Message #8641

[Dundonnell]

I am surprised that dyn has never heard any John McCabe. There is plenty of his music in our British Music Archive. His seven symphonies certainly deserve an integral recording. I completely agree with Alistair that Maxwell Davies, McCabe and David Matthews are three of our most productive and distinguished living symphonists (I would add the name of Patric Standford too).

I suppose that the problem might be that of these composers David Matthews is the youngest and he will be 70 this year. If one looks to a younger generation it is rather harder to find symphonists of such distinction.

I have high hopes though for both John Pickard(born 1963) and Matthew Taylor(born 1964). Both have written three orchestral symphonies and there will, hopefully, more to follow. Dutton has recorded two of Taylor's symphonies and BIS is showing some interest in Pickard.