Further resources

The First World War Centenary Programme is a global programme of cultural events, exhibitions and activities, and online resources. It is presented by the First World War Centenary Partnership, a network of local, regional, national and international organisations, led by IWM.

Extensive BBC microsite on World War One, including programme guides, features and many other resources.

This resource examines key themes in the history of World War One and features 500 historical sources and more than 50 newly-commissioned articles.

Europeana 1914-1918 mixes resources from libraries and archives across the globe with memories and memorabilia from families throughout Europe.

The Wilfred Owen Association website offers a wealth of information about the poet's life and work.

Oxford University's First World War Poetry Digital Archive is an online repository of text, images, audio, and video about Owen and other writers from WWI.

Website of Coventry Cathedral, including information about its history and the ongoing ministry of reconciliation.

An extensive virtual tour of the medieval ruins and the modern Cathedral.

Fifty years to the day after its premiere, Andris Nelsons and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (which also gave that first performance) gave a special anniversary performance of the War Requiem in Coventry Cathedral, the site of its first performance, with soloists Erin Wall, Mark Padmore and Hanno Müller-Brachmann.

Britten's classic Decca recording of the War Requiem, recorded at the Kingsway Hall in London, January 1963, and featuring the three soloists he had in mind when writing the piece. Galina Vishnevskaya (soprano); Peter Pears (tenor); Dietrich Rischer-Dieskau (baritone); Bach Choir & London Symphony Chorus; Highgate School Choir; Simon Preston (organ); Melos Ensemble; London Symphony Orchestra; Benjamin Britten (conductor).

World premiere recording, recorded live at Coventry Cathedral, 30 May 1962. Heather Harper (soprano); Peter Pears (tenor); Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone); City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra; Melos Ensemble; Coventry Festival Choir; Boys of Holy Trinity, Leamington and Holy Trinity, Stratford; Meredith Davies and Benjamin Britten (conductors).

Watch the whole of the 1964 BBC Prom performance of the War Requiem recorded at the Royal Albert Hall. The Melos Ensemble is conducted by Benjamin Britten, and the performers include Heather Harper (soprano), Peter Pears (tenor), Thomas Hemsley (baritone) and Simon Preston (organ and chamber organ). Also featured are the BBC Chorus and Choral Society, Boys from Emanuel School, London Philharmonic Choir, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Anna Netrebko (soprano); Ian Bostridge (tenor); Thomas Hampson (baritone); Orchestra, Coro e Voci Bianche dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia; Antonio Pappano (conductor). Recorded in June 2013 at the Sala Santa Cecilia, Rome.

Emily Magee (soprano); Mark Padmore (tenor); Christian Gerhaher (baritone); Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks; Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks; Tölzer Knabenchor; Mariss Jansons (conductor). Recorded live in March 2013 at the Philharmonie im Gastieg, Munich.

Susan Gritton (soprano); John Mark Ainsley (tenor); Christopher Maltman (baritone); Wroclaw Philharmonic Choir; Gabrieli Young Singers Scheme; Trebles of The Choir of New College Oxford; Gabrieli Consort & Players; Paul McCreesh (conductor). Recorded in January 2013 at Watford Colosseum.

Evelina Dobracheva (soprano); Anthony Dean Griffey (tenor); Mark Stone (baritone); Netherlands Radio Choir; Netherlands Children’s Choir; Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra; Jaap van Zweden and Reinbert de Leeuw (conductors). Recorded live in May 2010 at Vredenburg Leidsche Rijn, Utrecht.

Sabina Cvilak (soprano); Ian Bostridge (tenor); Simon Keenlyside (baritone); London Symphony Orchestra; London Symphony Chorus; Choir of Eltham College; Gianandrea Noseda (conductor). Recorded in October 2011 at the Barbican, London.

Catalogue information on the War Requiem on the website of publishers Boosey & Hawkes.

Browse the complete score of the War Requiem on Boosey & Hawkes' online scores service (requires simple and free registration).

Browse the composition draft (short score) of the War Requiem on the British Library's digitised manuscripts service.

Browse the full score of the War Requiem on the British Library's digitised manuscripts service.

This definitive handbook by Mervyn Cooke explores the background to Britten's use of the Owen texts, charts the development of the composer's pacifism and (in a chapter by Philip Reed) details the process of composition from correspondence and manuscript sources. The musical structure is investigated, and the work's compositional idiom related to Britten's output as a whole. A concluding chapter surveys the fluctuating critical responses to the score, and includes discussion of the composer's legendary 1963 recording and Derek Jarman's controversial interpretation on film.

Select bibliography on the War Requiem.