Britten Thematic Catalogue

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BTC824 THE ASCENT OF F6

Theatre score
Period of composition: 6 - 23 Feb 1937
Genre: Incidental music
Text: (of play and vocal numbers) W.H. Auden (1907-1973) and Christopher Isherwood (1904-1986)
Performing forces:

Female voice, 2 male voices, SATB - perc (glock, trgl, tamb, susp cymb, wb, sd, td, bd) - ukelele - pno duet (4 hands)

Notes

Incidental music for the stage play of the same name, which was written by W.H. Auden and Christopher Isherwood. The play was first televised by the BBC on 31 May 1937, but on that occasion the only music used was from a gramophone recording of Sibelius's first symphony.

In June 1937 Britten arranged the song 'Funeral blues', originally from this play, for voice and piano.

Movements

  • I Overture (2 pianos and percussion)
  • IIA Entr'acte [Mr & Mrs A[ (1 piano)
  • IIB Entr'acte [Mr & Mrs A] (1 piano)
  • III Entr'acte & Gunn's song (1 piano, ukelele (stage))
  • IV Pantomime & Mother's song (2 pianos and percussion)
  • V Chant (unaccompanied)
  • VIA Climbing music (2 pianos and percussion)
  • VIB Climbing music (2 pianos and percussion)
  • VIC Funeral march & chorus (off) (2 pianos and percussion)
  • VII Gunn's song (unaccompanied)
  • VIII Cabaret jazz song (2 pianos and percussion)
  • IX Mother's song & chorus (2 pianos and percussion)

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