Back in England they performed Britten 's song cycle Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo together at the Wigmore Hall in London ( Britten was an excellent pianist ) , and then recorded them for EMI , their first recording together . There , in 1940 , Britten composed Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo , the first of many song cycles for Pears . Upon their return to England in 1942 , they performed this song cycle at Wigmore Hall on 23 September , and then recorded them for EMI , their first recording together .