Master of the Queen’s Music

At last it’s been announced that Peter Maxwell Davies will hold this post for the next ten years. I met him once (at least, we were in the same room!) when he was director of the Dartington summer school.

For the last hundred years, it’s been the intention that the Master should be a distinguished composer. They haven’t always stood the test of time, though; is anything by Walter Parratt, other than a few Anglican chants, still performed? And I struggle to think of anything by Walford Davies, other than a few anthems, short organ pieces, military marches, and, erm, Anglican chants. I can’t imagine anyone naming their son Walford in his honour now, as someone did in about 1960 (I once went on a choir tour with this Walford’s wife). Actually, I find it pretty hard to imagine anyone doing this even in 1960. I think Maxwell Davies’ major compositions will not be so easily forgotten, even if he hasn’t written any Anglican chants.