Britten Thematic Catalogue

Beta Version

BTC867 A.M.D.G.

Seven settings of Gerard Manley Hopkins for SATB unaccompanied, formerly op. 17.

This opus number was later allocated to Paul Bunyan (1939-41) after Britten had refused several opportunities to publish 'A.M.D.G.' towards the end of his life

Period of composition: 5 - 30 Aug 1939
Date notes

See individual movements for further details.

Genre: Choral
Text: Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889)
Duration: 17'

Notes

'A.M.D.G.' ('Ad majorem Dei gloriam') was intended for Peter Pears and his Round Table Singers and was therefore designed for performance by a quartet of soloists. The première was planned for November 1939, at the Aeolian Hall, London; work on the piece seems to have been abandoned at the outbreak of war, though nos 1, 2, 5 and 7 were performed in America at untraced concerts some time before 1942 (there are copies of these numbers in Pears's hand, made for use by a small group of solo singers formed by Pears in the USA).

Movements

  • 1 Prayer I >>
    notes:

    Composed 11 Aug 1939.

  • 2 Rosa mystica >>
    notes:

    Composed 11 Aug 1939.

  • 3 God's grandeur >>
    notes:

    Composed 18 Aug 1939.

    An earlier, independent setting of this text was used in the movement entitled 'The world is charged' in part III of The world of the spirit (Apr-May 1938).

  • 4 Prayer II >>
    notes:

    Composed 5-7 Aug 1939.

  • 5 O Deus, eg amo te >>
    notes:

    Composed 30 Aug 1939.

  • 6 The soldier >>
    notes:

    Composed 15 Aug 1939.

  • 7 Heaven-haven >>
    notes:

    Composed 15 Aug 1939.

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