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Title: Key works by Britten and Tippett
Review: There are two works by Benjamin Britten and one by Michael Tippett on this CD, played by the London Philharmonic Orchestra: John Pritchard conducts the Britten; Vernon Handley conducts the Tippett. First we have Britten's Serenade for tenor, horn and strings. I like the version conducted by Britten himself sung by Peter Pears with Dennis Brain on horn; but I prefer the voice of Ian Partridge on this record with Nicholas Busch on horn. With the ever-increasing standards of playing by instrumentalists, Busch gives as fine a performance as Brain, who was outstanding in his day. The other Britten work is the Violin Concerto for which Rodney Friend is the excellent soloist. The Tippett piece is the Concerto for Double String Orchestra - one of the loveliest and most accessible of Tippett's compositions.
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