Britten Thematic Catalogue

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BTC872 CANADIAN CARNIVAL (KERMESSE CANADIENNE)

For orchestra, op. 19
Subtitle: For orchestra
Other titles: Canadian suite

Britten refers to the work under this title in a letter to his publisher on 21 November 1939.

Period of composition: Nov - 10 Dec 1939
First performance: 6 Jun 1940 >>
Type of performance: Radio broadcast
Location: BBC Home Service
Performance details:

BBC Orchestra (Section B), Clarence Raybould cond

Genre: Orchestral
Performing forces:

2 fl (II=picc), 2 ob (II=ca), 2 cl in B flat and I, 2 bn - 4 hn, 3 tpt in B flat (III ad lib.), 3 trbn, tuba - timp, 2 perc (small susp cymb, large susp cymb, sd, bd, xyl) - harp - str

Duration: 14'

Notes

The work was planned at least as early as May-Jun 1939. Sir Robert Mayer requested a work at this time, and Britten considered offering 'Canadian carnival'. It makes use of four French-Canadian folk songs: Là-bas sur les montagnes!, Jardin d'amour, La perdriole and Alouette.

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