Sad news – composer, pianist & author Peter Dickinson has died aged 88. His Piano Concerto (1984) with Howard Shelley & BBCSO/David Atherton. ‘Sophisticated Lady’ arr. & played by Peter.
This is complete, save added on YT in chapters & therefore incurring unfortunate short breaks.
4 Comments
Robert Matthew-Walker
on June 18, 2023 at 10:45 am
This is very sad news. Peter was a good friend and a regular contributor to Musical Opinion: in fact, the July issue (soon to be at the printers) contains an article by Peter on the Legacy of Lennox Berkeley; Peter’s final contribution after many years; thankfully, his own work is well represented on disc.
San news. I was introduced to Peter by a mutual friend around 1998, and saw him a few times after that; memorably Peter once cooked a rare steak for us when we popped in at his Suffolk home. Afterwards, in his music room, Peter mentioned he was again looking at the Bach Prelude and Fugues. He asked if I’d like to hear one… I asked for the F-sharp minor from Book 2, and – generously – Peter duly sat down and played it for me, just for me… a wonderful moment ‘caught in time’… thank you for the memories, and especially for the music (humming now the rag episode to myself from the piano concerto..)
Tremendously sad news and I will miss him very much. His own compositions show a wonderful variety, from humour (Five Forgeries – brilliant pastiches) to large-scale symphonic works (I’m particularly fond of the Organ Concerto and was very touched that after telling PD this, an inscribed copy of the score arrived in the next day’s post), and some absolutely delicious piano miniatures. Talking to Peter about music – his own and so many others’ – was constantly stimulating and thought-provoking, and fun too. RIP, Peter.
This is very sad news. Peter was a good friend and a regular contributor to Musical Opinion: in fact, the July issue (soon to be at the printers) contains an article by Peter on the Legacy of Lennox Berkeley; Peter’s final contribution after many years; thankfully, his own work is well represented on disc.
My sentiments are the same as Bob’s. Peter was helpful to me on a number of occasions. I hope his legacy will live on.
San news. I was introduced to Peter by a mutual friend around 1998, and saw him a few times after that; memorably Peter once cooked a rare steak for us when we popped in at his Suffolk home. Afterwards, in his music room, Peter mentioned he was again looking at the Bach Prelude and Fugues. He asked if I’d like to hear one… I asked for the F-sharp minor from Book 2, and – generously – Peter duly sat down and played it for me, just for me… a wonderful moment ‘caught in time’… thank you for the memories, and especially for the music (humming now the rag episode to myself from the piano concerto..)
Tremendously sad news and I will miss him very much. His own compositions show a wonderful variety, from humour (Five Forgeries – brilliant pastiches) to large-scale symphonic works (I’m particularly fond of the Organ Concerto and was very touched that after telling PD this, an inscribed copy of the score arrived in the next day’s post), and some absolutely delicious piano miniatures. Talking to Peter about music – his own and so many others’ – was constantly stimulating and thought-provoking, and fun too. RIP, Peter.