Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem First Performance

Benjamin Britten’s “War Requiem” was given its first performance as part of the celebrations of the dedication of the new Coventry Cathedral, on May 30th 1962. It was broadcast ‘live’ by the B.B.C. and was one of two performances given by the original participants. The soprano Galina Vishnevskaya was unavailable for these and was replaced by Heather Harper. The first commercial recording was issued in 1963 and the soloists were as originally intended, however, other changes included the organist and boys’ choir.

A chance conversation with John Cooper, the organist of the first performance, led to a search for a recording of the broadcast from Coventry. We were enjoying lunch in a restaurant in Lowestoft, just across the road from Benjamin Britten’s birthplace, when the subject of “War Requiem” was raised. Had anyone recorded it?

The Digital Gramophone Company has access to a large private sound archive, and I, with some trepidation, searched the catalogue. There, to my great delight, was “War Requiem”, First Performance, Coventry, etc.” The tape was located, and had survived in good condition. The complete broadcast, announcements, et al., recorded ‘off air’ by an enthusiast, and in good quality sound, with only minor deterioration over fifty years, and found in the house where I was born – a mere stone’s throw from where Benjamin Britten was born! Coincidences can be remarkable.

We are proud to make available to the public, after fifty years, a digitally restored recording of this very important first performance, under the composer’s direction.

    Terry Hepworth

Available now on all major download stores.

The Black and White Minstrel Show Greatest Collection Archive '60-'62

The Black and White Minstrel Show was first broadcasted on the BBC of 14 June 1958. It began as a one-off special in 1957 called The 1957 Television Minstrels featuring the male Mitchell Minstrels (after George Mitchell, the Musical Director) and the female Television Toppers dancers. It was popular and soon developed into a regular 45-minute show on Saturday evening prime time television, featuring a Sing-along format with both solo and minstrel pieces (often with extended segueing), some Country and Western and music derived from other foreign folk cultures. The show also included "comedy interludes" performed by Leslie Crowther, George Chisholm and Stan Stennett.

During the nine years that the show was broadcast in black-and-white, the black-face makeup was actually red as black did not film very well.

The Digital Gramophone Company has just released on all major download stores an archive collection of The Black and White Minstrel show from 1960 to 1962. The album consists of 26 minstrel medleys from their popular TV show on the BBC.