Britten composed two sparkling orchestral suites both based on themes by Rossini û Soirées musicales and Matineés musicales, op. 24. They revel in dance rhythms (both were choreographed by Balanchine) and demonstrate Britten’s orchestral mastery and tongue-in-cheek sense of humour. Widely performed by amateur and youth orchestras, these two suites provide substantial and exciting additions to any children’s or pops concert.

ca 11 min.