Sir Peter Maxwell Davies’ 75th birthday

A festival of events to celebrate the great musician

One of the UK’s best known and loved musicians, Master of the Queen’s Music, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, celebrates his 75th birthday with a festival of events presented by some of his dearest friends. That they happen to be the country’s leading orchestras and ensembles is no coincidence as Max (as he is universally known) has developed close and lasting relationships with a large range of musicians over the astonishing breadth of his career. 18 works by the Orkney-resident composer will be heard in 12 events in Glasgow (and, to a lesser extent, Edinburgh), involving no less than ten orchestras and ensembles. He has written across every genre of music – symphonies and concertos, operas, music theatre, films, ballet scores, children’s operas, for choirs, for soloists, light music, dark music, religious music, chamber music – it is an endless list.

New for the festival is Max’s latest piece – Overture, St Francis of Assisi – which receives its world premiere in performance by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ilan Volkov. The RSAMD, Hebrides Ensemble, Scottish Ensemble and Red Note also all pay tribute, but it is the Scottish Chamber Orchestra with whom Max has had the longest and most fruitful association. ‘He became our Composer Laureate in the 90s,’ says SCO Managing Director Roy McEwan, ‘but was an important figure for the orchestra before then, especially through the previous decade when he wrote the set of ten Strathclyde Concertos for us.’ Altogether, Max has written 19 major scores for the SCO, a reflection of the prolific and wide-ranging nature of his work. ‘He is also passionate about the community aspect of music,’ says McEwan, ‘and educational work. He is very public in championing issues affecting young musicians.’

For their homage to Max, the SCO return to his Symphony No 4, which they first performed at the BBC Proms 20 years ago. In the audience was Oliver Knussen, who conducts the SCO in Glasgow and Edinburgh in not only the symphony, but also his own Music for a Puppet Court, which is dedicated to Max.

Various venues, Glasgow, Thu 29 Oct–Sun 8 Nov; Edinburgh, Sat 31 Oct

More: Music, Previews (Music), Classical (Music), Sir Peter Maxwell Davies

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