Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) was arguably one of the most important English composers of all time, and he was instrumental in the regeneration of English music in the twentieth century. Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore all his incredible works, which helped put Britain back on the musical map, with Stretta Music today!
Benjamin Britten was never short of imagination. Like Mozart and Schubert, he composed easily and spontaneously, and never resorted to artificially constructed compositional processes. Britten was particularly influenced by English folk and renaissance, particularly by Henry Purcell, and he was also inspired by the neoclassical works Igor Stravinsky.
Benjamin Britten saw his first success at the young age of 19, when he composed his Phantasy Quartet for oboe and strings, and one of his most famous pieces, his Simple Symphony, followed just a few years later. Other well-known instrumental works include his 1946 The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.
In 1962 Britten composed one of his most intense works, Britten’s War Requiem, in which he deals with the horrors of war, and advocates for peace. The work was commissioned for and premiered at the grand re-consecration of Coventry Cathedral in 1962, which was razed in a bomb raid in 1940.
“My theme is war and the suffering of war. Poetry is in suffering... All a poet can do today is: warn.” Wilfred Owen
Britten composed a great deal of choral, chamber, symphonic and instrumental works, particularly for piano and strings. Britten’s stage work is also extensive, including 12 operas and several ballets. One of his most contentious yet popular operas is Peter Grimes from 1945.
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1553647
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1045418
Am
for: Recorder, piano
Instrumental Solo & Piano Accompaniment
Item no.: 1589343
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1553483
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1044979
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1045417
From "Folksong Arrangements: Volume 5 - British Isles"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 791507
From "Folksong Arrangements: Volume 3 - British Isles"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 791508
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1045431
for: Violin, piano
Instrumental Duet
Item no.: 1612526
C
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1554751
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1045447
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1553391
for: Piano
Piano Duet
Item no.: 1612808
for: Voice, piano
Piano/Vocal
Item no.: 1589183
for: Cello
Instrumental Solo
Item no.: 1050755
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1044967
for: Piano 4 hands
Music score
Item no.: 791563
Comic opera in 3 acts
Lyric book
Item no.: 1341122
Choral Dance No. 2 from "Gloriana"
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 791559
from "Ceremony of Carols"
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 791729
from "The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra"
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 791728
Opera in 3 acts
Lyric book
Item no.: 1341095