This list of compositions includes all the published works by English composer Benjamin Britten with opus number.
By genre
Operas
Paul Bunyan, Op. 17:
Operetta in two acts, 114'. Libretto by W. H. Auden, after the American folktale. Premiered on at Brander Matthews Hall, New York. Published by Faber Music.
Peter Grimes, Op. 33:
Opera in a prologue and three acts, 147'. Libretto by Montagu Slater, after the poem The Borough by George Crabbe. Premiered on at Sadler's Wells, London. Published by Boosey & Hawkes.
The Rape of Lucretia, Op. 37:
Opera in two acts, 107'. Libretto by Ronald Duncan, after the play Le Viol de Lucrèce by André Obey. Premiered on at Glyndebourne. Published by Boosey & Hawkes.
Albert Herring, Op. 39:
Comic opera in three acts, 137'. Libretto by Eric Crozier, loosely after the short story Le Rosier de Mme. Husson by Guy de Maupassant. Premiered on at Glyndebourne. Published by Boosey & Hawkes.
The Beggar's Opera, Op. 43:
Ballad opera, 108'. Libretto after the ballad opera by John Gay. Premiered on at the Cambridge Arts Theatre. Published by Boosey & Hawkes.
Let's Make an Opera (The Little Sweep), Op. 45:
An Entertainment for Young People, 130'. Libretto by Eric Crozier. Premiered on at Jubilee Hall, Aldeburgh Festival. Published by Boosey & Hawkes.
Billy Budd, Op. 50:
Opera in four acts, 162'. Libretto by E. M. Forster and Eric Crozier, after the novella by Herman Melville. Premiered on at the Royal Opera House, London. Published by Boosey & Hawkes.
Billy Budd (revised):
Opera in two acts, 158'. Premiered on at the Royal Opera House, London. Published by Boosey & Hawkes.
Gloriana, Op. 53:
Opera in three acts, 148'. Libretto by William Plomer, after Elizabeth and Essex by Lytton Strachey. Premiered on at the Royal Opera House, London. Published by Boosey & Hawkes.
The Turn of the Screw, Op. 54:
Opera in a prologue and two acts, 101'. Libretto by Myfanwy Piper, after the novella by Henry James. Premiered on at Teatro La Fenice, Venice. Published by Boosey & Hawkes.
Noye's Fludde, Op. 59:
Music-theatre for community performance, 50'. Libretto after the Chester Miracle Play as published in English Miracle Plays, Moralities and Interludes Premiered on at Orford Church, Aldeburgh Festival. Published by Boosey & Hawkes.
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 64:
Opera in three acts, 144'. Libretto by the composer and Peter Pears, after the play by Shakespeare. Premiered on at Jubilee Hall, Aldeburgh Festival. Published by Boosey & Hawkes.
Owen Wingrave, Op. 85:
Opera for television in two acts, 106'. Libretto by Myfanwy Piper, after the short story by Henry James. Premiered on in a BBC2 TV broadcast. First staged on at the Royal Opera House, London. Published by Faber Music.
Death in Venice, Op. 88:
Opera in two acts, 145'. Libretto by Myfanwy Piper, after the novella by Thomas Mann. Premiered on , Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh Festival. Published by Faber Music.
