Saint Nicolas (Britten)

Saint Nicolas is a cantata with music by Benjamin Britten and text by Eric Crozier, written in 1948.

Benjamin Britten wrote the cantata Saint Nicolas in 1948 for the centennial celebrations of Lancing College in Sussex. Writing specifically for the resources available to him on this occasion, Britten scored the piece for mixed choir, tenor soloist, three or four boys, strings, piano duet, organ and percussion. Within this ensemble, the only professional musicians required were the tenor soloist, a string quartet to lead the other strings, and the percussionists. Saint Nicolas marks Britten's first professional work intended primarily for performance by amateur musicians. Now the cantata is frequently performed by youth and amateur ensembles. While the piece was written for Lancing College, the first performance was actually, with the College's permission, the opening concert of the first Aldeburgh Festival in June 1948, when it was performed in Aldeburgh Church.

The text of Saint Nicolas was written by Eric Crozier after extensive research into the legendary life of Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, Lycia. Crozier's libretto paints a dramatically bold portrait of the saint's character, exaggerating the legends and glory that have accumulated over the centuries around Nicholas's story. Britten's music enhances the drama of Crozier's text using striking contrasts in instrumentation, vocal style, and musical textures.

The Thames Television production, with Ian Partridge singing the title role, won the 1977 Prix Italia.

Saint Nicolas opens with an introduction in which the mixed choir, representing a contemporary people, calls to Nicolas to speak to them across the ages. They sing, “Our eyes are blinded by the holiness you bear,” and they wish to hear the true story of Nicolas, the man. After being implored to “Strip off [his] glory,” Nicolas responds in a flourish, speaking to the choir, “Across the tremendous bridge of sixteen hundred years…” The first movement ends with a choral prayer.

...
Wikipedia