Returns and Departures: recent Maxwell Davies

Extract

It is interesting to consider Maxwell Davies's three ‘Taverner’ fantasias in relation to the three Leonora overtures of Beethoven. Of course, it is extremely easy to challenge this analogy: the Leonoras were written to be performed with Fidelio, whereas the ‘Taverner’ fantasias were never intended for operatic use. Furthermore, the symphonic proportions, particularly of Leonoras 2 and 3, were completely at variance with Beethoven's need for concision, and led him to reject them in favour of the Fidelio overture, whereas Maxwell Davies has explicitly stated that he felt there were ideas within Taverner which positively demanded further symphonic comment.