Advance Democracy

Advance Democracy is a 1938 piece for unaccompanied choir by British composer Benjamin Britten.

## History

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In 1938, in reaction to the Munich Agreement and threat posed by the Axis against the liberal order in Europe, the London Co-operative Society commissioned a propaganda piece to promote democracy.[1][2] Poet Randall Swingler wrote the lyrics.[3]

## Music

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The piece begins with text evoking the fascist menace, with a minor key and staccato.[1] The call to advance democracy is underlined by a bright C major.[3]

## References

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### References

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1. ^ a b Spicer, Paul. "Advance Democracy (1938)". Hal Leonard. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
2. ^ Rushworth, Charlotte. "Britten's Advance Democracy – A rallying cry for us all". Pink Singers. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
3. ^ a b Jane, Caecilia. "Benjamin Britten and WW2 propaganda". A Historical Miscellany. Retrieved 22 February 2020.

### External links

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* S:t Jacobs Ungdomskör - Benjamin Britten: Advance Democracy

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Benjamin Britten

List of compositions

Opera and operetta|

* Paul Bunyan (1941)
* Peter Grimes (1945)
* The Rape of Lucretia (1946)
* Albert Herring (1947)
* The Little Sweep (1949)
* Billy Budd (1951)
* Gloriana (1953)
* The Turn of the Screw (1954)
* Noye's Fludde (1958)
* A Midsummer Night's Dream (1960)
* Owen Wingrave (1971)
* Death in Venice (1973)

Church parables|

* Curlew River (1964)
* The Burning Fiery Furnace (1966)
* The Prodigal Son (1968)

Film/Ballet|

* Plymouth Town (1931)
* Night Mail (1936)
* The Prince of the Pagodas (1956)

Orchestral|

* Sinfonietta (1932)
* Simple Symphony (1934)
* Soirées musicales (1937)
* Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge (1937)
* Mont Juic (1937)
* Sinfonia da Requiem (1940)
* Matinées musicales (1941)
* An American Overture (1941)
* The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (1946)

Concertante|

* Piano Concerto (1938, rev. 1945)
* Violin Concerto (1939, rev. 1958)
* Young Apollo (1939)
* Diversions for Piano Left Hand and Orchestra (1940 rev. 1954)
* Cello Symphony (1963)

Vocal/Choral Orchestral|

* Our Hunting Fathers (1936)
* The Company of Heaven (1937)
* Les Illuminations (1939)
* Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings (1943)
* Saint Nicolas (1948)
* Spring Symphony (1949)
* Nocturne (1958)
* Cantata academica (1959)
* War Requiem (1961)
* Cantata misericordium (1963)
* Children's Crusade (1969)
* Phaedra (1975)

Vocal|

* Beware! Three Early Songs (1922–26)
* Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo (1940)
* The Holy Sonnets of John Donne (1945)
* Britten's Purcell realizations (1945)+
* 5 Canticles (1947–75, including Canticle I: My beloved is mine and I am his, Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac (1952), Canticle III: Still falls the rain (1954), Canticle IV: The Journey of the Magi (1971) and Canticle V: The Death of Saint Narcissus (1974)
* A Charm of Lullabies (1947)
* Winter Words (1954)
* Songs from the Chinese (1957)
* Sechs Hölderlin-Fragmente (1958)
* Songs and Proverbs of William Blake (1965)
* The Poet's Echo (1965)
* Who Are These Children? (1969)
* A Birthday Hansel (1975)

Choral|

* Friday Afternoons (1932–1935)
* A Boy was Born (1933)
* Te Deum in C (1934)
* Advance Democracy (1938)
* A Ceremony of Carols (1942)
* Hymn to St Cecilia (1942)
* Festival Te Deum (1944)
* Rejoice in the Lamb (1943)
* Five Flower Songs (1950)
* Hymn to St Peter (1955)
* Missa Brevis (1959)
* A Hymn of St Columba (1962)
* The Golden Vanity (1966)
* Children's Crusade (1968)
* Sacred and Profane (8 medieval lyrics) (1974)
* Jubilate Deo (1961)

Chamber/Instrumental|

* String Quartet in D major (1931)
* Phantasy Quartet (oboe quartet, 1932)
* String Quartet No. 1 (1941)
* String Quartet No. 2 (1945)
* Prelude and Fugue on a Theme of Vittoria (organ, 1946)
* Six Metamorphoses after Ovid (oboe, 1951)
* Fanfare for St Edmundsbury (three trumpets, 1959)
* Cello sonata (1961)
* Nocturnal after John Dowland (guitar, 1963)
* Cello suites (1964, 1967, 1972)
* String Quartet No. 3 (1975)
* Tema "Sacher" (1976)

Collaborations|

* Homage to Paderewski (1941)
* Variations on an Elizabethan Theme (1953)

Film adaptations|

* War Requiem (1989 film)

Legacy|

* Aldeburgh Festival
* Britten Pears Arts
* Britten Pears Young Artist Programme
* Britten-Pears Orchestra
* Snape Maltings Concert Hall
* The Red House, Aldeburgh

Named after Britten|

* Benjamin Britten (train)
* Benjamin Britten Academy
* Britten Inlet
* Britten Hall
* Britten Sinfonia

Related articles|

* Benjamin Britten: A Life in the Twentieth Century
* Britten's Children
* Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten
* English Opera Group
* The Dark Tower
* Scallop (2003)

Category

Authority control databases |

* BRAHMS

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