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Sarmada, the first book from our Swallow Editions imprint, was launched at The Mosaic Rooms in October 2011
Haus Publishing translator Anthea Bell - On Publishing Asterix
9 October 2011 at the French Institute
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Featured Author
Britten

RRP: Price: £9.99
Haus Price: £7.99
Friends of Haus: £7.50
Publication Date:
2003-07-31
ISBN:
9781904341215
Format:
Paperback
Territory:
World
Category:
Biography, Music
Pages:
192
Recommended
Books
By David Matthews
Benjamin Britten (1913-76) was the most prolific and celebrated English composer of the mid-20th century. Britten shot to international fame with his operas performed by the English Opera Group in 1947.
David Matthews brings to this biography his special insight as a fellow composer, former assistant and life-long friend of Britten to produce a uniquely personal, sensitive and authoritative account.
‘A superb biography . . . tells general readers everything they could possibly need to know about the composer’s life and work.’
Clare Stevens, Classical Music
‘Matthews’s Britten is fluent, informative and . . . sympathetic to its subject. His comments on Britten’s music, which occur unobtrusively throughout the narrative, are richly informative.’
Alexander Waugh, Literary Review, July 2003
‘David Matthews's Britten is a lyrical appraisal of an often tormented existence.’
Norman Lebrecht, Evening Standard, 1 December 2003
‘David Matthews (...) is himself a composer. His book contains one revelation - the existence of a remarkable work (Two Pieces) for violin, viola and piano written when Britten was 16 - and is so well-balanced and so full of sympathetic but by no means uncritical insights that if I were asked to recommend an introduction to Britten to somebody who knew little or nothing about the man and his music, I would unhesitatingly urge this one.’
Michael Kennedy, Sunday Telegraph