Church parables Curlew River (Op. 71; 1964), based on a Japanese Noh play The Burning Fiery Furnace (Op. 77; 1966), after the Book of Daniel, Chapter 3 The Prodigal Son (Op. 81; 1968), after the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 15
Ballets Plymouth Town (ballet for small orchestra; 1931) The Prince of the Pagodas (Op. 57; 1956) Les Sylphides after Chopin (1940)
Orchestral "Two Portraits" for string orchestra (1930). No. 2 is subtitled "E.B.B" – his own initials, and thus a self-portrait (also arr. for viola and strings). No. 3 was unrealised. Sinfonietta, Op. 1, for five winds and five strings (1932), revised for chamber orchestra (1936) Simple Symphony, Op. 4, for string orchestra (1934) Soirées musicales, Op. 9, after Rossini (1936) Russian Funeral, for brass and percussion (1936) King Arthur (suite for orchestra, arranged from incidental music for a BBC Radio production by Paul Hindmarsh, 1937/ 2005) Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, Op. 10, for string orchestra (1937) Mont Juic, Op. 12, a suite of Catalan Dances, jointly composed with Lennox Berkeley (1937) Canadian Carnival, Op. 19 (1939) Incidental music to J.B. Priestley's Johnson over Jordan (1939) Sinfonia da Requiem, Op. 20 (1940) Matinées musicales, Op. 24, after Rossini (1941) An American Overture, Op. 27 (1941) Prelude and Fugue for 18 Strings, Op. 29 (1943) Four Sea Interludes and Passacaglia from Peter Grimes, Op. 33a & 33b, for orchestra (1945) The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (1946) Occasional Overture, Op. 38 (1946) Men of Goodwill – variations on a Christmas carol (1947) Variations on an Elizabethan Theme, jointly composed with Lennox Berkeley, Arthur Oldham, Humphrey Searle, Michael Tippett and William Walton (1953) Symphonic Suite from Gloriana, Op. 53a (1954) Suite on English Folk Tunes, A Time There Was..., Op. 90, for chamber orchestra (1966/1974)
Concertante Rondo Concertante for piano and strings (1930) Double Concerto for Violin, Viola and Orchestra (1932). "Instrumentation...virtually 100% Britten" (Matthews, Erato sleeve note, 1999 – Colin Matthews realised the orchestration). Piano Concerto, Op. 13 (1938; rev. 1945, the original third movement – Recitative and Aria – replaced by an Impromptu) Violin Concerto, Op. 15 (1939; rev. 1958) Young Apollo, Op. 16, for piano, string quartet and string orchestra (1939) Diversions for Piano Left Hand and Orchestra, Op. 21 (1940; rev. 1954) Scottish Ballad, Op. 26, for two pianos and orchestra (1941) Clarinet Concerto (incomplete: 1st movement only, 1942/3, orch. by Colin Matthews, who later added two further movements from 1940s Britten sketches, incl. Sonata for Orchestra; resulting work, Movements for a Clarinet Concerto, first published 2008) In memoriam Dennis Brain (c. 1958), unfinished sketch for four horns and orchestra. Cello Symphony, Op. 68 (1963)
Vocal/choral orchestral Quatre Chansons Françaises for soprano and orchestra (1928) Two Psalms for chorus and orchestra (1931) Our Hunting Fathers, Op. 8, for soprano or tenor and orchestra (words by W. H. Auden and others; 1936) The Company of Heaven for speakers, soloists, chorus and orchestra (BBC, September 1937, not performed again until 1989) The World of the Spirit for speakers, SATB soloists, chorus and orchestra (BBC, May 1938) Ballad of Heroes, Op. 14, for tenor or soprano, chorus and orchestra (words by W. H. Auden and Randall Swingler; 1939) Les Illuminations, Op. 18, for soprano or tenor and strings (words by Arthur Rimbaud) (1939; three further songs, not included in the cycle, also exist — another setting also called 'Phrase', and 'Aube' and 'A une raison'; they have been orchestrated by Colin Matthews; there also exists a sketch for a further Rimbaud setting) Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, Op. 31 (1943) The Ballad of Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard for male voice choir and piano (1943) The Rescue of Penelope for voices and orchestra (1943) Saint Nicolas, Op. 42, for tenor soloist, children's chorus, chorus, and orchestra (1948) Spring Symphony, Op. 44, for soprano, contralto, and tenor soloists, mixed chorus, boys' choir and orchestra (1949) Nocturne, Op. 60, for tenor, seven obbligato instruments and strings (1958) Cantata academica, Op. 62, for soloists, chorus and orchestra (1959) War Requiem, Op. 66, for soprano, tenor and baritone soloists, chamber ensemble, boys' chorus, mixed chorus, and orchestra (1961) Cantata misericordium, Op. 69, for tenor and baritone soloists, small chorus, string quartet, string orchestra, piano, harp, timpani (1963) Phaedra, Op. 93, for mezzo-soprano, cello, harpsichord, percussion, and string orchestra (words by Robert Lowell; after Jean Racines Phèdre; 1975) Praise we great men for soloists, chorus and orchestra (words by Edith Sitwell; 1976. Completed by Colin Matthews, 1985) Welcome Ode, Op. 95, for young people's voices and orchestra (1976)
