Peter Maxwell Davies

This work was commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to celebrate its 40th birthday. The first performance took place in June 1986 at St. Magnus' Cathedral Kirkwall as part of the tenth St. Magnus Festival.Writtenfor and first performed by Isaac Stern Davies's Violin Concerto brings together two streams in his music: symphonism and folk-fiddling. In its strongly developed substance it asks to be measured in the company of Beethoven Brahms and Sibelius while there is also particularly in the middle movement a strong element of the Scots lament. The orchestra is generally muted in colour though there is a dramatic role for the timpanist.There are threemovements played without a break - this is only one of many connections with the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto.Duration c. 30mins.

This work for Clarinet in A Violin Cello and Piano was premiered in May 2002 in the Fitzwilliam Museum Cambridge. The piece has a fast rhythmic opening in which the violin and cello answer short statements by the pianowith the clarinet mediating between them. The work is decorated by rhythmic and melodic flourishes on the clarinet violin and cello and development sees the piece pick up in tempo and activity. Score edition of PeterMaxwell Davies 'Economies Of Scale'. Parts available: SOS15774

Fantasia Upon One Note-This was first performed as part of a BBC promenade concert at the Royal Albert Hall in July 1973 by The Fires Of London conducted by the composer. The violin doubles the harpsichord. A basset clarinet is also in the score butthis part may be played by an ordinary clarinet in A if the former is not available. Duration c. 5mins.

This short opera (duration of 50 minutes) aptly designed for children to perform with modest resources is a version of the familiar tale though with certain adaptations. Cinderella is an au pair girl who arrives on the scene bytrain and there are three ugly sisters who get their just deserts in marriage to the appalling leaders of the armed forces. Writing for children in the Orkney Islands Davies has also included some local references: these can bechanged to suit other times and places. Musically the piece is a bright sequence of little songs choruses dialogue scenes and dances probably best suited to children between the ages of eight and twelve though the parts of theugly sisters can usefully be taken by boys with broken voices.This is a special item which is made to order. Please e-mail our Mail Order Department for further information.

Fanfare; Portsmouth is a work for Brass Ensemble composed by Peter Maxwell Davies. Commissioned by the New Theatre Royal Portsmouth to celebrate its re-opening it was first performed there on 11thMarch 2016. This is the full Score and a full performance lasts around 5 minutes.

Commissioned to write a piece for the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Davies provided a musical General Assembly of his own: a bright overture based on an Australian aboriginal song which gives rise to 'national anthems'of various kinds and instrumental colourings. Finally the 'anthems' are combined 'if not triumphantly' Davies says 'at least in a manner whereby they get along together'.The first performance took place in June 1995 inNottingham. It was given by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Peter Maxwell Davies.Score (miniature). Duration c. 14mins.

This concert overture is a portrait of the Hoy island postman: a rumbustuous yarn-spinning character to judge by the music.Commissioned by the Scottish Postal Board and dedicated to the Board's Chairman Ian Barr inrecognition of his work on behalf of the St. Magnus festival Orkney. First performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1986. Written for full symphony orchestra. Score (miniature). Duration c. 9mins.

Four voluntaries by Thomas Tallis arranged for brass quintet by Peter Maxwell Davies.

Work for 2 Trumpets 2 Horns and 2 Trombones premiered in the Museum of Scotland in 1998 by members of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Maxwell Davies has relished incorporating brilliant tuckets and alarms for brass in his larger-scale scores too much to write a perfunctory fanfare; a seminal influence was the statue of St. Michael on the Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome where he studied in the late 1950s generator of high trumpet fanfares throughout his output which resurface in apocalyptic style towards the end of his orchestral work Roma Amor. Score available: CH61567

Brass Quintet Parts for 'Four voluntaries' by Thomas Tallis arranged for brass quintet by Peter Maxwell Davies.

Spinning Jenny is a portrait of Leigh Lancashire circa 1948 and one of a series of occasional pieces inspired by Davies' youth in Salford. Spinning Jenny Street was a noisy hazardous street clangerous with industry andactivity when davies was at Grammar school in 1945. A modest work but one which reflects many aspects of the place period and people it was inspired by. Commissioned by the BBC it was first performed on 21st July 199 as partof the BBC promenade concert at the Royal Albert Hall by the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Davies himself. This is the miniature format of the full orchestral score..