Benjamin Britten in Lowestoft - 11 September, 1931

from Diary of Benjamin Britten, Sept 11 1931, page 83:

Finish an arrangement of Haydn’s D maj. ’cello concerto in morning for viola, & practise it. Walk with Beth also, & in afternoon Play tennis with her 5.30–6.30 on court opposite. Listen to a section of Beethoven Prom; Marvellous Leonora no 2. (In many ways I prefer this to no. 3; there is no anticlimax); Concerto no. 2. beautifully, & joyously played by Cyril Smith. “Thou Monstrous Fiend” (Fidelio) sung by Stiles Allen; – a wonderful organ, naught else. At this moment we were cut off for a wretched babble from Snowdon.
cite as

Benjamin Britten, Diary of Benjamin Britten, Sept 11 1931. In John Evans (ed.), Journeying boy : the diaries of the young Benjamin Britten 1928-1938 (:London, 2009), p. 83. https://led.kmi.open.ac.uk/entity/lexp/1422902806923 accessed: 29 March, 2024

location of experience: Lowestoft

Listeners

Benjamin Britten
Composer
1913-1976

Listening to

hide composers
Concerto for Piano No. 2 in B flat major, Op 19 - cadenza by Reinecke
written by Beethoven
performed by BBC Symphonic Orchestra, Cyril Smith, Henry Wood
Fidelio, Op 72 Recitative & aria 'Abscheulicher...Komm, Hoffnung' Act 1 Scene 2
written by Beethoven
performed by Lilian Stiles-Allen, BBC Symphonic Orchestra, Henry Wood
Overture 'Leonore' No. 2, Op 72a
written by Beethoven
performed by BBC Symphonic Orchestra, Henry Wood

Experience Information

Date/Time 11 September, 1931
Medium broadcast
Listening Environment in the company of others, in private, indoors

Originally submitted by Simon Brown on Mon, 02 Feb 2015 18:46:47 +0000