tracks upon the sheet” (Children)
7.  “Run, Poor Sweepboy” (Rowan)
8.  “The kettles are singing” (Audience)
9.  “O why do you weep” (Rowan/Sam/Children)
10.   Pantomine –  “Ah! ….. Blackguards!” (Miss Baggott)
11.  “Help! Help! She’s Collapsed!” (Miss Baggott)
12.  “The owl, wide-winging” (Audience)
13.  “Soon the coach will carry you away” (Juliet)
14.  “Morning, Sammy” (Johnnie)
15.  “Ready, Alfred?” (Tom)
16.   Coaching Song: “The Horses Are Champing” (All)

 
Sam, sweep-boy – David Hemmings
Rowan, the nursery-maid – Jennifer Vyvyan
Miss Baggott, the housekepper – Nancy Thomas
Juliet Brook – April Cantelo
Gay Brook – Michael Ingram
Sophie Brook – Marilyn Baker
John Crome  – Robin Fairhurst
Tina Crome – Gabrielle Soskin
Hugh Crome – Lyn Vaughan
Black Bob, the sweep-master – Trevor Anthony
Clem, the assistant sweep – Peter Pears
Alfred, the gardener – Peter Pears
Choir of Alleyn’s School
English Opera Group Orchestra
Benjamin Britten (conductor)

 

Cantata Academica op. 62

Part 1

17. 1. Bonorum summum omnium
    2. quqe bene beateque Vivendi
18. 1. At huius caelestis
    2. Maiorum imprimis virtus
    3. tum vero Aenease Sylvius
19. 1. Et gubernacula mundi qui tenet
    2. ut ad longaeva tempora

Part II

20. 1. Docendi ac discendi aequitati
21. 1. Rhenana erga omnes urbs
    2. ut itustissime Basilea audiat
    3. O cives Basilienses
22. 1. Nos autem cuncti hoc festo die
    2. vigeatque academia libera

Jennifer Vyvyan (soprano)
Helen Watts (contralto)
Peter Pears (tenor)
Owen Brannigan (bass)
Harold Lester (piano)
London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
George Malcolm
 
Tracks 1-16 – recording first published in 1956
Tracks 17-22 – recording first published in 1961