Britten Thematic Catalogue
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| Title | Beware! |
| Subtitle | For voice and piano |
| RefNo | BBM/beware |
| Date | Nov 1922 |
| Description | The text is from a poem by Henry W Longfellow. |
| Extent | 9 items |
| Revised | circa 1930-1940; circa 1967-1968 |
| Title | Holographs |
| RefNo | BBM/beware/1 |
| Date | between 1922-1968 |
| Extent | 7 items |
| Title | Fair copy |
| Subtitle | First verse complete; Second verse text only |
| RefNo | BBM/beware/1/1 |
| Date | Nov 1922 |
| Description | Fair copy with title. This source is reproduced in 'Benjamin Britten: Pictures from a Life, 1913-1976' edited by Donald Mitchell and John Evans (London: Faber and Faber, 1978), plate 29. |
| Extent | 1 page of 2 page manuscript [2r-2v] |
| PhysicalDescription | Black ink; 23 x 14.8 cm. Shares a volume with other sources. See Related Records and Title Page of Collected Volume. |
| TitlePageOfCollectedVolume | 'Two Songs, Music By E.B.Britten,[contents listed], Home Series |
| Title | Fair copy |
| Subtitle | Complete |
| RefNo | BBM/beware/1/2 |
| Date | circa 1923 |
| Description | Fair copy with title. This is a later handwritten copy of the original with no significant alterations. Britten has marked the penultimate bar 'Sotto voce'. This source is reproduced in 'Britten' by Imogen Holst (London: Faber and Faber, 1966), 17. |
| Extent | 1 manuscript; 1 page |
| PhysicalDescription | Black ink; 23.2 x 22 cm |
| Title | Fair copy |
| Subtitle | Complete |
| RefNo | BBM/beware/1/3 |
| Date | Post Aug 1924 |
| Description | Fair copy with title. This is a later handwritten copy of the original with no significant alterations. Britten has marked the penultimate bar 'Sotto voce'. The copy also includes a numbered footnote which highlights a text alteration. |
| Extent | 1 page of 11 page manuscript [5r] |
| PhysicalDescription | Black and blue ink; 23.3 x 30.6 cm. Shares a volume with other sources. See Related Records and Title Page of Collected Volume. Paper manufacturer's catalogue No. = RC3 |
| TitlePageOfCollectedVolume | 'Twelve/SONGS FOR THE MEZZO-SOPRANO/ AND CONTRALTO VOICE./ MUSIC /BY E.B.Britten./ WORDS/ BY FAMOUS POETS ETC/ [Contents listed]/ N.B All these songs are dedicated to My Mother Mrs.E.B.Britten / published by "Home Songs"/ 21 Kirkley Cliff Rd / Lowestoft'. |
| RelatedRecord |
| Title | Fair copy |
| Subtitle | Complete |
| RefNo | BBM/beware/1/4 |
| Date | circa 1924 |
| Description | Fair copy with title containing annotations including note alterations and changes in dynamic. Britten has marked the copy 'allegro ma non troppo' at the top, and it is signed with 'COPY' written at the bottom. It is dated 'Nov 1922', which is the intial date of its composition, but this copy was made later. |
| Extent | 1 manuscript; 1 page |
| PhysicalDescription | Black ink and pencil; 23.5 x 30.5 cm. Paper manufacturer's catalogue No. = RC1 |
| Title | Fair copy |
| Subtitle | Complete |
| RefNo | BBM/beware/1/5 |
| Date | Post Aug 1924 |
| Description | This is a later handwritten copy of the original with no significant alterations. It is dated 'Nov 1922', which is the intial date of its composition, but this copy was made later. |
| Extent | 2 pages of 15 page manuscript [2v-3r] |
| PhysicalDescription | Black ink; 23.6 x 29.3 cm. Shares a volume with other sources. See Related Records. |
| Title | Composition draft |
| Subtitle | Last line only |
| RefNo | BBM/beware/1/6 |
| Date | circa 1930-1940 |
| Description | The draft is crossed out and appears to have been written some time later than the earlier source material. The handwriting is similar to Britten?s hand in the 1930s. This copy may have been written from memory as the text is inaccurate and the accompaniment and vocal part both differ from the earlier versions. |
| Extent | 1 manuscript; 1 page [1r] |
| PhysicalDescription | Pencil; 23.3 x 13.5 cm |
| Title | Fair copy |
| Subtitle | Complete |
| RefNo | BBM/beware/1/7 |
| Date | circa 1967-1968 |
| Description | The score is marked ' Fairly quick' at the top. Britten has added the date '1923'. Although 1923 is the date that is generally attributed to 'Beware! - Britten did on several occasions give the date November 1922 as the date of composition (see earlier sources). |
| Extent | 1 page of 4 page manuscript [1r] |
| PhysicalDescription | Pencil; 28.1 x 38 cm |
| Title | Non-holographs |
| RefNo | BBM/beware/2 |
| Date | between 1967-1976 |
| Extent | 2 items |
| Title | Full score |
| Subtitle | Complete |
| RefNo | BBM/beware/2/1 |
| Date | post 1967 |
| Description | Copy marked 'Fairly quick'. It is not known when copy was made, whether shortly after Britten revised the song in the late 1960s or in the 1980s when it was decided to publish it.Copyist: Rosamund Strode. |
| Extent | 1 manuscript; 1 page |
| PhysicalDescription | 24.6 x 34.4 cm |
| RelatedRecord |
| Title | Full score |
| Subtitle | Photocopy of BBM/beware/2/1 |
| RefNo | BBM/beware/2/2 |
| Date | post 1976 |
| Description | Copy of BBM/beware/2/1 with a copyright notification written at the bottom of the page: 'Copyright by Faber Music Ltd, London 1976'. The copyright date indicates that Faber signed on to publish the piece in 1976, even though it was not published until 1985.Copyist: Rosamund Strode |
| Extent | 1 manuscript; 1 page |
| PhysicalDescription | 25.5 x 38 cm |
| RelatedRecord |
This is a draft record and therefore reference codes and other details are subject to change. See further details about the project here.