Classic Ross Amico

Tag: Malcolm Williamson

Malcolm Williamson Outsider Royal

How do you like that? In 1970-71, Malcolm Williamson was composer-in-residence at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ.

In 1975, Williamson would succeed Sir Arthur Bliss as Master of the Queen’s Music, a position he held until his death in 2003. Today is his birthday anniversary.

Williamson, born in Sydney, Australia, in 1931, was the first non-Briton to be appointed Master. From the start, the decision was not without controversy. Sir William Walton quipped that they had given the job to the wrong Malcolm. He was implying that Malcolm Arnold would have been a better choice – a bold statement, since Arnold was prone to alcoholism, promiscuity, manic-depression, and possible bi-polar disorder. He once shot himself in the foot to get out of war service and attempted suicide several times. Still, he did manage to churn out much delightful music-to-order, often lickety-split, and in an immediately accessible idiom. So who knows, maybe Arnold would have been a good choice.

Williamson was always an establishment outlier. Though he arrived in England in his late teens, his antipodean origins led to sotto voce grumblings that his Royal appointment was but a utilitarian one, “cementing the cracks in the Commonwealth,” as Walton put it.

Whether or not a sense of alienation contributed to a kind of paralysis in the face of overwhelming pressure, Williamson developed an unfortunate reputation of being very bad with deadlines. Most particularly, he failed to complete a symphony in time for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 1977. His ambitious “Mass for Christ the King,” also intended for the occasion, was also delivered late. Significantly, he was the first Master of the Queen’s (or King’s) Music in over a century not to be knighted.

Following the Jubilee debacle, his output slowed, though he was seldom unproductive. In all, he wrote seven completed symphonies, concertos for piano, violin, organ, harp, and saxophone, and numerous other orchestral, choral, chamber, and instrumental works.

Williamson suffered from ill health in his later years. He too may have turned to the bottle as a means to numb himself against stress and depression. However, those close to him assert that, toward the end of his life, he never drank, but rather struggled with aphasia, the effect of a series of strokes.

Be that as it may, following his death in 2003, the parameters of the Royal appointment were revised. The position is no longer one for life, but rather a fixed, ten-year term.

What’s puzzling is that, for someone who had a reputation for being unable to meet deadlines, Williamson was able to write a fair amount of music for the cinema. The films were admittedly of varying quality. It’s always amusing to find his name in the opening credits of Hammer horror movies. But it proves that he could write to order, and he could write very quickly, perhaps when he wasn’t under the microscope.

Williamson was not the only future Master of the Queen’s Music to spend time in Princeton, by the way. His eventual successor, Peter Maxwell Davies, who served as Master from 2004 to 2014, attended Princeton University as a Harkness Fellow, studying under Roger Sessions and Earl Kim, and received his PhD here in 1967. Max would be the first to hold the office under the new guidelines. He was succeeded in 2015 by Judith Weir, the first woman to hold the post (and yes, she is still referred to as “Master”).

Happy birthday, Malcolm Williamson!

Williamson plays his attractive Piano Concerto No. 2

Rare recording of his Symphony No. 6

“Mass of the Feast of Christ the King”

Ballet “The Display” (inspired by Robert Helpmann’s dream of a naked Katherine Hepburn!)

“With Proud Thanksgiving”

Two Christmas Hymns

“Vision of Christ-Phoenix” for Coventry Cathedral (organ)

“Autumn Idyll”

Lento for Strings

Theme music for “The Brides of Dracula”

“The Horror of Frankenstein”

“Nothing But the Night,” starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing

Spoken observations on Pär Lagerkvist, Nobel prize winning author of “Barabbas” and “The Dwarf”

“Ochre” from Vic Lewis’ album “Colours”

Malcolm Williamson in conversation with Bruce Duffie
http://www.kcstudio.com/williamson2.html

November 21, 2023
Malcolm Williamson: Master Outlier

He wrote the music for “The Brides of Dracula” and “The Horror of Frankenstein,” and a ballet after a scenario of Robert Helpmann (of “The Red Shoes” notoriety) inspired by the vision of a naked Katharine Hepburn. Sounds like Master of the Queen’s Music material to me. Not to have included Malcolm Williamson in a subplot on “The Crown” was surely a wasted opportunity.

