Britten, Benjamin : King Arthur

King Arthur (scenes from a radio drama) was the first of 28 scores Benjamin Britten (1913–1976) composed for radio between 1937 and 1947. It was an ambitious dramatisation of King Arthur’s life and times – part pageant, part play, part cantata – written by D.G. Bridson.

This colourful suite incorporates the Introduction, a dramatic Wild Dance, some of the music underscoring the scenes for Galahad and The Holy Grail, and two vivid battle scenes, ending with The Final Battle and Apotheosis.