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Peter Grimes (London 1945)

Libretto: Charles Montagu Slater
Benjamin Britten, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Chorus of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Claire Watson (Soprano), Marion Studholme (Soprano), Iris Kells (Soprano), Jean Watson (Mezzo-soprano), Lauris Elms (Mezzo-soprano), John Lanigan (Tenor), Sir Peter Pears (Tenor), Raymond Nilsson (Tenor), Geraint Evans (Baritone), James Pease (Baritone), Owen Brannigan (Bass), David Kelly (Bass)
℗ 1959

  • Prologue

    • 1. 'Peter Grimes! Peter Grimes!' (Hobson, Swallow, Peter)
      01:28
    • 2. 'You sailed your boat' (Swallow, Peter, Mrs Sedley, Chorus, Hobson, Ellen)
      03:04
    • 3. 'Peter Grimes, I here advise you!' (Swallow, Chorus, Hobson, Peter)
      02:10
    • 4. 'The truth … the pity …' (Peter, Ellen)
      01:54
    • 5. Interlude I
      02:58

  • Act I

    • 6. 'Oh hang at open doors' (Chorus, 1st Fisherman, Auntie, Boles, Balstrode, 2nd Fisherman, Rector, Nieces, Mrs Sedley, Swallow, Ned)
      05:35
    • 7. 'Hi! Give us a hand' (Peter, Boles, Balstrode, Ned, Auntie, Hobson)
      03:19
    • 8. 'I have to go from pub to pub' (Hobson, Chorus, Ellen, Ned)
      01:58
    • 9. 'Let her among you without fault' (Ellen, Hobson, Mrs Sedley, Ned)
      03:09
    • 10. 'Look! The storm cone!' (Balstrode, Chorus, Ned, Boles, Auntie, Nieces)
      02:41
    • 11. 'And do you prefer the storm' (Balstrode, Peter)
      04:57
    • 12. 'What harbour shelters peace' (Peter)
      01:12
    • 13. Interlude II
      04:08
    • 14. 'Past time to close!' (Auntie, Mrs Sedley, Balstrode, Boles, Nieces, Fisherman)
      06:19
    • 15. 'Have you heard? The cliff is down' (Ned, Auntie, Mrs Sedley, Balstrode, Nieces, Chorus)
      01:23

  • Act II

    • 16. 'Now the Great Bear and Pleiades' (Peter, Chorus, Nieces, Boles, Balstrode, Auntie)
      03:40
    • 17. 'For peace sake!' (Balstrode, Peter)
      02:28
    • 18. 'The bridge is down' (Hobson, Ned, Ellen, Boles, Auntie, Nieces, Peter)
      01:39
    • 19. Interlude III
      02:25
    • 20. 'Glitter of waves and glitter of sunlight' (Ellen, Chorus, Rector, Peter)
      08:41
    • 21. 'This unrelenting work' (Ellen, Peter, Chorus)
      04:41
    • 22. 'Fool to let it come to this' (Auntie, Ned, Boles, Chorus, Mrs Sedley, Balstrode, Lawyer, Swallow, Fisherwoman, Nices, Rector)
      03:21
    • 23. 'People! … No! I will speak!' (Boles, Chorus, Balstrode, Rector, Auntie, Ellen)
      02:13
    • 24. 'We planned that their lives' (Ellen, Rector, Mrs. Sedley, Boles, Ned, Nieces, Auntie, Balstrode, Hobson, Swallow, Chorus)
      02:27
    • 25. 'Swallow! Shall we go and see Grimes in his hut?' (Rector, Swallow, Balstrode, Mrs. Sedley, Nieces, Ned, Hobson, Chorus, Boles)
      00:44
    • 26. 'Now is gossip put on trial' (Mrs Sedley, Boles, Rector, Ned, Swallow, Chorus)
      02:12

  • Act III

    • 27. 'From the gutter' (Nieces, Auntie, Ellen)
      04:35
    • 28. Interlude IV
      05:27
    • 29. 'Go there' (Peter)
      07:18
    • 30. 'Now! Now!' (Chorus, Peter, Boles, Rector, Swallow, Ned)
      02:09
    • 31. 'Peter Grimes! Nobody here?' (Rector, Swallow, Ned)
      03:07
    • 32. Interlude V
      04:19
    • 33. 'Assign your prettiness to me' (Swallow, Nieces, Ned, Mrs Sedley)
      05:25
    • 34. 'Come along, Doctor!' (Burgess, Burgesses, Rector, Mrs. Sedley, Ellen, Balstrode)
      03:19
    • 35. 'Embroidery in childhood was a luxury of idleness' (Ellen, Balstrode)
      05:09
    • 36. 'Mister Swallow! Mister Swallow!' (Mrs Sedley, Auntie, Swallow, Hobson)
      02:00
    • 37. 'Who holds himself apart, lets pride rise' (Chorus, Nieces, Mrs Sedley, Boles, Ned, Swallow, Hobson)
      03:45
    • 38. Interlude VI
      02:36
    • 39. 'Grimes! Grimes!' (Chorus, Peter)
      04:56
    • 40. 'Peter, we've come to take you home' (Ellen, Peter, Balstrode)
      02:29
    • 41. 'To those who pass, the Borough sounds betray' (Chorus, Swallow, Fisherman, Auntie, Boles, Rector, Nieces, Ned, Swallow, Hobson)
      05:01

Recording appears on:

All recordings of "Peter Grimes (London 1945)"