"I have been but little in," said Ninian hastily...

Someone remarked on a list I read that he was preparing, as part of a choral group, to sing Britten's "Hymn to St. Cecilia" and finding the latter portion of the text rather impenetrable. Someone else referred him to this essay for insight into W. H. Auden (the author of the poem on which the hymn is based), Britten, and the meaning of the text. I was struck by the portion of the article that quotes Auden saying to Britten, in part:( Read more... )