Williamson, born in Sydney, Australia, in 1931, was the first non-Briton to be appointed Master, in 1975. From the start, the decision was not without controversy. Sir William Walton quipped that they had given the job to the wrong Malcolm. He was implying that Malcolm Arnold would have been a better choice – a bold statement, since Arnold was prone to alcoholism, promiscuity, manic-depression, and possible bi-polar disorder. He once shot himself in the foot to get out of war service and attempted suicide several times. Still, he did manage to churn out much delightful music-to-order, often lickety-split, and in an immediately accessible idiom. So who knows, maybe Arnold would have been a good choice.

Williamson was always an establishment outlier. Though he arrived in England in his late teens, his antipodean origins led to sotto voce grumblings that his Royal appointment was but a utilitarian one, “cementing the cracks in the Commonwealth,” as Walton put it.

Whether or not a sense of alienation contributed to a kind of paralysis in the face of overwhelming pressure, Williamson developed an unfortunate reputation of being very bad with deadlines. Most particularly, he failed to complete a symphony in time for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 1977. His ambitious “Mass for Christ the King,” also intended for the occasion, was also delivered late. Significantly, he was the first Master of the Queen’s (or King’s) Music in over a century not to be knighted.

Following the Jubilee debacle, his output slowed, though he was seldom unproductive. In all, he wrote seven completed symphonies, concertos for piano, violin, organ, harp, and saxophone, and numerous other orchestral, choral, chamber, and instrumental works.

Williamson suffered from ill health in his later years. He too may have turned to the bottle as a means to numb himself against stress and depression. However, those close to him assert that, toward the end of his life, he never drank, but rather struggled with aphasia, the effect of a series of strokes.

Be that as it may, following his death in 2003, the parameters of the appointment were revised. The position is no longer one for life, but rather a fixed, ten-year term. Sir Peter Maxwell Davies was the first to serve under the new guidelines. He was succeeded in 2015 by Judith Weir, the first woman to hold the post (and yes, she is still referred to as “Master”).

What’s puzzling is that, for someone who had a reputation for being unable to meet deadlines, Williamson was able to write a fair amount of music for the cinema. The films were admittedly of varying quality. It’s always amusing to find his name in the opening credits of Hammer horror movies. But it proves that he could write to order, and he could write very quickly, perhaps when he wasn’t under the microscope.

The ballet “The Display” (1964) takes its name from the fanciful mating dance of the lyrebird. Robert Helpmann first witnessed the lyrebird’s courtship display on a visit to Victoria’s Sherbrooke Forest at the behest of Katharine Hepburn. The pair visited Australia in 1955 as leads in a touring Shakespeare company underwritten by the Old Vic. There are lots of fun photos of Helpmann and Hepburn on the internet (here seen holding koalas). Helpmann claimed that his idea for the ballet was inspired by a dream, in which he witnessed Hepburn naked on a dais surrounded by lyrebirds. He would dedicate his contribution to the ballet to her.

The scenario presents a competition between several suitors, young men at a picnic, preening and practicing their football moves, hoping to earn the affections of a young woman. Things become more aggressive as the action unfurls. Debussy’s “Jeux” could have been a lot different had it been conceived in the wilds of Australia!

What’s especially interesting is the decision to portray the barbarity in a picnic setting, as opposed to making it just another lurid Aboriginal showpiece put together by white men.

You can see it performed here:

Happy birthday, Malcolm Williamson!

