# The Maxwell Davies Quartets



## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Enthusiast said:


> Thanks, Allegro Con Brio, and possible apologies to Vicente (but my previous nominations have all been firmly in the mainstream repertoire - Mozart and Schubert) ... I choose the *3rd Naxos Quartet of 2003 by Peter Maxwell Davies*. I think there is only one recording (but then perhaps if you name a set of pieces after a record label you perhaps can't expect other labels to be queuing up to record accounts). It was the first of the Naxos Quartets that I got to know and might be the most accessible of them. There are four movements - a march that doesn't sound too much like a March to me (unless perhaps a march from Hieronymus Bosch), an In Nomine, Four Inventions and a Hymn and a Fugue (again not one I personally can hear as a fugue). There are tunes in the piece but it is a work that sounded very dull and lacking in incident the first two times I heard it. Then it flowered for me and I haven't looked back. I hear the ghost of (late) Beethoven. I think it a masterpiece!



You hear Beethoven everywhere! 

Anyway, I’ve. been spending the past few days listening to Maxwell Davies’s 7th and I’m now convinced that it is a very great work of art. And I’ve resolved to explore the whole cycle over the next few months.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

And re the 7th one comment I can make is this. Some of the textures are extraordinary. They remind me of pencil drawings made with the point of the led, rather than with shading. Line drawings.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

I've recently played the whole cycle again. The seventh is my favourite, but I enjoy them all.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Interesting how the music of the last movement seems totally right for Borromini’s San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Mandryka said:


> *You hear Beethoven everywhere!*
> 
> Anyway, I’ve. been spending the past few days listening to Maxwell Davies’s 7th and I’m now convinced that it is a very great work of art. And I’ve resolved to explore the whole cycle over the next few months.


I wondered if you would find that!


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Despite my feeling that I really should listen to nothing but quartet 7 for the best part of a month, today I have broached Maxwell Davies Quartet 1. 

The vibes given off by the music seem pretty unique to me, I mean, I ain’t heard anything quite like it before. That’s part of the Maxwell Davies challenge I guess, you have to unlearn your expectations a bit. 


Anyway despite the slight feeling of me losing bearings, my radar is telling me that it’s very fine music.

Why do I get the impression that his quartets have not been very well appreciated? They’ve not been blessed by Arditti as far as I know, or even Jack or Diotima; they’ve never been played at Donaueschingen as far as I can see; the only performances are on Naxos, which hardly gives them a touch of grace; I don’t think they get played much in concert even in Britain, even in festivals.

Speaking as a republican, I don’t suppose his connection with royalty gives him cred.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

I came across this video in the weekly string quartet thread about Davies' Naxos cycle:


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

It's interesting seeing him and the video is good. It's the first time I've seen Max.

For those who know London here, his manner - the playful, mischievous smile -- reminds me of Roger Hewland at Gramex -- who may well be reading this! (If he is he owes me a few hundred quid.)


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

The *Maggini Quartet* was the perfect choice for PMD quartets. They've recorded more quartets by English composers than any group I would think, and play them very well. I created a playlist of all of their Englsih composers's quartets, and it covers everyone from Elgar, to PMD, and one composer I"d not heard of, Ronald Corp.


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

Mandryka said:


> They’ve not been blessed by Arditti as far as I know, or even Jack or Diotima; they’ve never been played at Donaueschingen as far as I can see; the only performances are on Naxos, which hardly gives them a touch of grace;


Could it be simply that having been commissioned by the Naxos label there is some period of recording restriction, just a thought.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

The second movement of Quartet 2 is extraordinary.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

No, I think it is true that Max's music is neglected by performers and record companies. We tend to have one recording each - most of them quite old now - for most of his works nearly all of them issued by Naxos. Unrecorded works remain unrecorded (the only exception I can think of is the recording of the 10th symphony by Pappano). I am not sure this is the case for any other composer as well known as Max is/was. This forum demonstrates that he is quite widely liked - there are quite a few fans here - but not, it seems, by musicians?


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## maestro267 (Jul 25, 2009)

A lot of the "Naxos" recordings like the symphonies and concertos were originally published by Collins Classics in the 1990s.

Also I'm counting reading through this thread as inspiration to finally try these quartets.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

^ Yes, Naxos rescued those recordings (thank god). But we need some new ones.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Back to quartet 3 today - the one that I’ve heard for the first time a year ago. Just magic really, the whole thing.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

SanAntone said:


> The *Maggini Quartet* was the perfect choice for PMD quartets. They've recorded more quartets by English composers than any group I would think, and play them very well. I created a playlist of all of their Englsih composers's quartets, and it covers everyone from Elgar, to PMD, and one composer I"d not heard of, Ronald Corp.


Yes I like the sound they make in these quartets at least, rather lean, grey shades. They remind me of The Tatrai Quartet.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Maxwell Davies quartet 4. Original, beautiful, expressive, playful and airy. Constantly fresh, constantly confounding expectations.



(Actually on second thoughts, just maybe it has a pre-echo in Kurtag’s microludes. Will check tomorrow.)


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

in my archives i have given a star to sq 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9; as pm only wrote 10 this means that the quality of his output is excellent IMHO


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Yes well I agree with you about not giving a star to 1 and 2, and giving a star to 3, 4 and 7. I am looking forward to hearing 5,6, 9 and 10 over the next few days.

For the moment I feel the urge to consolidate a bit, and spend some time going over 4 and 7 especially - haunting music!


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## maestro267 (Jul 25, 2009)

Listening to Quartet No. 5 as I write. Lot of tremolando in the two slow movements.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Having listened many times to it now, I am convinced that 4 is a summit of string quartets. Viva Max.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

I’d say that the second movement of 5 is an interesting bit of music.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I'm listening to No.4 today. Sounds beautiful! I bought a couple used CDs from eBay. Nos.1&2, and 7&8.


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