Book contents
- Benjamin Britten in Context
- Composers in Context
- Benjamin Britten in Context
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Notes on Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Bibliographic and In-Text Abbreviations
- Prologue
- Part I The Britten Circle(s)
- Part II British Musical Life
- Part III Britten and Other Composers
- Part IV Wordsmiths, Designers, and Performers
- Part V British Sociocultural, Religious, and Political Life
- Chapter 34 English and British National Identity in the Arts
- Chapter 35 The Place Within
- Chapter 36 Monarchy, Royalty, and Arts Patronage
- Chapter 37 Literary Leanings
- Chapter 38 Faith, Spirituality, and the Church
- Chapter 39 The Politics of the Closet
- Chapter 40 Communism, Socialism, and Pacifism in British Politics
- Epilogue Britten’s Legacy
- Further Reading
- Index
Chapter 37 - Literary Leanings
from Part V - British Sociocultural, Religious, and Political Life
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 March 2022
- Benjamin Britten in Context
- Composers in Context
- Benjamin Britten in Context
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Notes on Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Bibliographic and In-Text Abbreviations
- Prologue
- Part I The Britten Circle(s)
- Part II British Musical Life
- Part III Britten and Other Composers
- Part IV Wordsmiths, Designers, and Performers
- Part V British Sociocultural, Religious, and Political Life
- Chapter 34 English and British National Identity in the Arts
- Chapter 35 The Place Within
- Chapter 36 Monarchy, Royalty, and Arts Patronage
- Chapter 37 Literary Leanings
- Chapter 38 Faith, Spirituality, and the Church
- Chapter 39 The Politics of the Closet
- Chapter 40 Communism, Socialism, and Pacifism in British Politics
- Epilogue Britten’s Legacy
- Further Reading
- Index
Summary
This essay provides insight into some of the content of Britten and Pears’s book collection. It draws attention to why certain volumes were used as the source material for various musical works. The essay also emphasises how friendships with writers, such as art historian Kenneth Clark and novelist and critic E. M. Forster, influenced key aspects of Britten and Pears’s lives: their passion for fine art and their faith in pacifism. This survey of the collection underlines why their books are often useful bases of information for biographical background about both musicians. Their library tells us stories about their childhoods and discloses their interests in topics ranging from classic English literature to gardening to the developing genre of gay fiction. Additionally, it adds context to fundamental aspects of their lives, such as their anti-war stance and their enduring commitment to one another.
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- Benjamin Britten in Context , pp. 327 - 333Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2022