Simple Symphony, op. 4
The Simple Symphony, Op. 4, is a work for string orchestra or string quartet by Benjamin Britten. It was written between December 1933 and February 1934 in Lowestoft, using material that the composer had written as a child, between 1923 and 1926. It received its first performance in 1934 at Stuart Hall in Norwich, with Britten conducting an amateur orchestra.
Movements
- Boisterous Bourrée
- Playful Pizzicato
- Sentimental Saraband
- Frolicsome Finale
Recommended recordings
- English Chamber Orchestra · Benjamin Britten YouTubeSpotify (subscription)
- Academy of St Martin in the Fields · Neville Marriner YouTubeSpotify (subscription)
Most recent recordings
- Britten: Simple Symphony, Op. 4: II. Playful Pizzicato — Benjamin Britten, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (2021) Spotify
- Britten: Simple Symphony — Benjamin Britten, Pavel Lyubomudrov, Metamorphose String Orchestra (2020) Spotify
New releases via Spotify — surfaced automatically, not editorial picks.