Farewell to Stromness - SSO Violas

Описание: I heard a recording of Peter Maxwell Davies playing his piece 'Farewell to Stromness' on piano at the end of a dismal news hour shortly before the first UK lockdown in March 2020. It provided a much-needed moment of calm and hope.

I play viola in the BBC SSO and like most musicians we were then stuck at home, unable to play together. With some time on my hands I thought I would try arranging something for the viola section to play. We had already done a couple of home recording projects and and I thought this could work. I was pleased that the entire viola section agreed to take part, and we were also joined by a couple of SSO celli: Principal Cello Rudi de Groote and his wife Gill. SSO Principal Viola Scott Dickinson plays the opening viola solo.

SSO viola player Morag Robertson kindly agreed to produce both the recording and this video. At the time it was made it coincided with the fortieth anniversary of the piece being premiered at the composer's own St Magnus Festival in Orkney. We have been privileged to appear at this festival many times during my time at the SSO.

I played several times with Peter Maxwell Davies conducting, including a memorable performance of his Antarctic Symphony in a sweltering Royal Albert Hall at the Proms in 2004, and his piece 'Mavis in Las Vegas', with the accompanying music video in which the composer marries a Marilyn Monroe lookalike!

I do not own the copyright to this arrangement.

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