Graham Johnson, edited by George Odam

'... a collection of expanded lectures from that fabulously erudite accompanist Graham Johnson. Anyone who has heard Johnson play or talk, or who has read the biblically encyclopedic liner-notes to his recordings, will appreciate the wisdom, insight and practical experience that lives in these essays... Nobody has set the English language so effectively; and no commentator I can think of has so sure a grasp of what that means. So between them, Britten and Johnson make a formidable, though post-mortem, partnership. If you read only one book about music in the coming months, let it be this.' The Daily Telegraph '... a survey from an artist so steeped in Britten's music is of tremendous value...Students and anyone interested in Britten will find this book stimulating. The writing and presentation is of the highest standard while being totally amenable to all.' BBC Music Magazine 'This is a book full of the energy and the passion of the music...the real excellence of this book comes from the in-depth analysis of the songs themselves - I loved the minute descriptions of passages in the songs; how they sound, what certain musical effects Britten is trying to convey, how he links his music to his text, etc.' The Singer 'Britten scholars and enthusiasts will be extremely grateful to Johnson, GSAMD, Ashgate and indeed to George Odam... An invaluable further addition to the Britten library then. This is by no means a series of annotated comments on one song and then the next and then the next and so on. The chapters are pleasurably diverse and swing with relaxed mastery and without disruption from commentary [...] to biography, from observation to advocacy.' MusicWeb '... rewarding lectures...' The Times Literary Supplement 'It is a study long overdue. And we are so fortunate to have such a volume come from the brilliant Graham Johnson, heir of the great Gerald Moore and protege of Britten and Pears... The depth and breadth of Graham Johnson's writing is tremendous... I recommend this book highly to the serious study of Britten's music.' The Delian

• Introduction; Lecture 1, The Young Britten; Lecture 2. Britten Abroad: Italy, Poland and France; Lecture 3, The British Folksong Settings; Lecture 4, A Miscellany of Folksongs; Lecture 5, Britten the Elizabethan and Britten the Baroque; Lecture 6, Beginnings (Auden) and Ends (Eliot); Lecture 7, Britten and Russia; Lecture 8, Britten and the English Landscape; Index.

Graham Johnson, edited by George Odam

'... a collection of expanded lectures from that fabulously erudite accompanist Graham Johnson. Anyone who has heard Johnson play or talk, or who has read the biblically encyclopedic liner-notes to his recordings, will appreciate the wisdom, insight and practical experience that lives in these essays... Nobody has set the English language so effectively; and no commentator I can think of has so sure a grasp of what that means. So between them, Britten and Johnson make a formidable, though post-mortem, partnership. If you read only one book about music in the coming months, let it be this.' The Daily Telegraph '... a survey from an artist so steeped in Britten's music is of tremendous value...Students and anyone interested in Britten will find this book stimulating. The writing and presentation is of the highest standard while being totally amenable to all.' BBC Music Magazine 'This is a book full of the energy and the passion of the music...the real excellence of this book comes from the in-depth analysis of the songs themselves - I loved the minute descriptions of passages in the songs; how they sound, what certain musical effects Britten is trying to convey, how he links his music to his text, etc.' The Singer 'Britten scholars and enthusiasts will be extremely grateful to Johnson, GSAMD, Ashgate and indeed to George Odam... An invaluable further addition to the Britten library then. This is by no means a series of annotated comments on one song and then the next and then the next and so on. The chapters are pleasurably diverse and swing with relaxed mastery and without disruption from commentary [...] to biography, from observation to advocacy.' MusicWeb '... rewarding lectures...' The Times Literary Supplement 'It is a study long overdue. And we are so fortunate to have such a volume come from the brilliant Graham Johnson, heir of the great Gerald Moore and protege of Britten and Pears... The depth and breadth of Graham Johnson's writing is tremendous... I recommend this book highly to the serious study of Britten's music.' The Delian

• Introduction; Lecture 1, The Young Britten; Lecture 2. Britten Abroad: Italy, Poland and France; Lecture 3, The British Folksong Settings; Lecture 4, A Miscellany of Folksongs; Lecture 5, Britten the Elizabethan and Britten the Baroque; Lecture 6, Beginnings (Auden) and Ends (Eliot); Lecture 7, Britten and Russia; Lecture 8, Britten and the English Landscape; Index.