Peter Maxwell Davies - The Last Island (Film version)

Psappha Ensemble:
Benedict Holland & Zoë Beyers - violins
Alex Mitchell & Alistair Vennart violas
Jennifer Langridge & Petr Prause - cellos
Mark Heron - conductor
This performance was recorded live at Hallé St Peter's in Manchester (UK) on 31st March 2022 and marked Tim Williams’ final Manchester concert as Psappha’s Artistic Director. It pays homage to Peter Maxwell Davies, whose music was the group’s original inspiration, and to the land Max called home. Four new works have been commissioned, inspired by Orkney and written for this performance and accompanied new films shot by Tim Williams in Orkney.
There is also a version of this work that shows the film (full screen) with the live recording from the performance. This can be found in the 'Orkney - Peter Maxwell Davies Tribute' Playlist.
To view the 4K version we recommend you use Google Chrome or the Firefox browser.
Learn more about Psappha: psappha.com
Orkney film shot, produced and edited by Tim Williams
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Peter Maxwell Davies - The Last Island
The title refers to the further of two small islands off the coast of Sanday, Orkney, which can be reached by foot at low tide. It is home to rare wildflowers and birds, and is reputed to be the resting place of hundreds of shipwrecked mariners who have perished on the rocks through the centuries. This sextet attempts to invoke the island’s unique atmosphere - essentially peaceful and full of the wonder of ever-changing light of sea and sky, yet strangely threatened with menace, even on the brightest of days. I have taken some of its most intriguing bird and sea sounds as starting points, and transformed them through a ninefold lunar magic square that informs the whole structure. There is just one movement, characterised by extreme contrast of tempo and dynamic, with, towards the end, references to an unusual plainsong version of Ave Maris Stella (‘Hail, Star of the Sea’), which might have been sung by the small group of monks who lived here before the Reformation, and whose ruined chapel still dominates the closer of the two islands.
- Peter Maxwell Davies

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Beautiful piece!