Britten wrote few canticle settings, only two Te Deums, two settings of the Jubilate and a Venite which was not published in his lifetime. He wrote no settings of the Evening Canticles for the Anglican rite.
The settings we have are therefore all the more precious and, as always, show the originality of his creative mind.
This Te Deum, composed in 1934, has drama, energy, variety, and clarity and integrity of structure.
The challenges in this work are as much for the conductor as the choir.
The conductor needs to see the big picture, relate the first and last sections and prevent the central one from becoming sentimental or too slow.
For the choir, it is the ability to sing quietly with abundant energy, to have absolute clarity of diction, to note the details of articulation.
Duration: 9 minutes
Paul Spicer
Minimum delivery time 2 to 3 weeks.
