The fragility of life

He was my north, south,
My West, my east,
My six -day work,
My day off.

Wisten Hugh Oden

At the Christmas of 2016, I received a truly royal gift - Tom correspondence of composer Benjamin Britten (1913–1976) with his friend, singer Peter Pierce (1910–1986). The book was published under the title of “My Belved man” and includes all the surviving Britten correspondence with the pier (375 letters, 1937–1976), as well as an extensive reference material. (In our publishing tradition, such a publication - with a meticulously verified text and detailed comments - would be called "academic.")

Benjamin Britten met Peter Pierce in 1937. At this time, the Pierce already performed some vocal works of Britten and listened to the first performance of Britten orchestral "variations on the theme of Frank Bridge." Bridge was a wonderful composer and mentor of young Britten.

By the beginning of 1939, the situation in Europe became so tense that Britten's friends, poet Wen Hugh Oden and Proseik Christopher Isherwood, decided to move to the United States. In the spring of 1939 - not without doubt and hesitation - Britten and Pierce followed their example. In parting, Frank Bridge gave Britten his ancient Viola.

Transfer to the United States contributed - we will use the term of Stendhal - crystallization of relations between Britten and Pierce. They were separated only by the death of Britten in 1976 ...

The entry of England into the war in the fall of 1939 was perceived by Britten and Pierce as a personal drama imposing uncertain moral obligations on them. However, they were officially proposed to wait with a return to their homeland.

It is significant that by the time of returning to England in 1940, the scale of the self -realization of Britten was very impressive. Despite the complex life circumstances, they have already created a piano and violin concerts, as well as the vocal cycle of “Sonnets for Michelangelo Poems”, written by Britten specifically for the pier.

From the correspondence of Britten and the pier, it is clear that, although both of them were quite successful, and then more and more well -known and even revered musicians and large figures of world culture, the life path of each of them was quite a thorny.

A constant source of tension was Britten's fragile health. He did not like large cities and in London was only as necessary. The natural place of Britten - the surroundings of the Primorsky town of Lustoft on the east coast of England, where he was born and grew up. Nearby in 1957, the Red House was rebuilt and equipped - since then permanent housing of Britten and Pierce. Now there is a museum and the archive of Britten and Pierce.

Cold baths and walks along the seashore in any weather were an indispensable part of Britten's life when he was “at home”, and not on the next tour. And he toured a lot - as a conductor performing his works, as well as as a permanent Pierce accompanist. Together with the pier, they recorded almost the entire repertoire of German and generally European Lieder.

It was the Pierce that was the performer of the main tenor parties in all Britten operates. The life of the pier consisted of preparing the next opera performance, which, of course, meant constant trips. In addition, the pier was a popular concert musician; He also taught.

Britten regularly acted as a conductor, primarily on the premieres of his works in different countries; In addition, he was a wonderful ensemble pianist. For a person who led a regular and, moreover, an undoubtedly healthy lifestyle, Britten died early, not recovering after a relatively simple one -even for the mid-1970s-heart surgery. From the texts of letters and notes to them it can be seen that Britten was forced to constantly “keep in mind” of his body.

The publication of the personal , and even more so intimate correspondence is always not an easy task for the publishers who seek to preserve not only facts, but also the tonality of texts and at the same time not cause the reader a reaction of the forced spy. In addition, the publisher must explain everything from his point of view, the necessary, including details, not so important at first glance.

The correspondence between the pier and Britten remained the main channel of their constant communication - reliable international telephone communication became everyday much later. The correspondence was a way to continue and protect their common life as a whole. Nevertheless, Pierce, who survived Britten for ten years, decided to publish this correspondence without bills. By this, he created a man -made monument of an entire era in the English (and European) culture.

Rebekah Frumkin

My beled man. The Letters of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears. Woodbridge, The Boydell Press, 2016.