Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac, Opus 51 (1952)

for countertenor, tenor and piano

Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

The Norfolk Chamber Consort, performing at Old Dominion University in 2009

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Oksana Lutsyshyn
• piano; Chris Dudley
• countertenor; Kerry Jennings
• tenor
• Abraham and Isaac
• Opus 51

[32Styx]

A very impressive performance of Britten's Canticle no.2, the biblical story of Abraham, who was asked by God to sacrifice his only son Isaac; but as Abraham was about to do so, God appeared and told him not to sacrifice. The countertenor is the voice of the child Isaac, and Abraham is the tenor voice, When God speaks both voices sing together one octave apart.

[papabull1]

@32Styx,

Thanks for commenting. The Norfolk Chamber Consort, as one of it's goals, presents music that is not in the mainstream.

[AndrewRudin]

Ingenious, that use of the two voices to represent God (but they're NOT one octave apart; there are many different intervals and from time to time they merge in a unison.)  Nice performance of one of my favorite Britten compositions.

[lightedfool]

Quite superb - you only need look at other versions of Canticle 2 on YouTube to see how badly it can be done - but this trio are spot on. Shame the quality is not a little better ... but thankyou for posting.

[mradaChris]

Very nice!

[Raff645]

The rest is now available.

[CubbyNH]

Very good so far.. Where's the rest?