Britten Thematic Catalogue

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BTC753 A BOY WAS BORN

Choral variations for men's, women's and boys' voices, unaccompanied (organ ad lib)
Period of composition: 25 Nov 1932 - 11 May 1933
Date notes

The fair copy was completed on 31 May 1933. See individual movements for further details.

Revised: Oct 1955; 1957-58
First performance: 23 Feb 1934 >>
Type of performance: Radio broadcast
Location: BBC Regional (BBC Concert of Contemporary Music)
Performance details:

Wireless Chorus (Section A), choirboys of St Mark's, North Audley Street, London, Leslie Woodgate cond

Genre: Choral (unaccompanied)

The work can be accompanied by organ ad lib.

Text: See individual movements for details.
Duration: 30'

Notes

Britten referred to this in his diaries (2 Jan 1933) as a 'Christmas work'. Oxford University Press issued variations 3-5 separately. See also 'Related works' for arrangements of individual movements.

Movements

All content copyright (C) Britten-Pears Foundation 2012 unless stated. Please note all BTC numbers are provisional at this stage.