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Home > People > Composers > Maxwell Davies, Peter

Maxwell Davies, Peter

(9/08/1934 - 3/14/2016)

A fellow student of Birtwistle, Alexander Goehr and the pianist and composer John Ogdon in Manchester, the English composer Peter Maxwell Davies went on to study in Italy with Petrassi. This was followed by a short but influential period teaching at a school in England, and he later studied with Roger Sessions and others at Princeton. He made an innovative addition to the theatrical dimension of music, developing the idea behind Schoenberg’s Pierrot lunaire; and since the early 1970s, when he moved to the remoteness of the Orkneys, he has developed a less experimental musical language, also writing works associated with the community in which he finds himself. He was knighted in 1987 and appointed Master of the Queen’s Music in 2004.

Music Theatre
With the Pierrot Players and later with the ensemble that grew from it, The Fires of London, Maxwell Davies created a series of works in which the dramatic and musical were combined. These, notably, included Eight Songs for a Mad King, Vesalii icones and Miss Donnithorne’s Maggot. His opera Taverner, based on alleged incidents in that composer’s life, was staged in London in 1972. Other stage works include the opera The Doctor of Myddfai, the collaborative comic opera Der heisse Ofen, and the chamber operas The Martyrdom of St Magnus and The Lighthouse.

Orchestral Music
Orchestral music by Maxwell Davies includes symphonies and his 10 Strathclyde Concertos for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, with a wide variety of works ranging from his early Fantasias on an In Nomine of John Taverner to pieces that reflect the Orkneys, including the popular An Orkney Wedding with Sunrise.

Instrumental and Chamber Music
A wide variety of instrumental and chamber music ranges from his impressive early organ piece Fantasia on O magnum mysterium to the recent Naxos Quartets, commissioned by Naxos.

