Sir Peter Maxwell Davies RIP

[Dave2002]

I'm really sad to hear this news.

I met him once, as he sat in front of me at an early (perhaps the first) performance of one of his symphonies, and I plucked up courage when it was over to ask him to sign my programme, which he did. That was probably cleared out in a house clearance years ago.

I don't know very much of his music.

A sad loss.

PMD RIP

[Serial_Apologist]

The symphonies are certainly impressive re PMD's orchestral technique, though I've always found the harmonic language somehow impenetrable, howevermuch I listen to them.

[Richard Barrett]

The symphonies are certainly impressive re PMD's orchestral technique, though I've always found the harmonic language somehow impenetrable, howevermuch I listen to them.

I agree. I can't really hear in those pieces the things he says we're supposed to hear. Although some of them (and unfortunately I can't remember which ones...) make a strong impact nonetheless.

[jayne lee wilson]

I was sad to hear the news of Peter Maxwell Davies. Although I am not really familiar with his music - I have only one of his works on CD (the ballet Salome) I'd always enjoyed hearing him speaking on the radio, or reading articles about him, and so on; he always came across as being a really very nice chap, and someone with whom I would have loved to have met in person. Some of you on here were fortunate enough to have had that privilege. He seems to have had a fascinatingly interesting life, and I remember him once talking about his environment, and the way it works into his music... amazing.

I feel that now I would like to explore more of his work - maybe look at his symphonies....? Where to start? String quartets...? I really don't know.

RIP, PMD.

By far the best anthology I know is this one...

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Decca/4756166

...which has a terrific selection from the whole range of his 1960s to 70s works, from wild Music Theatre through the 2nd-Viennese orchestral imagery of the 2nd Taverner Fantasia, to the St. Magnus and other Orkney/George Mackay Brown inspirations..

It's another leap again into Ave Maris and the 1st Symphony....but you might be better prepared for them after this Decca set. Sad to reflect also, that the Symphonies 7, 8 and 9 remain unrecorded....
Don't forget that the 10th Symphony is one of his most vivid and expressive inspirations - but it does help to make sure the CD or download have the text with them...

http://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/peter-maxwell-davies-symphony-no-10-interview-london-symphony-orchestra-antonio-pappano/0822231126720

LSO Live should still have the 24-bit version of No.10...

[maestro267]

Lovely to read people's memories of Max in this thread. I don't own many of PMD's works, but I enjoy the ones I've heard. I'd like to see a recording of Roma Amor made. It was the first PMD work I heard, at the 2009 Proms. They interviewed the composer during the interval, prior to performance, and his enthusiasm and sheer love of life was evident then, and right up to the end.

RIP Max, you'll be missed.

[Ferretfancy]

I have one vivid memory of him from back in 1961 when he was still teaching at Cirencester Grammar School. I was very new to filming at the time, but went as assistant recordist on a Monitor programme about two up and coming young artists. The other one was Dudley Moore, who later treated us to a performance on the spoons in the Ealing canteen!

We went down to Cirencester in the so called Mag Van, a big truck with 35mm sound recording equipment, a clumsy beast. The first location was at the school where we recorded Peter Maxwell Davies conducting a performance of O Magnum Mysterium with the school choir. Next we trundled across a couple of fields to PMD's home, which was a single room above a rather rickety barn set in the middle of cow pasture. I remember a very slight rather shy figure being interviewed by Humphrey Burton, very courteous and friendly but finding it difficult to talk about his work.

After the interview was over, he proudly showed us his latest acquisition by giving us a short performance on the virginals, standing over the tiny instrument on a small table.

Looking back I can now see that all the PMD features were already there, the fascination with gregorian chant, the intensity of character, and the enjoyment of solitude. A field in Cirencester lead to Orkney.

[Stunsworth]

I only realised this week that I went to the same school as him (though not at the same time!).

[Richard Barrett]

Looking back I can now see that all the PMD features were already there, the fascination with gregorian chant, the intensity of character, and the enjoyment of solitude. A field in Cirencester lead to Orkney.

That's a lovely story. It's good to see that everyone seems to agree that the world is a lesser place for his absence, whether or not they appreciate his music.

[ardcarp]

I have one vivid memory of him from back in 1961 when he was still teaching at Cirencester Grammar School. I was very new to filming at the time, but went as assistant recordist on a Monitor programme about two up and coming young artists. The other one was Dudley Moore, who later treated us to a performance on the spoons in the Ealing canteen!

On R3 this morning there was some talk of this Monitor film and an interview with PMD and Dudley Moore with Huw Weldon. I was driving at the time and I'm hazy about the details...but is there some chance it may be dug out of an archive and shown?

PS Found it...the reference on R3 this morning, that is:

Breakfast programme about 1hr 58mins from start:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0739wgt

[Ferretfancy]

On R3 this morning there was some talk of this Monitor film and an interview with PMD and Dudley Moore with Huw Weldon. I was driving at the time and I'm hazy about the details...but is there some chance it may be dug out of an archive and shown?

PS Found it...the reference on R3 this morning, that is:

Breakfast programme about 1hr 58mins from start:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0739wgt

Thanks ardcarp, I've no doubt had a memory lapse after 55 years, it probably was Hugh Weldon and not Humphrey Burton as I said.

[Richard Tarleton]

BBC4 tonight at 8.00 pm

[Serial_Apologist]

Thanks for the reminder, Richard.

[Beef Oven!]

Thanks for the reminder, Richard.

Same.

[VodkaDilc]

It's a real shame that ITV have never (AFAIK) re-broadast London Weekend's 1982 South Bank Show on Maxwell Davies
I gather it may be possible to watch it here.

I wonder if MickyD worked on this.

There have recently been some half-hour 'updates' to some old SBSs. Perhaps the Maxwell Davies one will have the same treatment.

[Petrushka]

Anyone who missed it might like to know that it is being shown again on Sunday, April 3 at 7pm.