Customer Ratings:

• Brilliant - but curious. Brilliant - because this performance of Curlew River draws you in and makes you feel the drama. Curious - because if you follow Britten s score, you discover that in a couple of places this performance (directed by Britten himself) departs from the score in terms of timing ... if one reads the score literally. I don t doubt that Britten knew exactly what he wanted - we are after all talking about a man who could compose an opera in his head and then write it down faster than I can even transcribe a score manually, so I take my hat off to him. It s just that this is about the only example I know of a recording of a Britten work, directed by the composer, in which what I hear doesn t quite match up with what I see in the score. HOWEVER don t let this put you off buying this recording. It is glorious. Curlew River is far from being an easy work to appreciate, but many years ago I played this performance (in its previous incarnation on vinyl LP) to some friends who were unfamiliar with both this work and with Britten s music in general: and they were enthralled by it.
• stunningly beautiful. This piece of music, inspired by a Japanese Noh play, is a stunning piece, and well worth adding to your collection. Beautiful singing in a beautifully produced cd - buy it now

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