Williamson plays his attractive Piano Concerto No. 2

A rare recording of his Symphony No. 6

“Mass of the Feast of Christ the King”

“With Proud Thanksgiving”

Two Christmas Hymns

Lento for Strings

Theme music for “The Brides of Dracula”

End credits for “The Horror of Frankenstein”

“Nothing But the Night,” starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing

Malcolm Williamson in conversation with Bruce Duffie

http://www.kcstudio.com/williamson2.html

November 21, 2022
Queen’s Funeral Music Program Highlights

If you’re curious, here’s a program of all the music played at the Queen’s funeral today.

Happy to see a selection from Vaughan Williams’ 5th Symphony made it, albeit in transcription for organ. Also “O Taste and see,” his setting of Psalm 34, first sung at the Queen’s coronation in 1953.

Curious to find Malcolm Williamson on the roster, as surely he was the most controversial of Masters of the Queen’s music. (He was notorious for missing deadlines.) Pleased to note his inclusion, nonetheless. An underappreciated composer.

Judith Weir, current Master of the King’s Music, and Sir James MacMillan have written new works for the occasion.

Rest in peace, QEII.

September 19, 2022
Malcolm Williamson: The Master of Queen’s Music

When Malcolm Williamson was appointed Master of the Queen’s Music in 1975, Sir William Walton quipped that they had given the job to the wrong Malcolm.

Nevermind the fact that the other Malcolm, Sir Malcolm Arnold, could be something of a loose cannon. Alcoholism, promiscuity, manic-depression, possible bi-polar disorder. He once shot himself in the foot to get out of war service and attempted suicide several times. Still, he did manage to churn out much delightful music-to-order, often lickety-split and in an immediately accessible idiom. So who knows, maybe Arnold would have been a good choice.

Williamson, who would have been 90 years-old today, was always an establishment outlier. Born in Sydney, Australia, he arrived in England in his late teens. His antipodean origins led to sotto voce grumblings that his Royal appointment was but a utilitarian one, “cementing the cracks in the Commonwealth,” as Walton put it.

Whether or not a sense of alienation contributed to a kind of paralysis in the face of overwhelming pressure, Williamson developed an unfortunate reputation of being very bad with deadlines (and for that, he certainly has my sympathy). Most particularly, he failed to complete a symphony in time for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 1977. His ambitious “Mass for Christ the King,” also intended for the occasion, was also delivered late. Significantly, he was the first Master of the Queen’s (or King’s) Music in over a century not to be knighted.

Following the Jubilee debacle, his output slowed, though he was seldom unproductive. In all, he completed seven symphonies, concertos for piano, violin, organ, harp and saxophone, and numerous other orchestral, choral, chamber and instrumental works.

Williamson suffered from ill health in his later years. He too may have turned to the bottle to numb himself against stress and depression. However, those close to him assert that, at least toward the end of his life, he never drank, but rather struggled with aphasia, the effect of a series of strokes.

What’s certain is that he was the first non-Briton to be named Master. Following his death in 2003, the parameters of the appointment were revised. The position is no longer one for life, but rather a fixed, ten-year term. Sir Peter Maxwell Davies was the first to serve under the new guidelines. He was succeeded in 2015 by Judith Weir, the first woman to hold the post (and yes, she is still referred to as “Master”).

What’s puzzling is that, for someone with a reputation for being unable to meet deadlines, Williamson was able to write a fair amount of music for the cinema. The films were admittedly of varying quality. It’s always amusing to discover his name in the opening credits of Hammer productions like “The Brides of Dracula” and “The Horror of Frankenstein.” But it proves that he could write to order, and he could write very quickly, perhaps when he wasn’t under the microscope.

Now that the dust settled, it is the music he left us that’s important.

Happy birthday, Malcolm Williamson!

