Violin and Orchestra (Score) SKU: HL.14008406 Composed by Sir Peter Maxwe...(+)
Violin and Orchestra
(Score)
SKU:
HL.14008406
Composed
by Sir Peter Maxwell
Davies. Music Sales
America. 20th Century.
Book [Softcover].
Composed 1999. 94 pages.
Chester Music #CH60978.
Published by Chester
Music (HL.14008406).
ISBN
9780711948716.
A
work for solo violin and
orchestra, commissioned
by Donald McDonald for
the 21st birthday of the
Scottish Chamber
Orchestra and the 60th
birthday of the composer.
It was first performed in
November 1993 in Glasgow,
by James Clark and the
Scottish Chamber
Orchestra conducted by
Maxwell Davies. The spell
is one quoted by George
Mackay Brown in his book
An Orkney Tapestry: 'Let
not plough be put to acre
except a fiddle cross
first the furrow.'
Davies's dancing concerto
imagines the fiddler
following a route from
field to field, from
dance to dance,
accompanied by a bunch of
companions in the form of
an orchestra. As the
music goes on, so it gets
brighter and livelier,
moving from the dark
colouring of clarinets,
bassoons and strings to
full ensemble with
prominent brass and
(solo) tuned percussion,
as if the dancers as much
as the fields were
beginning to glow with
new life. Score
(miniature). Duration c.
20mins.
Violin and Orchestra (Score) SKU: HL.14008396 Composed by Sir Peter Maxwe...(+)
Violin and Orchestra
(Score)
SKU:
HL.14008396
Composed
by Sir Peter Maxwell
Davies. Music Sales
America. Classical. Book
[Softcover]. Composed
1999. 112 pages. Chester
Music #CH55780. Published
by Chester Music
(HL.14008396).
ISBN
9780711921337.
8.5x12.0x0.533
inches.
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. Written for 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
three movements, played
without a break - this is
only one of many
connections with the
Mendelssohn Violin
Concerto. Duration c.
30mins.
Cello and Orchestra SKU: HL.14020990 Composed by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies...(+)
Cello and Orchestra
SKU: HL.14020990
Composed by Sir Peter
Maxwell Davies. Music
Sales America. 20th
Century. Score. Composed
1999. 80 pages. Chester
Music #CH58933. Published
by Chester Music
(HL.14020990).
ISBN
9780711923904.
5.5x7.5x0.283
inches.
If Davies's
Cello Concerto has
already evoked
comparisons with Elgar's,
that is perhaps an
indication not only of
its wealth of solo melody
(there is hardly a page
where the cello is not
singing, or if not that,
then dancing), and of its
predominantly slow
tempos, but also of its
musical stature. This
second Strathclyde
concerto is a virtuoso
piece for the entire
ensemble, which is used
almost throughout as a
clutch of soloists rather
than as a tutti block.
The general tone is one
of passionate but
interior dialogue,
especially in the opening
Moderato and the slow
movement; and though the
finale is more extrovert,
the work ends back in
quietness and
rumination.