Peter Maxwell Davies died a week ago. He was a very direct inspiration. He taught at my school in Cirencester, but had left just before I started. However, his influence was still there at the school and in Cirencester. I took part in so many performances of contemporary music in the 1970s, which must be exceptional for a small town in the middle of the Cotswold countryside. He wrote some of the most exciting music of the avant-garde, e.g. ‘Eight Songs for a Mad King’, ‘Vesalii Icones’.
Max visited Cirencester occasionally, and supported the percussion ensemble at Cirencester School. On one occasion, he was very encouraging to me after hearing a sextet I had written for the ensemble. Looking back on that piece, I now realise how very kind he was being – it was not good.
The last time I met Max was in 1979, at the funeral of his friend from the school, Bob Jennings, my history teacher. He wrote ‘A quiet memory of Bob Jennings’ (violin, viola and cello) for the occasion, and gave me a photocopy. I have scanned the last few bars as a quiet memory of Max.
Max visited Cirencester occasionally, and supported the percussion ensemble at Cirencester School. On one occasion, he was very encouraging to me after hearing a sextet I had written for the ensemble. Looking back on that piece, I now realise how very kind he was being – it was not good.
The last time I met Max was in 1979, at the funeral of his friend from the school, Bob Jennings, my history teacher. He wrote ‘A quiet memory of Bob Jennings’ (violin, viola and cello) for the occasion, and gave me a photocopy. I have scanned the last few bars as a quiet memory of Max.
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