Williamson performs his attractive Piano Concerto No. 2

A rare recording of his Symphony No. 6

Ballet music from “The Display”

Orchestral excerpts from the opera “Our Man in Havana”

“With Proud Thanksgiving”

“Two Christmas Hymns”

“Lento for Strings”

Theme music for “The Brides of Dracula”

End credits for “The Horror of Frankenstein”

“Nothing But the Night,” starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing:

Malcolm Williamson in conversation with Bruce Duffie:
http://www.kcstudio.com/williamson2.html

November 21, 2021
The Crown’s Missing Musician Scandal

In my post of November 21, 2019, having just watched the first episode of the third season of the Netflix series “The Crown” – the one with a subplot involving Sir Anthony Blunt, Surveyor of the Queen’s Pictures – I wondered, as the timeline crept into the ‘70s and ‘80s, if writer-creator Peter Morgan might include a reference to Malcolm Williamson.

Williamson, also from the world of the arts, brought further scandal to the Royal Family as a notoriously unreliable Master of the Queen’s Music.

Since the 17th century, musicians have been appointed Master with the expectation that they would supply music for important milestones in the lives of the Royal Family and for ceremonial occasions. Past Masters of the Queen’s (or King’s) Music have included John Eccles (who served four monarchs), William Boyce, John Stanley, Sir Edward Elgar, Sir Arnold Bax, and Sir Arthur Bliss.

When Williamson, Australian by birth, was named Bliss’ successor in 1975, already there was grumbling among his peers. Sir William Walton suggested the appointment was politically motivated, a means of “cementing the cracks in the Commonwealth.” Williamson had his share of personal demons, to be sure. He was prone to anxiety and depression, and he was certainly no stranger to the bottle. In his later years, he suffered a series of strokes.

Unfortunately, he was also horrible with deadlines. He failed to complete a symphony in time for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 1977, and his ambitious “Mass for Christ the King,” also intended for the occasion, was delivered late. Significantly, he became the first Master in over a century not to receive a knighthood.

Following his death in 2003, the parameters of the post were revised. No longer is the appointment to be one for life, but rather for a fixed, ten-year term. The current master is Judith Weir. Weir was appointed in 2015. She is the first woman to hold the position (and yes, she is still referred to as “Master”).

Alas, having concluded Season 4, I am sorry to say, I detected no reference to Williamson in “The Crown.” Even an exasperated aside, delivered to the Queen, about another unfulfilled commission would have been welcome. But understandably the season was more concerned with the drama surrounding Diana Spencer and an uncanny performance by Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher.

There was, however, a nice “Easter egg” for classical music aficionados in Episode 8, the episode in which press secretary Michael Shea is given a prominent role. Shea was also a writer of books, and the episode opens with him seated at his typewriter, tapping out the conclusion to his latest literary effort. Nearby, on a turntable, spins Peter Maxwell Davies’ “Farewell to Stromness.”

Maxwell Davies would serve as Master of the Queen’s Music from 2004 to 2014. He was the first to serve under the new guidelines. An amusing choice since, if anything, Max was an even more colorful figure than Williamson – if perhaps better about meeting deadlines.

Throw “The Crown” in a blender with “Mozart in the Jungle,” cast Malcolm McDowell as Max, and THAT would be the show I’m looking for.

Here’s hoping for a cameo in a future episode.

“Farewell to Stromness”

An arrangement of the piece was played at the wedding of Charles and Camilla in 2005.

Max’s String Quartet No. 8, with its allusions to Dowland, dedicated to the Queen on the occasion of her 80th birthday:

“Kings and Shepherds,” a carol for the Queen:

Of course, Max gained notoriety in the 1960s for works like “Eight Songs for a Mad King,” inspired by George III.

Decades later, in 2010, when the police showed up at his door after a protected swan struck a power line over his property in the Orkney Islands, Max invited them in – and offered them swan terrine.

Only mad Max would set Purcell to a foxtrot. Love the suggestions of the Victrola running down, having to be cranked up, and then the stylus swishing around at the end.

PHOTOS: Wild Williamson (left) and Mad Max in 1973

February 4, 2021

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