Listening to Peter Maxwell
Davies’ music on this absorbing CD, I recall that the first of his compositions
that I heard (circa 1972) was the ‘iconic’ Eight
Songs of a Mad King which was premiered in April 1969. I struggled with
that work when I first heard it and still do. However, I do recognise that it is
a masterpiece: I am repelled and attracted to this music simultaneously. I
guess that I had not heard much of Maxwell Davies’ music in the intervening
years, until Naxos began a major retrospective of his orchestral and chamber
works. Since then, I have come to appreciate the broad range of his musical
style and achievement. Listeners need to recall that beside the works from
Maxwell Davies’ ‘enfant terrible’ years there is a plethora of music in a diverse
range of styles. From the minimalist Farewell
to Stromness, which is a favourite on Classic FM, to the huge corpus of ten
important Symphonies by way of the score to the film The Boyfriend and a foxtrot for orchestra, the composer has
explored a wide range of musical and extra-musical imagery. The five works on
this present CD are ‘a varied miscellany of orchestral works’ composed between
1989 and 1994. All are approachable, if sometimes challenging.
I suggest starting an exploration
of this disc with Sunday Morning composed
in 1994. It is the only example (so far) of a ‘signature tune’ from the
composer. It was used to introduce Brian Kay’s Sunday Morning radio programme on Radio 3. This is a lovely, if occasionally
ominous, piece which is presented in its full version in this recording. The
mood is quite definitely a ‘Northern Landscape’ without being parochial. The
liner notes suggest a ‘direct lineage’ to Sibelius’ lighter music. I consider that
this piece could become just as popular as Farewell
to Stromness.
Sir Charles and his Pavan was composed in 1992 to commemorate the
life and achievement of Sir Charles Groves who died in June of that year. As a
young composer, Maxwell Davies had received much encouragement from Groves
whilst he was conductor of the BBC Northern Orchestra in Manchester
(1944-1951). The mood of the Pavan is
typically reflective however there is a considerable climax towards the
conclusion. It is a worthy, and often beautiful, compliment to a great
conductor.
Threnody on a Plainsong for
Michael Vyner is
a tribute to the onetime artistic director of the London Sinfonietta who died
in October 1989. It is described as an
‘adagio’ for a Haydn-esque orchestra. The work’s main theme is based on the
plainchant ‘Cor meum et caro mea exultaverunt in Deum vivum’. (My heart and my
flesh have rejoiced in the living God: Psalm 84:2). This is a solemn but ultimately positive
work.
The first of the two major works
on this CD is The Beltane Fire (1995)
which is billed as a choreographic poem. Originally conceived as a ballet score,
it was never performed as such due to disagreement between composer and
choreographer. Maxwell Davies has indicated that it is possible to listen to
this work as an ‘abstract piece’ reflecting the dichotomy between the pagan
forces of Orkney and Calvinistic ‘Reformed Christian beliefs’. Nevertheless the
Maxwell Davies website expounds the plot of the ‘book’ created by the composer
for the projected ballet. It is worth reading to give an idea of the original
conception of the work, although I prefer to hear this music without a programme.
The liner notes present a more musical analysis of the piece.
These imaginary ‘symphonic’ dances
contrast the rhythms of Scottish folk-music with the more ponderous feeling of
‘ecclesiastical chant-based material.’ I am not sure that Calvinists were too
enthusiastic about ‘plainsong’ but perhaps it is simply a musical device? Certainly the pre-reformation Roman Church was
more tolerant of (some) indigenous tradition. The music vacillates between a satisfying
warmth and an emptiness and bleakness at the conclusion. It is surely a tragedy
of history that Christianity (and other religions) has often tried to destroy
or diminish rather than absorb folk-religion and beliefs. But that is a
theological discussion for another day.
The Beltane Fire is an approachable work that will certainly
inspire and move the listener. It is not a ‘light orchestral work’ as indicated
on Maxwell Davies’ website by any stretch of the imagination. The fact that the composer has chosen to use
‘realistic’ Orcadian fiddle music only serves to highlight the disparity
between the two world-views rather than providing light relief. Reference to
the ‘plot’ of the ballet will reveal a disturbing, if fascinating scenario. This
is a multifaceted work that reflects a number of stylistic markers in Maxwell
Davies’ career, including St. Thomas Wake
and The Blind Fiddler.
The other main work is The Turn of the Tide which was commissioned
by the British Association of Orchestras in 1992. It was first heard on 12
February 1993 at the Lightfoot Centre, Newcastle during the Association of
British Orchestras Conference. The
concept of this tremendously pertinent work was to integrate children’s voices
and instrumentalists with a professional orchestra adept at playing ‘contemporary’
music. The piece is a study of
environmental disaster presented in an evolutionary programme. The work opens
with ‘First Life’ where plants, fish and mankind appear on earth. This is then
elaborated into a section where life flourishes and develops in glory. The next
two sections give a view of dissipation and decline in the environmental situation.
Section 5 unfolds the disaster- The Worst that Could Happen—The Corruption
and Dissolution of All Nature Completed. The composer has suggested this could be a tanker spillage or ‘fallout’
from mining for Uranium in the Orkneys and Shetlands. Fortunately, this
is a fundamentally positive work so the final section expounds the The
Warning is Heeded—Nature Reborn—The Decline is Reversed.
The
progress of the music is predicated on a musical conversation between the
amateurs and the professionals. Music is presented by the ‘orchestra’ and is
then commented on, elaborated or attenuated by the lay ensembles. There is
improvisation as well as fully-notated music.
The Turn of the Tide concludes with a ‘dance’
for all the performers as well as a chorus presenting an uplifting paean of
celebration.
This is a fine disc that presents
two of Peter Maxwell Davies’ most characteristic works. It would make and ideal
introduction for anyone who has yet to engage with his music. Enthusiasts will
be delighted to have this album in their collection. These two large-scale
works display to perfection the composer’s gift of synthesising a wide variety
of musical styles, moods and techniques. Both also display considerable
philosophical, theological and political insight, whatever the listener’s
belief system.
Track listing:
The Beltane Fire (1995)
The Turn of the Tide (1992)
Sunday Morning (1994)
Threnody on a Plainsong for Michael Vyner (1989)
Sir Charles his Pavan (1992)
The Manchester Cathedral Girls Choir, The Boys of Manchester
Cathedral Choir, The Boys of Manchester Cathedral Voluntary Choir, The Choir of
Manchester Grammar School (The Turn of the Tide)
BBC Philharmonic/Peter Maxwell Davies
NAXOS 8.572362
With thanks to MusicWeb International where this review was first published.
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