David Lewis wrote:

>I would like to suggest Nicholas Maw as a British composer whose work is
>heard all too infrequently, either on record or in the concert hall.  I can
>remember a performance of Odyssey conducted by Simon Rattle at the Festival
>Hall in London some years ago.  The music was memorable and the performance
>excellent but since then I have not come across performances of any of his
>other work although ASV have issued some excellent CD's of Maw's music.  ...

I agree with you on the merits of Odyssey, which Rattle apparently insisted
on recording as a condition of re- signing with EMI.  (would he have this
same leverage today, I wonder.) The music is conservative in some sense,
but complex, and of course, very long.  It is not easy music.

The violin concerto, less complex, more accessible, is also impressive.

Bernard Chasan