Peter Maxwell Davies

A Source Book

Stewart R. Craggs

• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9780367249359
• eBook ISBN: 9781351765022
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Sociology
• Index: Social Sciences

This title was first published in 2002. Sir Peter Maxwell Davies is one of Britain's most distinguished composers. This source book documents as much of the material on his music as is available to 2001. As Richard McGregor points out in his foreword to the volume, Stewart Craggs has made valuable advances in sorting out the origins of many unknown works and gleaning details of many private compositions. The book also supplies details of those unknown works which haven't appeared in any previous catalogues, including broadcasts of early works from the BBC Archives. With information given on first performances, manuscript locations and recordings, in addition to details of composition dates, authors/librettists, durations, commissions and dedications amongst much else, this book is a key reference source for all those interested in Peter Maxwell Davies and his music.

Catalogue of works

1942

Early Morning Echoes (J1)

For piano

Date of composition: 1942

First performance: unable to trace

Unpublished

Manuscript: Judy Arnold. A birthday gift from the composer. Written in pencil

Note: On the reverse is the composer’s first attempt at a catalogue of works which is dated 26 February 194[9]. This appears as “Cl” in the composer’s list

Two-key melody (J2)

For piano

Date of composition: 1942

First performance: unable to trace

Unpublished

Manuscript: unable to trace

Note: This appears as “C2” in the composer’s list

Moderato in E flat (J3)

For piano

Date of composition: c.1942

First performance: unable to trace

Unpublished

Manuscript: British Library, London. Add. Mss. 71435, Vol. CLXXXIV, item 1: score in ink

1945

Nocturne in A flat (J4)

For piano

Date of composition: 1945

First performance: unable to trace

Unpublished

Manuscript: unable to trace

Note: This appears as “C3” in the composer’s list

1946

Easter Lyric (J5)

For piano

Date of composition: 1946

First performance: unable to trace

Unpublished

Manuscript: unable to trace

1947

Incantations (J6)

For piano

1. Adagio

2. Piu mosso – lento, ben marcato

Date of composition: 1947

First performance: unable to trace

Unpublished

Manuscript: British Library, London. Add. Mss. 71435, Vol. CLXXXIV, item 2 score in ink, dated “26 February 1947”. Also contains pencilled annotations relating to the possible orchestration of No. 2

The Birds (J7)

Song for voice and instrumental ensemble

Text: Moira O’Neill

Date of composition: 1947

Instrumentation: no indication in the manuscript

First performance: unable to trace

Unpublished

Manuscript: British Library, London. Add. Mss. 71435, Vol. CLXXXIV, item 3: short score in ink. Dated “comp. December 1947”, although marked as composed “15.1.48” with a pencil insert “long before this date”. Composed at Bowness, Windermere

1948

The Cloud (J8)

For piano

Date of composition: 1948

First performance: unable to trace. May have been in Manchester at the BBC

Studios on 4 March 1950 and played by the composer

Unpublished

Manuscript: British Library, London. Add. Mss. 71435, Vol. CLXXXIV, item 4: score in ink, dated “13 February 1948”

The River (J9)

For piano

Date of composition: 1948

Duration: 6 minutes

First performance: unable to trace

Unpublished

Manuscript: British Library, London. Add. Mss. 71435, Vol. CLXXXIV, item 5: score in ink, dated “22 May 1948”

Spring Pastorale (J10)

For piano

Date of composition: 1948

First performance: Manchester, BBC Studios, 17 May 1950. Peter Maxwell Davies (piano)

Unpublished

Manuscript: unable to trace

Note: This appears as “C8” in the composer’s list

Fantasy Suite No. 1 (J11)

For piano

Date of composition: September/October1948

Duration: 10 minutes

First performance: Manchester, BBC Studios, 4 March 1950. Peter Maxwell Davies (piano)

Unpublished

Manuscript: unable to trace

Shangri-La (J12)

For piano

Date of composition: November 1948

Duration: 10 minutes

First performance: Manchester, BBC Studios, 11 October 1949. Peter Maxwell

Davies (piano)

Unpublished

Manuscript: unable to trace

Note: This appears as “C10” in the composer’s list

1948–1949

Fantasy Suite No. 2 (J13)

For piano

Date of composition: December 1948–January1949

Duration: 15 minutes

First performance: Manchester, BBC Studios, 17 May 1950. Peter Maxwell Davies (piano)

Unpublished

Manuscript: unable to trace

Note: The last movement is called “The Dance of the Little Green Imps” (a reference to Leigh Grammar School’s green uniform blazers)

1949

Sonata in C sharp minor (J14)

For piano

Date of composition: January–February 1949

Duration: 40 minutes

First performance: unable to trace

Unpublished

Manuscript: unable to trace

Note: This appears as “C13” in the composer’s list

Polyphonic Study on Diatonic Scales in B flat (J15)

For piano

Date of composition: February 1949

First performance: unable to trace

Unpublished

Manuscript: unable to trace

Note: This appears as “C12” in the composer’s list. There is also a note which reveals that this work was substituted for a “Scherzo in E flat” (written in January 1949) which was subsequently “scrapped”

Prelude (J16)

For piano

Date of composition: 1949

First performance: unable to trace

Unpublished

Manuscript: British Library, London. Add. Mss 71435, Vol. CLXXXIV, item 6: score in ink, dated “29 March 1949”. Also contains pencilled annotations relating to possible orchestration

Parade (J17)

Suite for piano in four movements

1. Green Music: Theme (Andante semplice) (12 bars) and 10 Variations (dated “5 November 1949”)

Adagio molto (10 bars)

— (12 bars)

— (16 bars)

— (8 bars)

più moto (16 bars)

Tony Simpson (rubato in the manner of a drunken man) (34 bars)

Mesto e serioso, come prima – andante tranquillo (30 bars)

Poco meno moto, ben marcato (12 bars)

Adagio molto (15 bars)

Andante semplice (75 bars)

2. Blue Music:

Adagio molto (cold and luminous) (dated “Dated 26 November 1949”)

Intermezzo (Andante) (dated “8 December 1949”)

Pretty tune for Violet

Tempo di valse de Maurice Ravel, in modo de cheap ensemble de café

In modo Bela Bartok 1930s

4. Red Music

Andante (dated “30 December 1949”)

Reflections

Violets

Date of composition: June–December 1949

First performance: Manchester, BBC Studios, 12 July 1951. Peter Maxwell Davies (piano)

Unpublished

Manuscript: Peter Max...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Dedication
• Foreword by Richard McGregor
• Acknowledgements
• Organization of the source book
• Index of titles
• Chronology
• Catalogue of works
• General bibliography
• Classified index of works
• General index