Benjamin Britten birthday bargain box

For only £40.99 (RRP £78.25) , this 37 - yes, 37 - CD box set has to be the bargain of the Britten centenary season. EMI's Benjamin Britten - The Collector's Edition is just that. Apart from a few Britten/Pears 1940s recordings, most of the set is compiled from '80s and '90s material from the likes of Simon Rattle and the CBSO, Robert Tear and Stephen Hough. Sarah Brightman (yes that one) also pops up briefly.

Plenty of rarities are included but it isn't a complete account of Britten's work - notable operatic omissions include Billy Budd and Death in Venice. Outstanding versions of Peter Grimes (Haitink) and The Turn of the Screw (Harding) might compensate opera fans.

Full tracklist:

• Sinfonia da Requiem, Op. 20 - Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pesek
• Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op. 33a - Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pesek
• The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 - Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pesek
• Canadian Carnival Overture, Op. 19 - Wesley Warren (trumpet), City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
• Diversions for piano (left hand) and orchestra, Op. 21 - Peter Donohoe (piano), City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
• Scottish Ballad, Op. 26 - Peter Donohoe & Philip Fowke (pianos), City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
• An American Overture - City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
• Occasional Overture, Op. 38 - City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
• The Building of the House - CBSO Chorus & City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
• Piano Concerto, Op. 13 - Leif Ove Andsnes (piano), City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Järvi
• Violin Concerto in D minor Op. 15 - Ida Haendel (violin), Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Berglund
• Young Apollo, Op. 16 - Peter Donohoe (piano), Felix Kok, Jeremy Ballard (violins), Peter Cole (viola) & Michal Kaznowski (cello), City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
• Simple Symphony, Op. 4 - Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, Iona Brown
• Variations on a theme of Frank Bridge, Op. 10 - Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, Iona Brown
• Prelude & Fugue for 18 strings, Op. 29 - Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, Iona Brown
• Lachrymae for viola & strings, Op. 48a - Lars Anders Tomter (viola), Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, Iona Brown
• Gloriana - Symphonic Suite Op. 53a - Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Takuo Yuasa
• Symphony for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 68 - Steven Isserlis (cello), City of London Sinfonia, Richard Hickox
• Men of Goodwill (Variations on a Christmas Carol for orchestra) - Minnesota Orchestra, Sir Neville Marriner
• Sinfonietta, Op. 1 - Pauline Lowbury & Julian Tear (violins), Britten Sinfonia, Daniel Harding
• Russian Funeral - City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
• Suite on English Folk Tunes 'A Time there was', Op. 90 - Peter Walden (cor anglais), City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
• Matinées musicales (after Rossini), Op. 24 - English Chamber Orchestra, Sir Alexander Gibson
• Soirées musicales (after Rossini), Op. 9 - English Chamber Orchestra, Sir Alexander Gibson
• The Tocher (Rossini Suite) - Boys of the Choir of Paisley & Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Steuart Bedford
• The Prince of the Pagodas, Op. 57 - London Sinfonietta, Oliver Knussen
• Rhapsody for String Quartet - Endellion String Quartet
• Quartettino - Endellion String Quartet
• String Quartet No. 1 in D major, Op. 25 - Endellion String Quartet
• Phantasy in F minor for string quintet - Nicholas Logie (viola), Endellion String Quartet
• Elegy for unaccompanied viola - Garfield Jackson (viola)
• Phantasy Quartet for Oboe & String Trio, Op. 2 - Endellion String Quartet
• Three Divertimenti - Endellion String Quartet
• String Quartet No. 2 in C major, Op. 36 - Endellion String Quartet
• String Quartet in D major (1931) - Endellion String Quartet
• String Quartet No. 3, Op. 94 - Endellion String Quartet
• Suites for cello solo, Nos. 1-3 - Truls Mørk (cello)
• Holiday Diary Op. 5 for solo piano - Stephen Hough, Ronan O’Hara (pianos)
