Sir Peter Maxwell Davies Symphony no. 9

[karelm]

Has anyone heard any details about Maxwell Davies's latest symphony?  Though he said he completed his cycle with No. 8 over ten years ago, there is now a No. 9.  The composer says his Ninth Symphony will be a deeply serious work embodying reflections on the events of the Queen's reign, including "good and bad, happy and sad".  It sounds very interesting.  Let's hope there are hope to come!

[ajones]

I am just excited to hear this one, i am a big fan of his work and i cant wait to listen to his new Symphony creation though i don't know yet where i could get a source of this one. I do hope that this really comes out really soon so that there will be anew symphony to listen to by this genius musician. keeping my fingers crossed!

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Can someone elucidate? I know nothing of a Symphony 9, either actual or potential. Where does the information come from? Have I entirely missed out on something.

Max may well have reached the establishment and the media seems to enjoy reporting his latest campaigns and prejudices, but there seems to me a distinct falling off in performances and especially recordings.

True, we've had the Naxos string quartets (anyone any idea of how well they sold?), and I consider it terrific news that Naxos have got hold of all the recordings issued by the now defunct Collins label and are starting to reissue them.

But there are some significant gaps in recordings. Symphony No. 7, written way back in 2000, has never received a recording. Although some of us lucky ones of older years might have purchased a ready made CD of the 2001 Antarctic Symphony (No. - which I hold to be one of Max's most impressive and formidable orchestral works - that symphony very much needs a commercial recording making it available to all. Likewise the 2009 Violin Concerto No. 2 Fiddler on the Shore is another full sized work that needs to be recorded. (And if anyone happens to have an under-utilised record company with spare budget [ha!] we also need a new recording of Violin Concerto 1 since the previous recording with Isaac Stern and Previn is now dated and not entirely satisfactory.)

Apologies this post is quickly degenerating into a mere list. But while I'm at it we also need recordings of the 2006 Das Rauschende der Farbe and the 2009 work for chamber orchestra Last Door of Light.

But what then is this rumoured Symphony 9?

[Dundonnell]

Not only does the Maxwell Davies Symphony No.9 really exist    ....it will be premiered by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vassily Petrenko on June 9th.

I presume  the concert will be broadcast and that someone will record the new symphony

http://www.liverpoolphil.com/14/whats-on-listings/whats-on.html

[Alan Howe]

Or, more specifically, here:
http://www.liverpoolphil.com/6269/events-classical-music/beethovens-ninth.html

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Aaaaarrggghh, ouch! My head has obviously been buried in the sands. My thanks to both of you for extracting it - and so graciously!

I'm nonetheless surprised for I'd got the impression that M-D had now relinquished writing for full orchestra and especially the symphony. The last few years have seen many new works - but many of them are fairly short 'occasional' pieces, works for small chamber groups, choirs, and so forth. And little for full orchestra and of extended duration. Thus I thought he'd turned his back on such things. But I'm clearly wrong - and glad of it!

I note the concert is now 'sold out'. How wonderful to read that in the current climate. I suppose Beethoven 9 is the reason for that  - but good to know a piece of contemporary music hasn't deterred the Liverpudlians!

[Dundonnell]

A musician friend of mine in Orkney knows Maxwell Davies reasonably well-coming regularly in contact with him at the St. Magnus Festival- so I shall get him to enquire what future plans, if any, he has.

I know that MD had intended that the Antarctic Symphony would be his last but circumstances change. not just the Jubilee but also, sadly, the composer's own circumstances after his more than unfortunate experience with those he had trusted with his business accounts

The Symphony No.9 is 19.30 minutes long.

I too was fortunate enough to get the Antarctic from Maxopus and the Seventh Symphony is available from this site.

[Mr0a]

Raising an older topic here, and a new user. I stumbled on this thread because I was searching for details of Symphony no. 9 on Google.

I have just purchased tickets for the BBC prom night in the Albert hall where this has its London premiere - plenty of tickets are still available, I paid £20 but there are some from £7.50 I believe.

Edit, I thought it would be useful to actually give the details:

Prom number 54
BBC website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/whats-on/2012/august-23/14282

Thursday 23 August

7.30pm – c. 9.50pm

    Sir Peter Maxwell Davies
    Symphony No.9 (25 mins)
    London Premiere

    Delius
    Violin Concerto (25 mins)

    INTERVAL
    Shostakovich

    Symphony No. 10 in E minor (45 mins)

    Tasmin Little violin
    Vasily Petrenko conductor
    Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Off to Amazon to purchase the recommendations on this thread.

Thanks,

Mr0a