21 Mar 1975
Date is date of completion
Britten’s final song cycle which was composed in 1975 and first performed by Peter Pears and Osian Ellis in January 1976 on the occasion of the Queen Mother’s 75th birthday. In recognition of the dedicatee’s Scottish ancestry, Britten selected seven poems by Robert Burns, sung in Scots dialect and performed without a break. The dedication reads 'These songs were written at the special wish of Her Majesty The Queen for her mother's seventy-fifth birthday, August 4th 1975'.
2 items
Material has been microfilmed and is available as follows:
Sketchbook pages and typed texts: A34, frames 46813
Discarded pages of composition sketch: A34, frames 29 - 43
Photocopy: Composition sketches: A34, frames 43 - 126
Photocopy: ink fair copy in RS's hand: A34, frames 127 - 163
Archive
https://www.bpacatalogue.org/archive/BBM-a_birthday_hansel