• Three Character Pieces - Stephen Hough, Ronan O’Hara (pianos)
• Moderato, Nocturne & Twelve Variations on a Theme from Sonatina romantica - Stephen Hough, Ronan O’Hara (pianos)
• Five Waltzes for piano - Stephen Hough, Ronan O’Hara (pianos)
• Two Lullabies for Two Pianos - Stephen Hough, Ronan O’Hara (pianos)
• Introduction and Rondo alla burlesca, op.23 No.1 - Stephen Hough, Ronan O’Hara (pianos)
• Suite Op. 6 - Alexander Barantschik (violin) & John Adey (piano)
• Sonata for cello and piano in C major, Op. 65 - Moray Welsh (cello) & John Lenehan (piano)
• Six Metamorphoses after Ovid for solo oboe, Op. 49 - Roy Carter (oboe)
• Nocturnal after John Dowland, Op. 70 - Julian Bream (guitar)
• War Requiem, Op. 66 - Elisabeth Söderström (soprano), Robert Tear (tenor), Sir Thomas Allen (baritone) & Mark Blatchly (chamber organ), Boys of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, CBSO Chorus & City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
• Spring Symphony, Op. 44 - Sheila Armstrong (soprano), Dame Janet Baker (contralto) & Robert Tear (tenor), St. Clement Danes School Boys’ Choir, London Symphony Chorus & London Symphony Orchestra, André Previn
• Hymn to St Cecilia, Op. 27 - Richard Cross (treble), Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, Sir David Willcocks
• A Ceremony of Carols, Op. 28 - James Clark, Julian Godlee (trebles) & Osian Ellis (harp), Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, Sir David Willcocks
• Missa Brevis in D major, Op. 63 - Julian Brown, Christopher Anderson, Anthony Sackville, Rory Phillips & James Clark (trebles) & Ian Hare (organ), Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, Sir David Willcocks
• Festival Te Deum in E, Op. 32 - Simon Channing (treble) & James Lancelot (organ), Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, Sir Philip Ledger
• Rejoice in the Lamb, Op. 30 - Simon Channing (treble), James Bowman (countertenor), Richard Morton (tenor), Marcus Creed (bass), James Lancelot (organ) & David Corkhill (percussion), Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, Sir Philip Ledger
• Te Deum in C - Rory Phillips (treble) & James Lancelot (organ), Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, Sir Philip Ledger
• Jubilate Deo in C major (1961) - Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, Sir Philip Ledger
• A Hymn to the Virgin - Stephen Barton (treble), Hugh Hudleston (treble), Warren Trevelyan-Jones (tenor) & Francis Pott (bass), Winchester Cathedral Choir, David Hill
• St Nicolas, Op. 42 - Robert Tear (tenor), Bruce Russell (treble), Andrew Davis & Ian Hare (piano duet), Cambridge Girls’ Choir, Choir of King’s College, Cambridge & Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Sir David Willcocks
• Hymn to St. Peter, Op. 56a - Mark Emney, Peter Rowe (trebles) & Timothy Farrell (organ), Wandsworth School Choir, Russell Burgess
• A Hymn of Saint Columba - Mark Emney, Peter Rowe (trebles), Christopher Hughes, Timothy Farrell (organ), Choir of King’s College, Cambridge & Wandsworth School Choir, Russell Burgess
• Sacred and Profane, Op. 91 - Vasari Singers, Jeremy Backhouse
• The Little Sweep, Op. 45 - Robert Lloyd, Robert Tear, Sam Monck, Heather Begg, Catherine Benson, Cato Fordham, Catherine Wearing, Mary Wells, David Glick, Colin Huehns & Katherine Willis, Finchley Children’s Music Group, Choral Scholars of King’s College, Cambridge & Medici String Quartet, Sir Philip Ledger
• A Boy was Born, Op. 3 - London Sinfonietta Chorus & Choristers of St. Paul’s Cathedral, Terry Edwards
• A Shepherd's Carol - Sarah Leonard (soprano), Susan Bickley (mezzo-soprano), Peter Hall (tenor) & Gordon Jones (baritone), London Sinfonietta Chorus, Terry Edwards
• Noye's Fludde - Richard Pasco, Donald Maxwell, Linda Ormiston, Alexander Gallifant, Timothy Lamb, Nicholas Berry, Catriona Johnson, Polly Hewetson & Joanna Brown, Coull String Quartet & Schools’ Orchestra from schools of Salisbury and Chester, Richard Hickox
• A.M.D.G. - London Sinfonietta Chorus, Terry Edwards
• The Ballad of Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard (Text: The Oxford Book of Ballads) - Baccholian Singers of London
• The Company of Heaven - Peter Barkworth, Sheila Allen (narrators), Cathryn Pope (soprano), Dan Dressen (tenor) & Christopher Herrick (organ), London Philharmonic Choir & English Chamber Orchestra, Philip Brunelle
• Ballad of Heroes, Op. 14 - Robert Tear (tenor), CBSO Chorus & City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
