The Morning Star (from Spring Symphony, Op. 44)

Commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Spring Symphony is, in Britten's words, 'a symphony not only dealing with the Spring itself but with the progress of Winter to Spring and the reawakening of the earth and life which that means'. A hybrid work - part symphony, part oratorio and part song-cycle - the large forces provide a flexible resource for a number of smaller combinations that change for each setting. The first of four parts of the work consists of five different sections, each using varied forces and contributing to the colour and variety of the larger movement. “The Morning Star” is given to the chorus to end the first part.

Adapted from repertoire notes by Paul Spicer, 2011