(1913 - 1976)
Benjamin Britten is the most widely performed British 20th century composer and was born in 1913. He studied with Frank Bridge at Royal College of Music. After the war he founded a new English-language opera tradition with works such as Peter Grimes, Billy Budd and The Turn of the Screw now established in the international repertoire. His craftsmanship and versatility produced works for every genre from large-scale symphonic scores to songs and choral works. Britten's recurring themes include conflicts between the outsider and society, innocence and experience, moral good and lurking evil, beauty and passion. His works were performed by leading soloists of day including Peter Pears, Janet Baker, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Mstislav Rostropovich and Julian Bream.
Benjamin Britten Composition Timpani and Percussion Requirements
A Midsummer Night's Dream
No Timpani + 2 percussion + celeste
Triangle, clash cymbals, tamboruine, gong, 2 wood blocks, vibraphone, glockenspiel, xylophone, piccolo snare drum, snare drum, tenor drum, orchestral bass drum, timpani, 2 bells, celeste. On stage - clash cymbals, 2 wood blocks
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Albert Herring
Timpani + 4 percussion
Glockenspiel, castanets, triangle, tam tam, tambourine, wood block, whip, orchestral bass drum, snare drum, tenor drum, tubular bells, clash cymbals, suspended cymbal, shop bell, castanets
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An American Overture
Timpani + 2 percussion
Orchestral bass drum with cymbals attached, tambourine, snare drum, suspended cymbal, tam tam, tubular bells, tenor drum
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Ballad of Heroes
Timpani + 2 percussion
Xylophone, clash cymbals, whip, orchestral bass drum, snare drum, tenor drum
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Billy Budd
Timpani + 6 percussion
Xylophone, glockenspiel, triangle, wood block, tambourine, snare drum, tenor drum, orchestral bass drum, whip, clash cymbals, small gong, 4 drums (on-stage)
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Canadian Carnival
Timpani + 2 percussion
Xylophone, small suspended cymbal, large suspended cymbal, snare drum, orchestral bass drum
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Cantata Academica, Carmen Basiliense
Timpani + 4 percussion
Glockenspiel, tubular bells, xylophone, clash cymbals, tam tam, triangle, temple blocks, orchestral bass drum, snare drum, tambourine
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Cello Symphony
Timpani + 2 percussion
Vibraphone, tam tam, tenor drum, tambourine, whip, orchestral bass drum, clash cymbals, suspended cymbal, snare drum
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Death in Venice - Opera
Timpani + 5 percussion
1) vibraphone, 3 octave glockenspiel, suspended cymbal, tubular bells, snare drum (wire brushes), 2) Eb gong, xylophone, glockenspiel 2 (some 3 octave glockenspiel), small orchestral bass drum (flat), tenor drum, snare drum, suspended cymbal, triangle, 3) marimba, tambourine, large orchestral bass drum (flat), suspended cymbal, scrubbing brushes, 4) 3 toms, 3 Chinese drums, 2 octaves crotales, snare drum, whip, 5) tam tam, small clash cymbals, tenor drum, tuned drum (8" roto tom), whip, 2 octaves crotales, G gong - timpani also need brushes
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Diversions
Timpani + 2/3 percussion
Gong, xylophone, clash cymbals, triangle, orchestral bass drum, snare drum, tambourine
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Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes
Timpani
Int'l 32/29/26/26 Prem 32/30/28/25
3 percussion
Tam tam, xylophone, orchestral bass drum, clash cymbals, tambourine, snare drum, suspended cymbal, bass bells Bb3 & Eb4
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Gloriana
Timpani
Int'l 32/29/26/23 Prem 32/30/28/25
4 percussion
Tam tam, triangle, orchestral bass drum, clash cymbals, suspended cymbal, tambourine, snare drum, tenor drum
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Matinee Musicales
Timpani + 3 percussion
1) snare drum, wood block, suspended, 2) triangle, clash cymbals, tambourine, suspended cymbal, 3) orchestral bass drum, tenor drum
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Noye's Fludde
Timpani + 4 percussion
Orchestral bass drum, tenor drum, snare drum, tambourine, clash cymbals, triangle, whip, tam tam, temple blocks, wind machine, slung mugs, sandpaper blocks, hand bells Eb4, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb
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Occasional Overture
Timpani + 3 percussion + celeste
Snare drum, tenor drum, suspended cymbal, orchestral bass drum, clash cymbals, whip, tam tam, triangle, xylophone - celeste
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Owen Wingrave - Opera
No Timpanist + 2 percussion
Timpani, orchestral bass drum, tenor drum, snare drum, tom tom, small and large suspended cymbal, clashed cymbals, small and large gongs, woodblock, whip, xylophone, glockenspiel
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Passacaglia from Peter Grimes
Timpani
Int'l 32/29/26/23 Prem 32/30/28/25
3 percussion
Gong, tam tam, orchestral bass drum, clash cymbals, suspended cymbal, tenor drum, snare drum, tambourine
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Paul Bunyan - Opera
Timpani (doubling percussion) + 1 percussion
Vibraphone, xylophone, glockenspiel, snare drum, tenor drum, orchestral bass drum, small gong, 2 suspended cymbals, tambourine, triangle, wood block, clash cymbals, 2 trap trays + stage thunder sheet
