Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

Cantata Misericordium (1963)

for tenor and baritone, small choir, string quartet, string orchestra, piano, harp and timpani

  • General information
    • Composition date: 1963 - 25 may 1963
    • Duration: 19 mn 30 s
    • Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
    • Opus: 69
    • Dedication: 'In honorem Societatis Crucis Rubrae kalendis septembribus A.S. MCMLXIII sollemnia saecularia Genavae celebrantis hoc opus compositum illo prium die auditum est' ; 'To Fidelity Cranbrook'
    • Libretto (details, author):

      Texte en latin de Patrick Wilkinson

Detailed formation
  • soloists: 1 solo tenor, 1 solo baritone, 1 violin, 1 second violin, 1 viola, 1 cello
  • mixed choir
  • 1 timpani, 1 harp, 1 piano, strings

Premiere information

  • Date: 1 September 1963
    Location:

    Suisse, Genève


    Performers:

    Peter Pears, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, le Motet de Genève et l'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, direction : Ernest Ansermet.