skip to navigation

    Classic FM

    On Air Now

    The Classic FM Concert with John Suchet 8pm - 10pm

    The Classic FM Concert with John Suchet

    Now Playing

    Violin Concerto in E major BWV.1042 Johann Sebastian Bach

    • Playlist
    • Schedule
    Listen
    • Home
    • Radio
    • News
    • Discover Music
    • Composers
    • Artists
    • Win
    • Charity
    • Learning
    • Quizzes
    • Dating
    • Follow us on:
      Follow Classic FM on Twitter
      Follow Classic FM on Facebook
      Follow Classic FM on Instagram
      Follow Classic FM on Youtube

    Composers

    Britten

    • Britten Home
    • Music
    • News
    • Album Reviews
    • Pictures
    • Guides
    • More Composers

    Benjamin Britten's Women - Gallery

    Classic FM took legendary broadcaster Joan Bakewell to the Red House in Aldeburgh to meet the women who knew composer Benjamin Britten best.

    1. Benjamin Britten

      1. A giant of British music

      Benjamin Britten is a truly global figure. He composed some of the most appealing classical music of the 20th century and had an outstanding reputation as a pianist, conductor and recording artist.

    2. Benjamin Britten Joan Bakewell Aldeburgh

      2. Joan Bakewell - off to Aldeburgh

      To celebrate the man and his music, legendary broadcaster Joan Bakewell went to Britten's home - the Red House in Aldeburgh, Suffolk - to hear exclusively from the women who provided the support system that underpinned Britten's life, from family and work, to home and health.

    3. Britten Red House Aldeburgh

      3. The Red House, then...

      The Red House, now home of the Britten-Pears Foundation, is unique in the world. The home of Benjamin Britten and his partner Peter Pears, it has maintained a strong spirit of place and its collections tell the story of its inhabitants' lives in extraordinary depth.

    4. Red House Aldeburgh

      4. ...and now

      In the beautiful setting of the Red House, surrounded by Britten and Pears' extraordinary art collection, Joan Bakewell spoke to four women who were close to the composer. "Personally, I have many fond memories of spending time there as a member of the Aldeburgh festival board," said Joan Bakewell, "and it was lovely to return to speak to these women who knew Ben and Peter so well." Photo: Philip Vile.

    5. Rita Britten nurse

      5. Britten's nurse, Rita Thomson

      Britten underwent a successful heart operation in May 1973 but suffered a slight stroke. While in hospital he became friendly with a senior nursing sister, Rita Thomson, and persuaded her to move to Aldeburgh in 1974. Rita looked after the composer until his death and stayed on to nurse Peter Pears until his passing in 1986. The Red House remained home for Rita until 1999.

    6. Britten Susan Pears Phipps Aldeburgh

      6. Pears' niece, Susan Pears-Phipps

      Peter Pears' niece Susan also worked as Britten and Pears' concert agent. "Peter adored travelling," she told Joan Bakewell. "He was open to anything - loved new countries, new cultures. Ben in theory did - but actually he hated being away from home. He hated being away from composing."

    7. Benjamin Britten music niece

      7. Brilliant man, brilliant music

      Susan Pears-Phipps recalled hearing Britten's music for the first time. "I think I was completely captivated by it...But it never occurred to me that it was different from – or in a way that one had to approach it differently from anything else. It was just one brilliant man writing brilliant music."

    8. Benjamin Britten - The Red House

      8. Britten's niece, Sally Schweizer

      Benjamin Britten's niece Sally Schweizer has fond memories of childhood days spent visiting him at the Red House. "I think my uncle was a mixture of very happy and very worried," she told Joan Bakewell. "That's how he came across."

    9. Britten Bakewell Sally Schweizer niece

      9. A special dedication

      Britten dedicated his 1957 opera Noye’s Fludde to Sally and her brother. "And we were so proud of that, as you can imagine," she told Joan Bakewell, "Even today, you know...as I’m telling you, I feel so proud!"

    10. Heather Grant Britten housekeeper Red House Aldeburgh

      10. The housekeeper, Heather Grant

      Heather Grant went to work at the Red House at the age of 15 and stayed 51 years. "I was a great Cliff Richard, Billy Fury fan – all those," she told Joan Bakewell. But Britten and Pears didn't mind. "They used to pull my leg about it," Heather recalled.

    11. Britten Red House archive

      11. A magnificent new archive

      To mark Benjamin Britten's centenary, a magnificent new archive has been built in the ground of the Red House. This landmark building uses the most modern techniques to ensure that the priceless collection can be stored in safety and preserved for generations to come.

    12. Britten archive mugs Noye's Fludde

      12. A life documented

      Britten rarely threw anything away and the whole of his extraordinary life is documented in detail at the new Red House archive. Manuscripts of more than 700 pieces of juvenilia and all the mature compositions; diaries, thousands of letters, photographs and recordings and countless other artefacts - including this musical instrument made of mugs for Noye's Fludde.

    13. Britten Aldeburgh monopoly

      13. Britten in a board game

      At the Red House, it's now possible to even buy an Aldeburgh Edition of Monopoly, with the Red House and other significant landmarks in the life of Britten and Pears.

    14. Benjamin Britten Peter Pears Snape

      14. A remarkable legacy

      Together with Peter Pears, Britten created a remarkable legacy: extraordinary vocal music, a revival of English opera, the Aldeburgh Festival and a unique and extensive archive. "I hope when you next go to a Benjamin Britten concert or seek out his music," said Joan Bakewell, "you’ll not only think of the lives touched by his genius, but of the people who were there to offer support and comfort." Photo by Victor Parker © BPF.

    Britten News

    See more Britten News

    violin string snap

    Now THIS is how you replace a violin string mid-concerto

    Videos

    Britten coin design

    Britten 50p coin design revealed

    Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra app

    New Britten app launched for children

    Britten Music

    See more Britten Music

    Sibelius

    Benjamin Britten - Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes

    Britten Pictures

    See more Britten Pictures

    Andy Murray winner of the US Open Championships

    Wimbledon 2014: Classical music and tennis

    Peter Grimes 1945 Sadlers Wells Peter Pears

    Peter Grimes: Some classic productions

    Benjamin Britten

    Britten: 15 facts about the great composer

    Britten Guides

    See more Britten Guides

    La Boheme at the Royal Opera House

    Opera: where to start

    Discover Music

    poppy field sunset somerset

    War Requiem: The complete text

    Benjamin Britten

    Benjamin Britten Centenary 2013

    Back to top

    Also on Classic FM

    • LBC News
    • handel
    • debussy
    • music theory
    • instruments
    • brahms
    • vivaldi
    • bach
    • tchaikovsky
    • chopin
    • andrea bocelli
    • beethoven
    • mozart
    • classical music tear jerkers
    • best classical music
    • Classic FM Live
    • classic fm requests
    • john suchet
    • piano world record
    • best pianists
    • harry potter music
    • classic fm app
    • saturday night at the movies
    • star wars soundtrack
    • best sopranos
    • best cellists
    • composer or pasta
    • music for studying
    • best violinists
    • sad music
    • composer birthdays
    • relaxing music

    Useful Links

    • Contact Us
    • Help
    • How To Listen
    • About Classic FM
    • Company Details
    • Cookies
    • Privacy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Advertise

    Download the app

    Get it on the app store Get it on Google Play

    Follow Us

    Follow Classic FM on Twitter
    Follow Classic FM on Facebook
    Follow Classic FM on Instagram
    Follow Classic FM on Youtube
    © Global 2021
    30 Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7LA
    Privacy Manager