• Praise We Great Men - Alison Hargan (soprano), Mary King (contralto), Robert Tear (tenor) & Willard White (bass), CBSO Chorus & City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
• Les illuminations, Op. 18 - Heather Harper (soprano), Northern Sinfonia Orchestra, Sir Neville Marriner
• Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings, Op. 31 - Neil Mackie (tenor) & Barry Tuckwell (horn), Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Steuart Bedford
• Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal, for tenor, horn and strings - Neil Mackie (tenor) & Barry Tuckwell (horn), Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Steuart Bedford
• Nocturne, Op. 60 for tenor, obbligato instruments and strings - Robert Tear (tenor), English Chamber Orchestra, Jeffrey Tate
• Quatre Chansons Françaises - Jill Gomez (soprano), City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
• Our Hunting Fathers, Op. 8 - Elisabeth Söderström (soprano), Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera, Richard Armstrong
• Four Folksong Settings - Elisabeth Söderström (soprano), Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera, Richard Armstrong
• Phaedra, Op. 93 - Felicity Palmer (mezzo-soprano), Jane Salmon (cello) & Melvyn Tan (harpsichord), Endymion Ensemble, John Whitfield
• Five French Folksong arrangements - Felicity Palmer (mezzo-soprano), Endymion Ensemble, John Whitfield
• Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo, Op. 22 - Peter Pears (tenor) & Benjamin Britten (piano)
• The Holy Sonnets of John Donne, Op. 35 - Peter Pears (tenor) & Benjamin Britten (piano)
• On this Island, Op. 11 - Robert Tear (tenor) & Sir Philip Ledger (piano)
• Winter Words, Op. 52 - Robert Tear (tenor) & Sir Philip Ledger (piano)
• Canticles I-V - Ian Bostridge (tenor), David Daniels (countertenor), Christopher Maltman (baritone), Timothy Brown (horn), Aline Brewer (harp) & Julius Drake (piano)
• Folksongs (selection) - Ian Bostridge (tenor), David Daniels (countertenor), Christopher Maltman (baritone), Timothy Brown (horn), Aline Brewer (harp) & Julius Drake (piano)
• The Children and Sir Nameless (Hardy) - Neil Mackie (tenor) & Roger Vignoles (piano)
• Beware! - Three Early Songs - Neil Mackie (tenor) & Roger Vignoles (piano)
• To lie flat on the back with the knees flexed (No. 1 from Fish in the Unruffled Lakes) - Neil Mackie (tenor) & Roger Vignoles (piano)
• Three rhymes by William Soutar - Neil Mackie (tenor) & Roger Vignoles (piano)
• Tit for Tat - Jonathan Lemalu (bass baritone) & Malcolm Martineau (piano)
• Two Ballads for two voices and piano - Felicity Lott (soprano) & Ann Murray (mezzo-soprano)
• Folksongs (selection) - Robert Tear (tenor) & Sir Philip Ledger (piano)
• Folksongs (selection) - Sarah Brightman (soprano) & Geoffrey Parsons (piano)
• Paul Bunyan - Soloists, Chorus & Orchestra of the Plymouth Music Series, Philip Brunelle
• Peter Grimes - Recorded 1992, Watford Town Hall - Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Felicity Lott, Thomas Allen, Patricia Payne, Maria Bovino, Gillian Webster, Stuart Kale, Stafford Dean, Sarah Walker, Neil Jenkins, Simon Keenlyside, David Wilson-Johnson, Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Bernard Haitink
• The Turn of the Screw - Recorded 2002, Maltings Concert Hall, Snape, Suffolk - Ian Bostridge, Joan Rodgers, Julian Leang, Caroline Wise, Jane Henschel, Vivian Tierney, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Daniel Harding
• A Midsummer Night's Dream - Recorded 1990 - James Bowman, Lillian Watson, Dexter Fletcher, John Graham-Hall, Henry Herford, Della Jones, Jill Gomez, Norman Bailey, Penelope Walker, Trinity Boys’ Choir, City of London Sinfonia, Richard Hickox
• The Rape of Lucretia - Abridged recording of the revised version (1947), Recorded: 16–19.VII. & 19.X.1947, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London - Nancy Evans (Lucretia), Peter Pears (Male Chorus), Joan Cross (Female Chorus), Frederick Sharp (Tarquinius), Norman Lumsden (Collatinus), Dennis Dowling (Junius), Margaret Ritchie (Lucia), Flora Nielsen (Bianca), English Opera Group Chamber Orchestra, Reginald Goodall
• Night covers up the rigid land (No. 2 from Fish in the Unruffled Lakes) - Neil Mackie (tenor) & Roger Vignoles (piano)
• If it's ever Spring again (Hardy) - Neil Mackie (tenor) & Roger Vignoles (piano)