Parody is a concept central to much of the work of Peter Maxwell Davies. In this study the First Fantasia on an In Nomine by John Taverner, the Seven In Nomine, the Second Fantasia on an In Nomine by John Taverner and the opera Taverner are used as case studies of Davies' use of parody. Three categories of parody are discerned: parody in its pre-Baroque sense which entails the use of musical material from pre-existing compositions; parody in its modern sense whereby a particular work or style is imitated in such a manner that the source is ridiculed or satirized; and the non-satirical parody of compositional devices, forms or other features characteristic of a particular musical period. All four works examined in this study use the 'In nomine' by the sixteenth-century composer John Taverner as a source of pre-compositional musical material. Each of Davies' In Nomine works is examined in detail and the composer's use of the device and its function in each instance is discussed. The chronological consideration of the In Nomine compositions, and of Taverner in particular, reveals a gradual change in the manner in which Davies employed parody in his compositions. Attention is thus given to the transition from the emphasis on parody in the Renaissance sense to the emphasis on parody in its modern sense and it is shown. that this transition clearly parallels the change that was taking place within Davies' general compositional style during the sixties. In conclusion, some reasons for the predominant role played by parody in Davies' output and the preoccupation with musical materials derived from the pre-Baroque are suggested, in order to show the relevance of Davies' use of parody within a twentieth-century context. / Thesis (M.Mus.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1990.

The Eight Songs for a Mad King lends itself very nicely to the analysis of the various Sprechstimme and "extended vocalism" techniques. Peter Maxwell Davies uses all the conventional Sprechstimme techniques as well as vocal sounds and notation of his own design. By explaining and illustrating these techniques before the performance of the work, the audience can gain additional insight into and understanding of the performance. The historical aspect of the text used in the Mad King is also of interest to the listener. The poems were inspired by a small mechanical organ supposedly once owned by King George III and which played eight tunes. A scrap of paper sold with the organ explains that "This organ was George the third for Birds to sing". The songs are understood to be his monologue while listening to his birds perform. The text incorporates many sentences actually spoken by George III in both his sane and insane moments.

The Sonata for Trumpet and Piano by Peter Maxwell Davies is one of his earliest works, and a notoriously difficult work to perform. While using serialism and other twentieth-century compositional techniques, this work also uses older historical forms, including sonata-allegro and sonata-rondo forms. An analysis of the work is presented, identifying the older historical forms, and considerations for performers when making decisions on how to perform the work are provided.