Xmas > Christmas News

A new Xmas carol for the Queen

Thu, 18 Oct 2007

The Queen’s official composer, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies has written a new Christmas carol for her.

Set in Orkney the carol is based on the work of renowned Orcadian poet George Mackay Brown, one of Scotland’s greatest writers of the 20th Century and friend of Sir Peter.

The choir of the Chapel Royal at St James Palace will sing the carol to the Queen and the rest of the Royal family at a private service at Christmas in London .

Sir Peter, who lives in Orkney, was appointed as the Queen’s Master of Music in 2004. One aspect of his duties is to write a Royal carol each Christmas.

The poem that gave Sir Peter his inspiration was the 14 line poem called, Hamnavoe Women and the Warbeth Bell: Midwinter.

Sir Peter said, "The poem is set in Orkney and I was thinking of Orkney when I wrote the music, so it is very much an Orkney carol for Her Majesty.

"Christmas was one of his [Mackay Brown's] passions and inspirations. He never lost the child-like wonderment of Christmas - especially an Orkney Christmas.

"So it will remind the Queen of Scotland - and Orkney in particular - at Yuletide . Scotland is a place very close to her heart."

Sir Peter first met Mackay Brown on Hoy in 1971 and became good friends. On the day of the poet’s death in 1996 Sir Peter completed his 6th symphony which he dedicated to and played at his friend’s funeral.