Saint Nicolas (Britten) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saint Nicolas |
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| Cantata by Benjamin Britten | |
St Peter and St Paul's Church, Aldeburgh, where the cantata was first performed
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| Opus | 42 |
| Occasion | Opening of first Aldeburgh Festival |
| Text | by Eric Crozier |
| Based on | Life of Saint Nicholas |
| Performed | June 1948 |
| Scoring |
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Saint Nicolas, also known as Op. 42, is a special kind of musical story called a cantata. It was written by the famous composer Benjamin Britten in 1948. The words for the story were written by Eric Crozier. This cantata tells the exciting and legendary life story of Saint Nicholas, who was a bishop in a place called Myra a long, long time ago.
Britten wrote this piece for the 100th birthday of Lancing College in Sussex, England. He made sure it could be performed by the musicians available there. The music uses a mixed choir, a tenor singer, four boy singers, string instruments, two pianos, an organ, and percussion instruments.
Saint Nicolas was one of Britten's first major works for amateur musicians. It even includes parts where the audience can sing along, like hymns. The very first performance was at the opening of the first Aldeburgh Festival in June 1948. A famous singer named Peter Pears was the main soloist.
Contents
How the Cantata Was Created
Benjamin Britten worked on Saint Nicolas from December 1947 to May 1948. He created it especially for the 100-year celebration of Lancing College. Britten wanted to use the musical talent available at the college.
Who Performs the Music?
The cantata is written for a mixed choir (adult men and women), a tenor soloist, and four boys. The instruments include strings, a piano duet (two people playing one or two pianos), an organ, and percussion. Only a few professional musicians are needed for the performance. These include the tenor soloist, a small group of professional string players to lead the others, and the percussionists.
Saint Nicolas was a big step for Britten. It was his first important work written mainly for amateur musicians. Today, many youth and amateur groups perform this cantata. It usually takes about 50 minutes to perform.
The First Performance
Even though Britten wrote the piece for Lancing College, its first performance was actually at the first Aldeburgh Festival. This happened on June 5, 1948, in Aldeburgh Church. Lancing College kindly allowed this early performance. Britten dedicated the cantata to Lancing College for their celebration on July 24, 1948.
The Story Behind the Music
The words for Saint Nicolas were written by Eric Crozier. He did a lot of research into the old stories and legends about Saint Nicholas. Nicholas was a bishop in a place called Myra, in Lycia.
Crozier's story for the cantata makes Saint Nicholas's character very dramatic and exciting. It takes the old legends and makes them even grander. Britten's music helps to make the story even more dramatic. He uses different instruments, singing styles, and musical sounds to create strong feelings and contrasts.
See also
In Spanish: Cantata de San Nicolás (Britten) para niños
