Benjamin Britten: A Life For Music PB
Benjamin Britten: A Life For Music PB
Benjamin Britten: A Life For Music
Neil Powell (Author)
Benjamin Britten was the greatest English composer of the twentieth century and one of the outstanding musicians of his age.
Born in Lowestoft, Suffolk, in 1913, Britten was the youngest child of a dentist father and amateur musician mother. After studying at the Royal College of Music, he became a vital part of London’s creative and intellectual life during the 1930s, collaborating with W. H. Auden and meeting his lifelong partner, the tenor Peter Pears. At the outbreak of the Second World War, Britten and Pears were already in America, earning a precarious living as freelance musicians before re-crossing the Atlantic by ship in the perilous days of 1942.
But the east coast of England was where Britten, as he himself said, belonged: this was where he returned to write his most famous opera, Peter Grimes, and – with Pears and Eric Crozier – to found the Aldeburgh Festival in 1948. In the years that followed, his worldwide reputation grew steadily, helped by a busy schedule of international tours and, for many, crowned by the extraordinary success of his War Requiem. Meanwhile, his festival went from strength to strength, its progress symbolised by the opening of Snape Maltings Concert Hall in 1967.
Britten was a mass of paradoxes: a solitary, introspective thinker who came to ebullient life in the company of young people, for whom he composed some of his most memorable works; a man of the political left who was on the friendliest terms with members of the royal family; a composer inspired by some of the twentieth century’s deepest preoccupations who combined innovation with a profound understanding of musical tradition. Devoted to his friends, protégés and fellow musicians, he was, above all, someone who lived for music.
Neil Powell’s book is the landmark biography for Britten’s centenary year: a subtle and moving portrait of a brilliant, complex and ultimately loveable man.
Ben and Imo played in the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon between 21 February and 6 April 2024.
Paperback: 544 pages
ISBN: 9780099537366
Dimensions: 12.9 x 3.3 x 19.8 cm
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
Delivery Prices
All UK order are despatched via Royal Mail. Delivery charges are based on the total weight of goods ordered and will be calculated at checkout.
UK Royal Mail 24 and 48Up to 150g - £1.99
150g - 1kg - £3.50
1kg - 2kg - £4.50
2kg - 5kg - £8.00
For UK orders over 5kg in weight, please contact mailorder@rsc.org.uk for shipping costs.
International Tracked
This service is fully tracked to delivery point.
Europe delivery aim: 3-5 working days
Worldwide delivery aim: 5-7 working days
Delivery charges are based on the total weight of goods ordered and will be calculated at checkout.
For overseas orders over 3.5kg in weight, please contact mailorder@rsc.org.uk for shipping costs.
Will I receive confirmation when my goods are shipped?
Yes; following your order confirmation we aim to process and ship your order within 1-2 days. However, any orders that are placed on a Friday afternoon, Saturday, Sunday or a UK public holiday shall be processed as of the following Monday or as of the next working day.
In certain cases where your order is likely to be delayed, such as where items are out of stock, we will contact you.
Shipping methods
Most UK orders are sent through Royal Mail packet post; this is a 3 day service from dispatch. Delivery speed where stated in days are based on working days (Monday-Friday) and exclude the day of posting, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays in the UK and overseas.
Please be aware that orders may be dispatched in more than one package and although they are dispatched at the same time they may arrive separately. The number of packages will be recorded on the address label.
Delivery
If your order has taken longer than the estimated delivery time we would advise customers to check with their local post office before contacting us.
If your order does not arrive within 7 days (UK) or 30 days (overseas and Europe), and in the unlikely event you have not been contacted, please contact us by emailing mailorder@rsc.org.uk
Pre-orders
We take payment when you place your order; your items will be dispatched once they arrive in stock. If your order contains both pre-order and in-stock items, we will dispatch the in-stock items immediately, and the pre-order items when they arrive – there is no additional shipping cost for this service.
EU Delivery Information
There may be local duty and/or taxes payable on goods delivered outside the UK. The Royal Shakespeare Company is not liable for paying these charges.
Customs charges and policies vary widely from country to country. Orders for international shipping will be subject to import duties and taxes levied on arrival in their destination country. You are liable for any additional charges for customs clearance and if a package is refused and has to be returned to us, you will also be liable for the cost of this. If you are unsure of charges and regulations which may apply to your order, please contact your local customs office for further information. Generally, customs forms for internal packages will list the value of the contents of your order by product type.
Can I give a separate delivery and billing address?
Yes, during the checkout process you will have the option to specify both a billing and delivery address.
Can I send individual items to different addresses?
Unfortunately it is not possible to specify more than one delivery address per order. Should you need to send items to more than one address, you will need to place separate orders.
Can I send an order as a gift?
Your goods can be dispatched to any address you choose.
EU Delivery Information
EU Delivery Information
There may be local duty and/or taxes payable on goods delivered outside the UK. The Royal Shakespeare Company is not liable for paying these charges.
Customs charges and policies vary widely from country to country. Orders for international shipping will be subject to import duties and taxes levied on arrival in their destination country. You are liable for any additional charges for customs clearance and if a package is refused and has to be returned to us, you will also be liable for the cost of this. If you are unsure of charges and regulations which may apply to your order, please contact your local customs office for further information. Generally, customs forms for internal packages will list the value of the contents of your order by product type.
Your privacy is important to us and we know that you care about how information about your order is used and shared. You should be aware that cross-border deliveries are subject to opening and inspection by customs authorities.
ALL PURCHASES SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY