2009 marked the 75th birthday of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, an occasion that presented an opportunity for reflection upon, and appreciation of, a period of compositional achievement that extends from the 1950s to the present. This book forms part of that reflection through a statement of the current condition of research on Maxwell Davies's music. Detailed analytical discussions of individual works, such as the opera Taverner and the First Symphony, coexist with broader issues and perspectives, including Davies's own writings about music, his engagement with sonata form, the compositional source, problems of text, and the situating of this music within and in relation to 'modern times'. The book describes selected works from all periods of Davies's rich and diverse career, resulting in a portrait of the music that, while it may be incomplete, reveals the essence of this remarkable composer and his music.

This study represents a reflection on the remarkable music of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and his rich and diverse career.

About the Author
Kenneth Gloag is Senior Lecturer at Cardiff University, School of Music. Nicholas Jones is Lecturer in Music at Cardiff University, at the Centre for Lifelong Learning.


Book Information
ISBN 9780521886581
Author Kenneth Gloag
Format Hardback
Page Count 276
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 720g
Dimensions(mm) 253mm * 182mm * 17mm