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Peter Grimes - Complete Opera
Timpani + 4 percussion
1) snare drum, triangle, tam tam, whip, off stage Bb bass bell, off stage tenor drum, on stage kit (kit bass drum, snare drum, ride cymbal, splash cymbal) 2), xylophone, tam tam, tambourine, whip, snare drum, pit tenor drum, 3) clash cymbals, suspended cymbal, tam tam, tambourine, off stage Eb bell, 4) orchestral bass drum, large ratchet, whip, clash cymbals
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Phaedra - Opera
Timpani + 2 percussion
1) tubular bell in A, tam tam, clash cymbals (shared), 2) clash cymbals (shared), suspended cymbal, orchestral bass drum, tenor drum
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Piano Concerto No 1
Timpani + 3 percussion
1) snare drum, tenor drum, tambourine, glockenspiel, whip, 2) clash cymbals, suspended cymbal, tam tam, 3) orchestral bass drum
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Prince of the Pagodas - Ballet
Timpani (doubling orchestral bass drum) + 7 percussion
1) xylophone, castanets, 2 wood blocks, tubular bells, A & D, 2) vibraphone, tambourine, small timpani C# (roto tom), 3) glockenspiel, orchestral bass drum, (can play timpanists bass drum), 4) snare drum, anvil, small timpani C#, orchestral bass drum, 5) 3 small tom toms, triangle, 2 Chinese drums, 6) clash cymbals, suspended cymbals, small clash cymbals, 7) large and small tam tams, tenor drum
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Saint Nicholas
Timpani (doubling percussion) + 3 percussion
1) snare drum, tenor drum, suspended cymbal, (shared with timpani) 2) tambourine, clash cymbals, triangle, 3) orchestral bass drum, whip, tam tam
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Scottish Ballad
Timpani + 1 percussion
Clash Cymbals, tam tam, whip, orchestral bass drum, snare drum, tambourine
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Sinfonia da Requiem
Timpani
Int'l 32/29/26 Prem 32/30/28
4 percussion
Orchestral bass drum, clash cymbals, suspended cymbal, whip, xylophone, tambourine, snare drum
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Soirees Musicales
Timpani + 3 percussion
Xylophone, glockenspiel, clash cymbals, orchestral bass drum, triangle, tambourine, castanets, snare drum
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Spring Symphony
Timpani + 5 percussion
A & Bb3 tubular bells, orchestral bass drum, clash cymbals, xylophone, vibraphone, wood block, tambourine, castanets, suspended cymbal, whip, triangle, castanets, tenor drum, snare drum
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St Nicholas
Timpani
Int'l 32/29/26 Prem 32/30/28
2 percussion
Tam tam, snare drum, tenor drum, orchestral bass drum, whip, triangle, tambourine, clash cymbals
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Suite on English Folk Tunes
Timpani + 2 percussion
1) snare drum, B3 bass bell, 2) triangle, orchestral bass drum
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The Ascent of F6
No Timpani + 1 percussion
Glockenspiel, triangle, tambourine, suspended cymbal, woodblock, snare drum, tenor drum, orchestral bass drum
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The Beggars Opera
No timpani + 1 percussion
Timpani, suspended cymbal, snare drum, tenor drum, orchestral bass drum, tambourine, triangle, gong, wood block
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The Burning Fiery Furnace
Solo Percussion
5 Chinese tom toms, 3 tone whip, bell lyre in E major + medium bass drum and clash cymbals for other players
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The Dark Tower
Timpani + 1 percussion
Eb4 Tubular bell, triangle, tam tam, suspended cymbal, snare drum, orchestral bass drum, gong
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The Rape of Lucretia
1 Timpani doubling percussion
3 timpani -32" (Eb - B), 29" (A - E), 26" (D - G#), (easier with 4 timpani), snare drum, tenor drum, small orchestral bass drum, triangle, tam tam 32", whip, tambourine, large suspended cymbal, trap trays
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The Rescue of Penelope - Opera
Timpani (doubling percussion) + 2 percussion
1) xylophone, 2) snare drum, orchestral bass drum, tambourine, large wood block, timpanist) clash cymbals, suspended cymbal, whip, tam tam, orchestral bass drum, small gong
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Turn of the Screw
Timpani + 4 percussion
Glockenspiel, clash cymbals, orchestral bass drum, snare drum, tam tam, tubular bells, triangle, wood block set, suspended cymbals x 2, 2 tom toms
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Violin Concerto No 1
Timpani + 3 percussion
Triangle, glockenspiel, snare drum, tenor drum, orchestral bass drum, clash cymbals, suspended cymbal, wood block
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War Requiem
2 Timpani + 9 percussion (both orch)
Whip, triangle, castanets, wood block, bass bells C4 & F#4, crotales C & (hi) F#, 2 clash cymbals, 2 orchestral bass drums, 2 tam tams, 2 snare drums, vibraphone, glockenspiel, tenor drum, tambourine
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Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra
Timpani
Int'l 32/29/26/23 Prem 32/30/28/25
5 percussion
Tam tam, snare drum, xylophone, wood block, castanets, orchestral bass drum, clash cymbals, triangle, tambourine, whip, suspended cymbal
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