Reveille for Violin and Piano by Benjamin Britten
Published by Faber
Benjamin Britten (1913-76) was among the most significant English composers of the middle 20th century. An admirer of the music of Mahler, Shostakovich, and his teacher Frank Bridge, he also found great inspiration in English baroque and Renaissance music and helped broaden the predominant English style beyond the prevailing pastoralism of his day. Though most known for his operatic, vocal, and choral music, he wrote much for strings.
Britten wrote ''Reveille'' in 1937 at the youthful age of 23, one of two pieces he wrote for violinist Antonio Brosa. It is a virtuosic concert study and encore, playfully depicting the difficulty Brosa had with getting ready in the morning. It starts off languidly and sluggish, getting more and more animated before whizzing around with chaotic energy. For advanced players.
