Birtwistle, Adès, Turnage...Oliver Knussen: Who Will Replace Sir Peter Maxwell Davies as Master of the Queen's Music?

An interesting article in the Sunday Telegraph from the ever thought-provoking John Allison, on the likely successors to Sir Peter Maxwell Davies as Master of the Queen's Music. "Max" as he is widely known, and with affection, has been a popular figure in the role, while his undoubted distinction as a composer has graced the royal household.

Allison's list contains most of the usual suspects. Few connected with the British music scene will argue with his presumed main nominations of Birtwistle, Adès, Turnage, etc. Some of the most interesting thoughts, though, come from his outsider possibilities. Julian Anderson is a respected teacher and fabulous composer. Judith Weir is also in the highest rank, and her appointment would also do a lot of good at a time when the frequency (or lack thereof) of female composers, as conductors, is a hot topic.

But a couple of interesting names were omitted. James MacMillan for one, a Scottish composer much in demand. Another, who deserves it as much as anyone, is Colin Matthews. Quite apart from his own works, Matthews created the contemporary music recording label NMC, whose signal achievements include the brilliant NMC Songbook, which commissioned new songs from dozens of leading British composers. Mathews is a major contributor to British musical literature.

Of all of these and the others Allison mentions (plus a few more like Sally Beamish, or indeed a couple of no-way-Joses like the much underrated Brian Ferneyhough), it is perhaps Oliver Knussen who would command the greatest respect from the music world. If Buckingham Palace is looking for the composer other composers look to as their guide, their mentor, their inspiration, Knussen is his name. Other composers have one or two of these qualities. Knussen embodies them all.