Watch: Recording the Naxos Quartets of Peter Maxwell Davies

On Wings of Song: Peter Maxwell Davies talks to Jeremy Siepmann

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Composer: Maxwell Davies, Peter
All A B C D E F G H I J L M N O P Q R S T V W Y Others
Work Name Category Year Composed
A Birthday Card for Hans Vocal 1996
A Birthday Card for Jennifer Instrumental 1997
A Calendar of Kings Vocal Ensemble
All Sons of Adam Music Biographies 1974
An Orkney Wedding with Sunrise, Op. 120a Concerto 1985
Antechrist, Op. 34 Chamber Music 1967
A Postcard from Sanday Instrumental 2012
A Postcard from Sanday (version for violin) Instrumental 2015
A Spell for Green Corn: The MacDonald Dances Concerto 1993
Ave Maria Vocal Ensemble 1961
Ave Maria Choral - Sacred 1961
Ave Maris Stella, Op. 63 Chamber Music 1975
A Voyage to Fair Isle Chamber Music 2002
Black Pentecost Vocal 1979
Brass Quintet Chamber Music 1981
Canon in memoriam Igor Stravinsky, WoO 102 Chamber Music 1971
Canon in memoriam Igor Stravinsky, WoO 102 (arr. O. Knussen for chamber ensemble) Chamber Music 1971
Caroline Mathilde, Act I: Concert Suite Orchestral 1991
Caroline Mathilde, Act II: Concert Suite Orchestral 1992
Carolísima Orchestral 1994
Cello Sonata, "Sequentia Serpentigena" Chamber Music 2007
Chat Moss Orchestral 1993
Clarinet Sonata Chamber Music 1957
Commemoration Sixty Music Biographies 2005
Corpus Christi, with Cat and Mouse Choral - Secular 1993
Cross Lane Fair Concerto 1994
Cross Lane Fair Music Biographies 1994
De Assumtione Beatae Mariae Virginis (Opening) Music Biographies 2001
Dove, Star-Folded Chamber Music 2001
Dum complerentur Choral - Sacred 2003
Ebb of Winter, Op. 326 Chamber Music 2013
Economies of scale Chamber Music 2002
Fanfare for Lowry, Op. 209 Instrumental 2000
Fantasia on a Ground and 2 Pavans Music Biographies 1968
Fantasia on a Ground and 2 Pavans (after Purcell) Orchestral 1968
Fantasia on O magnum mysterium Instrumental 1960
Farewell to Stromness (arr. F. Jackson) Instrumental 1980
Farewell to Stromness (arr. F. Jackson for bassoon ensemble) Instrumental 1980
Farewell to Stromness (arr. for guitar) Instrumental 1980
Farewell to Stromness (arr. for organ) Instrumental
Farewell to Stromness (arr. M. Boyd) Instrumental 1980
Farewell to Stromness (arr. R. Furniss) Orchestral 1980
Farewell to Stromness, Op. 89, No. 1 Instrumental 1980
Farewell to Stromness, Op. 89, No. 1 (arr. for harp) Instrumental
Farewell to Stromness, Op. 89, No. 1 (arr. M. Knigge for recorder and chamber ensemble) Chamber Music 1980
Farewell to Stromness, Op. 89, No. 1 (arr. T. Walker for guitar) Instrumental 1980
First Grace of Light, Op. 153 Instrumental 1991
From Stone to Thorn, Op. 47 Vocal 1971
Guitar Sonata Instrumental 1984
Hill Runes, Op. 96 Instrumental 1981
Homerton Choral - Secular 2010
House of Winter Choral - Secular 1986
Hymnos, Op. 35 Chamber Music 1967
Hymn to St Magnus, Op. 53 Vocal 1972
Hymn to the Word of God Choral - Sacred 1990
Image, Reflection, Shadow Music Biographies 1982
Judas Mercator Instrumental 2004
Labyrinth to Light Vocal 2008
Last Door of Light Orchestral 2008
Le jongleur de Notre Dame Vocal 1978
Leopardi Fragments* Vocal 1961
Linguae Ignis Concerto 2002
Litany for a Ruined Chapel between Sheep and Shore Instrumental 1999
Little Quartet No. 1 Chamber Music
Little Quartet No. 2, Op. 77, No. 2 Chamber Music 1977
Little Tune for Vittorio in Maremma Instrumental 2008
Lullaby Chamber Music 1991
Lullaby for Illian Rainbow, Op. 55 Instrumental 1972
Lullaby for Lucy, Op. 99 Choral - Secular
Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis, "The Edinburgh Service" Choral - Sacred
March: The Pole Star Chamber Music 1982
Mass Choral - Sacred
Mass Music Biographies 2002
Mavis in Las Vegas Orchestral 1997
Maxwell's Reel, with Northern Lights Orchestral 1998
Midhouse Air Chamber Music
Missa parvula Choral - Sacred 2003
Missa Super L'Homme Armé, Op. 36b Chamber Music 1971
Miss Donnithorne's Maggot, Op. 60 Vocal 1974
Mr Emmet Takes a Walk, Op. 207 Opera 1999
Naxos Quartet No. 1 Chamber Music
Naxos Quartet No. 10 Chamber Music 2007
Naxos Quartet No. 2 Chamber Music 2003
Naxos Quartet No. 3 Chamber Music 2003
Naxos Quartet No. 4, "Children's Games" Chamber Music 2004
Naxos Quartet No. 5 Chamber Music 2004
Naxos Quartet No. 6 Music Biographies 2005
Naxos Quartet No. 6 Chamber Music 2005
Naxos Quartet No. 7, "Metafore sul Borromini" Chamber Music 2005
Naxos Quartet No. 8 Chamber Music 2005
Naxos Quartet No. 9 Chamber Music 2006
Nowell, "Out of your sleep" Choral - Sacred
Oboe Quartet Chamber Music 2012
