Night Mail is a short documentary film produced by the General Post Office (G.P.O.) Film Unit about the London, Midland and Scottish Railway mail train making its journey north, from London to Scotland. Britten's contribution included the title music and the music for the end sequence, which was accompanied by a reading of verses written especially for the film by W. H. Auden, beginning 'This is the Night Mail crossing the border'.
An autograph full score, in ink (with red and blue crayon), for flute, oboe, trumpet, percussion, harp, and string quartet.
Dated (in pencil), with Britten's initials: 'Jan. 12th 1936' (f. 20v).
The volume comprises:
- title page, in pencil (f. 1);
- title music (ff. 2-4);
- second sequence, incorporating various incidental sounds ('compressed air', 'sandpaper on slate', clanking and drilling noises, a whistle, hammering, and 'coal falling down a shaft') and the start of the commentary (ff. 5-6v);
- end sequence, incorporating text by Auden: 'This is the night mail crossing the border / Bringing the cheque and the postal order...' (ff. 7-20v);
- passage for trumpet, scored in pencil (f. 21);
- rhythmic notation (in pencil) of Auden's opening lines (f. 22);
- trumpet part (two bars only), in pencil (f. 23);
- trumpet part with other instruments (six bars), in ink (f. 24-24v).
The music was recorded by an ensemble conducted by Britten, 15 January 1936. First broadcast: BBC TV, 16 October 1949. First concert performance: 7 November 1997, Conway Hall, London.