Vocal Beware! Three Early Songs for voice and piano (1) "Beware!" (words by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; 1922) (2) "O that I had ne'er been Married" (words by Robert Burns; 1922) (3) "Epitaph: The Clerk" (words by Herbert Asquith; 1926; rev. 1968, published 1985 Tit for Tat for voice and piano (words by Walter de la Mare; 1928–31; (1) "A Song of Enchantment" (2) "Autumn" (3) "Silver" (4) "Vigil" (5) "Tit for Tat"; rev. and published 1969; premiered by John Shirley-Quirk and the composer at the 1969 Aldeburgh Festival) The Birds (Belloc; 1929, rev. 1934) On this Island, Op. 11, for high voice and piano (1937) (words by W. H. Auden) Fish in the Unruffled Lakes (1937-1947) (words by W. H. Auden – includes songs originally intended for, but ultimate not used in, On this Island) Cabaret Songs for medium voice and piano (words by W. H. Auden: "Tell Me the Truth About Love", "Funeral Blues", "Johnny", and "Calypso"; 1940) Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo, Op. 22, for tenor and piano (1940) The Holy Sonnets of John Donne, Op. 35, for tenor and piano (1945) Canticle I: My beloved is mine and I am his, Op. 40, for high voice and piano (one of the Canticles; 1947) A Charm of Lullabies, Op. 41, for mezzo-soprano and piano (1947) Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac, Op. 51, for alto (or countertenor), tenor, and piano (one of the Canticles; 1952) Canticle III: Still falls the rain, Op. 55, for tenor, horn and piano (words by Edith Sitwell; one of the Canticles; 1954) Winter Words, Op. 52, for tenor and piano, poetry by Thomas Hardy (1954) The Heart of the Matter for narrator, tenor, horn, and piano (1956) Songs from the Chinese, Op. 58, for soprano or tenor and guitar, Op. 58 (translations by Arthur Waley; 1957) Sechs Hölderlin-Fragmente, Op. 61, for tenor and piano (1958) Songs and Proverbs of William Blake, Op. 74, for baritone and piano (1965) The Poet's Echo, Op. 76, for soprano or tenor and piano (words by Alexander Pushkin; 1965) Who Are These Children?, Op. 84, for tenor and piano (words by William Soutar; 1969) Canticle IV: The Journey of the Magi, Op. 86, for countertenor, tenor, baritone, and piano (one of the Canticles; 1971) Canticle V: The Death of Saint Narcissus, Op. 89, for tenor and harp (one of the Canticles; 1974) A Birthday Hansel, Op. 92, for high voice and harp (1975) Eight books of Folksong Arrangements from the British Isles and France, for voice and piano, guitar and harp Britten's Purcell Realizations, many realizations of songs by Henry Purcell for voice(s) and piano
Choral A Hymn to the Virgin for chorus and soli (1930; revised 1934) Christ's Nativity for unaccompanied chorus (1931) A Boy Was Born, Op. 3, for children's chorus and mixed choir (1933; revised 1955) Jubilate Deo in E for chorus and organ (published posthumously; 1934) Te Deum in C for treble solo, chorus, trumpet, and organ (1934) Friday Afternoons, Op. 7, for children's voices and piano (1935) Advance Democracy for unaccompanied choir (1938) A.M.D.G. (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam), seven settings of Gerard Manley Hopkins for unaccompanied SATB (1939) Hymn to St Cecilia, Op. 27, for unaccompanied choir (poem by W. H. Auden; 1942) A Ceremony of Carols, Op. 28, for treble voices and harp (1942); an alternative arrangement for mixed voices and harp (or piano) is popular as well Rejoice in the Lamb, Op. 30, for four soloists, choir, and organ (text by Christopher Smart; 1943) Festival Te Deum, Op. 32, in E for chorus and organ (1944) A Wedding anthem 'Amo Ergo Sum' , Op. 46, for soprano, tenor, SATB and organ (1949) Five Flower Songs, Op. 47, for SATB (1950) Hymn to St Peter, Op. 56a, for treble soloist, mixed chorus and organ (1955) Antiphon, Op. 56b, for SATB and organ (1955) Missa Brevis, Op. 63, for boys' voices and organ (1959) Jubilate Deo for chorus and organ (1961) Fancie, for unison voices and piano (1961) A Hymn of St Columba for chorus and organ (1962) Voices for Today, Op. 75, for children's chorus, mixed chorus and organ ad lib (1965) The Golden Vanity, Op. 78, for five boy soloists, treble chorus and piano (1966) The Building of the House, Op. 79, for chorus or organ or brass and orchestra (1967)