Ojai Festival Overture, Op. 147 Orchestral 1991
O magnum mysterium Music Biographies 1960
O magnum mysterium Choral - Sacred 1960
O magnum mysterium Vocal Ensemble 1960
O magnum mysterium Vocal
One Star, at Last Choral - Sacred 1984
Organ Sonata Instrumental 1982
Piano Concerto Concerto 1997
Piano Sonata Instrumental 1981
Piccolo Concerto Concerto 1997
Psalm 124 Chamber Music
Quartet Movements Chamber Music 1952
Reliqui domum meum Instrumental 1996
Renaissance Scottish Dances, WoO 112 Chamber Music 1973
Resurrection Opera 1987
Revelation and Fall, Op. 31 Vocal 1966
Sea Eagle Instrumental 1982
Second Fantasia on John Taverner's In Nomine, Op. 23 Orchestral 1964
Seven In Nomine Choral - Secular 1965
Shepherds of Hoy Choral - Sacred 1993
Sir Charles His Pavan Orchestral 1992
Solstice of Light, Op. 83 Choral - Sacred 1979
Sonata for Violin Alone Instrumental 2012
Stedman Doubles, Op. 3a Chamber Music 1955
Stevie's Ferry to Hoy, Op. 69 Instrumental 1975
Stone Litany: Runes from a House of the Dead Music Biographies 1973
Stone Litany: Runes from a House of the Dead, Op. 57 Vocal 1973
Strathclyde Concerto No. 10, Op.179 Concerto 1996
Strathclyde Concerto No. 2 Concerto 1987
Strathclyde Concerto No. 3, Op. 139 Concerto 1989
Strathclyde Concerto No. 4 Music Biographies 1990
Strathclyde Concerto No. 4 Concerto 1990
Strathclyde Concerto No. 5, Op. 151 Concerto 1991
Strathclyde Concerto No. 6 Concerto 1991
Strathclyde Concerto No. 7, Op. 156 Concerto 1992
Strathclyde Concerto No. 8 Orchestral 1993
Strathclyde Concerto No. 9 Concerto 1994
String Quartet Chamber Music 1961
String Quartet Movement Chamber Music 2016
String Trio, Op. 290 Chamber Music 2008
St. Thomas Wake, Op. 37 Orchestral 1969
Sub tuam proectionem Instrumental 1969
Sunday Morning Orchestral 1994
Symphony No. 10, "Alla ricerca di Borromini" Orchestral 2013
Symphony No. 1, Op. 71 Orchestral 1976
Symphony No. 2, Op. 91 Orchestral 1980
Symphony No. 3, Op. 119 Orchestral 1984
Symphony No. 4, Op. 136 Orchestral 1989
Symphony No. 5, Op. 166 Orchestral 1994
Symphony No. 6 Music Biographies 1996
Symphony No. 6, Op. 176 Orchestral 1996
Taverner Orchestral
Taverner, Op. 45 Opera 1968
The Beltane Fire, Op. 171 Orchestral 1995
The Boyfriend Suite Choral - Secular 1971
The Devils Suite Choral - Secular 1971
The Doctor of Myddfai Music Biographies 1995
The Last Island Chamber Music 2009
The Lighthouse Opera 1979
The Lord's Prayer Choral - Sacred 1962
The Martyrdom of St. Magnus Music Biographies 1976
The Seven Brightnesses, Op. 66 Instrumental 1975
The Turn of the Tide Orchestral 1992
The Two Fiddlers: Dances (arr. V. Ceccanti for cello and piano) Chamber Music 1978
The Two Fiddlers: Dances, Op. 78b (version for violin and piano) Chamber Music 1978
The Yellow Cake Revue (arr. for flute and guitar quartet) Chamber Music
The Yellow Cake Revue (arr. I. Wilson for recorder quartet) Chamber Music 1980
The Yellow Cake Revue (arr. L. Scott for harp) Instrumental 1980
The Yellow Cake Revue: Farewell to Stromness (arr. E. Cormier for flute and guitar) Chamber Music 1980
The Yellow Cake Revue: Farewell to Stromness (arr. R. Fumiss for violin and orchestra) Orchestral 1980
The Yellow Cake Revue: Piano Interludes Instrumental 1980
Threnody on a Plainsong for Michael Vyner Orchestral 1989
Time and the Raven Orchestral 1995
Trumpet Concerto, Op. 132 Concerto 1988
Trumpet Sonata in D Major Music Biographies 1955
Trumpet Sonata in D Major Instrumental 1955
Trumpet Sonata, Op. 1 Chamber Music 1955
Turris Campanarum Sonantium (Bell Tower) Instrumental 1971
Variations for Judith: Variation 10: Bist du bei mir… oder? Instrumental
Veni Creator Spiritus Instrumental 2002
Veni Sancte Spiritus, Op. 22 Choral - Sacred 1963
Vesalii icones, Op. 42 Concerto 1969
Violin Concerto Concerto 1985
Violin Sonata Chamber Music 2008
Worldes Blis Music Biographies 1969
Worldes Blis, Op. 38 Orchestral 1969
Yesnaby Ground (arr. F. Jackson) Instrumental 1980
Yesnaby Ground, Op. 89, No. 2 Instrumental 1980
2 Motets Chamber Music 1982
2 Nocturnes Chamber Music 2010
3 Sanday Places, Op. 287 (arr. for 2 guitars) Instrumental 2009
3 Voluntaries Instrumental 1976
4 Carols (1961) Choral - Sacred 1961
4 Voluntaries (after T. Tallis) Chamber Music 1982
5 Carols, Op. 33 Choral - Sacred 1966
5 Klee Pictures, Op. 12 Orchestral 1960
5 Pieces Instrumental 1956
5 Pieces for Piano, Op. 2 Instrumental
7 In Nomine, Op. 28 Orchestral 1965
7 Songs Home Music Biographies 1981
8 Songs for a Mad King Music Biographies 1969
8 Songs for a Mad King, Op. 39 Vocal 1969

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