# SS 21.12.19 - Davies #1



## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening!

For your listening pleasure this weekend:

Peter Maxwell Davies (1934-2016)

Symphony No. 1

I Presto - Allegro molto - Allegro sempre
II Lento - Andante con moto - Allegro moderato - Allegro - Allegro vivo - Presto - Poco meno presto
III Adagio - Più lento
IV Presto
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Post what recording you are going to listen to giving details of Orchestra / Conductor / Chorus / Soloists etc - Enjoy!


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

For this weekend I picked Peter Maxwell Davies symphony #1. According to my calculation we have not listened his symphonies so far. Found one article related to this one:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/t...-guide-peter-maxwell-davies-first-tom-service

Will listen this one from spotify:








Youtube


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

I will go with the Naxos version of this one
Looking forward to hearing it


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

Naxos here for me too. Thanks Mika.


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## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

A recent purchase for me -- so the Naxos for me too.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Just to be different (and it is quite different!) I'll listen to the Rattle.


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

This wasn't my cup of tea, but thanks Mika for keeping Saturday Symphony going!


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

D Smith said:


> This wasn't my cup of tea, but thanks Mika for keeping Saturday Symphony going!


Looking forward to hear KenOC comments


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

It is a work I have some history with. A record was issued quite soon after the work's completion and my mother, knowing that I liked some of Max's music and recognising that his writing a symphony might be a major event, bought it for me as a gift. At the time I didn't know what to make of it at all. It seemed very different to anything else of Max's that I knew. And I continued to see it as a little too austere even as I stated to enjoy the other symphonies. But once I returned to giving it some serious attention I came to hear it as a fine work, filled with impressive music. I don't think any of Max's symphonies are easy but I do find them worthwhile. I enjoyed this excuse to listen to it again today.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I've got this so I played it again earlier but I still dislike it. Sorry.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Mika said:


> Looking forward to hear KenOC comments


I listened to the beginning of the Naxos recording, which reminded me why I never play this symphony.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

I am afraid to say I am with the majority view here, this just did nothing for me


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Just as I enjoy strolling through museums of modern art to be taken by wonder and surprise at each turn, I enjoy aurally strolling through the symphonic oeuvre of Peter Maxwell Davies, all of whose symphonies (I believe) reside on my disc shelves, along with several other pieces such as the complete Naxos Quartets and my favorite work of his, the _Eight Songs For A Mad King_.

I believe the Collins Classic release is the same as the later Naxos issue of this Symphony.















I can understand how this may not be music to everyone's tastes, but does anyone _really_ enjoy (or seek out) music that _is _to everybody's taste? Do we really want such music?

As I re-listen to this symphony now, I hear what I find the best in contemporary orchestral music: variety of tone colors, intriguing melodies and non-melodies and harmonies and non-harmonies, structural fluidity, and just so many plain ol' surprises in the sounds that issue forth. Tame stuff, really, compared to something like _Eight Songs For A Mad King_ which, with one exception, is the piece by Davies I most bring to life through my stereo system. (The exception is _Farewell To Stromness_, which I enjoy picking on my guitar. Unfortunately, I cannot seem to get the fingerings anywhere near right for _...A Mad King_.)

I'm pleased this symphony was offered up for review. Perhaps this will encourage Forum members unfamiliar with Davies' work to explore his unique sound scapes in greater frequency. There is a lot of intriguing music in this late composer's oeuvre.

Davies died in March of 2016, and I remember combing through many of his works at the time as a personal tribute to this unique modern/contemporary composer. Please, if you haven't yet heard _...Stromness_, give it a listen.






And, don't forget to give a hearing to _Eight Songs for a Mad King_. At least _one_ of the songs, please. It won't hurt you. Really.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

KenOC said:


> I listened to the beginning of the Naxos recording, which reminded me why I never play this symphony.


No no no … that's the image to accompany music by Philip Glass!


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

^
^
...or perhaps it's a performance of the _Mad King_ songs...


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

elgars ghost said:


> ^
> ^
> ...or perhaps it's a performance of the _Mad King_ songs...


Oh, you are so cruel … so cruel ….


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