David Matthews was an assistant, as well as a life-long friend and fellow composer of Benjamin Britten, making this a uniquely personal, sensitive and authoritative account.

'A superb biography ... tells general readers everything they could possibly need to know about the composer's life and work.' -- Clare Stevens Classical Music 'Matthews's Britten is fluent, informative and ... sympathetic to its subject. His comments on Britten's music, which occur unobtrusively throughout the narrative, are richly informative.' -- Alexander Waugh Literary Review 200307 'David Matthews's Britten is a lyrical appraisal of an often tormented existence.' -- Norman Lebrecht Evening Standard 20031201 'David Matthews (...) is himself a composer. His book contains one revelation - the existence of a remarkable work (Two Pieces) for violin, viola and piano written when Britten was 16 - and is so well-balanced and so full of sympathetic but by no means uncritical insights that if I were asked to recommend an introduction to Britten to somebody who knew little or nothing about the man and his music, I would unhesitatingly urge this one.' -- Michael Kennedy Sunday Telegraph