Composer reveals the Queen's secret talent: Her Royal Highness 'could have been a conductor', says her master of music
The Queen recently let slip that she would love to be able to sing, and now it turns out she may be far more musical than she lets on.
Her official composer, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, who is due to hold his last meeting with the Monarch today before he retires, says he is ‘astounded’ by her musical sense, which is apparently so acute that she can spot nuances in notes and rhythms only top professionals can detect.
‘She has a brilliant musical ear, as good as anybody’s I have come across,’ Sir Peter tells me.
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies first noticed the Queen's nuanced understanding of music when listening to two choirs. She pointed out the difference in notes between St Paul's' boys and Westminster Cathedral's
‘I don’t know if she could have become a professional musician because I’ve not heard her play, but her understanding of music and her ear are of a professional standard.
‘Maybe she could have been a composer or conductor — she has the feeling and insight, for sure.’
It has always been assumed it was the Queen’s late sister, Princess Margaret, an accomplished pianist, who was ‘the musical one’.
Little is known of the Monarch’s musical gifts, although she has been said to play various instruments including the piano, the fiddle and the bagpipes.
Earlier this month, the 23-year-old soprano Laura Wright told me that the Queen had disclosed she would love to be able to sing.
The Monarch, who turns 88 next month, even broke into a rendition of the song Take That frontman Gary Barlow composed for her Diamond Jubilee.
Sir Peter, 79, is stepping down after ten years as Master of Music. Prince Philip, he said, always greeted him with: 'Are you still making all that noise?'
Sir Peter, 79, who has been the Master of the Queen’s Music for the past ten years, says he first noticed how good her ear was when she pointed out the difference in sound between the boys’ choirs of St Paul’s and Westminster Abbey and those of Westminster Cathedral.
‘The differences are subtle and only a trained ear would have spotted them, but she surprised me, astounded me, that she had picked up on it.’
The composer, whose music was performed at the wedding of Prince William and Kate, adds: ‘Her Majesty comments on the nuances and complexity of pieces with an astute knowledge, and she particularly likes military bands.
‘Prince Philip has a more cheeky style. He once greeted me with the words: “Are you still making all that noise?”, to which I replied: “Yes, sir, and lots of it!”’
Sir Ben Kingsley swears by the Bard
Anything by the Bard is a hard act to follow, but the dire use of the English language in some of today’s writing is condemned by Sir Ben Kingsley.
The Oscar-winning star of Gandhi writes in his new book, Shakespeare & Me: ‘I sometimes get screenplays sent to me where a sequence of dialogue can be: “F*** you!” “No, no, f*** you!” “No, f*** you!” “No, no, f*** you!”
‘How wonderful that we’ve evolved to that!
The language of modern screenplays pale in comparison to William Shakespeare's masterpieces, he says
‘But it’s catastrophic, really, when in the space of that many lines, Shakespeare could have given you a little kingdom of intellect and challenge.
‘“To be or not to be” now would be: “What the f***?”’
Petra shows off her class
You’d think socialite Petra Stunt, younger daughter of Formula One billionaire Bernie Ecclestone, would opt to do a Pilates class in the privacy of her £70 million Chelsea home, which boasts its own gym.
But on Tuesday night she joined a group at Vita, in Knightsbridge, in a session involving a high-energy workout.
The stylish Petra still managed to wear no fewer than six Cartier love diamond bracelets while stretching her toned body into the required positions.
That’s one way to flash your bling...
Girl's best friend: Bernie Ecclestone's daughter Petra flashing her Cartier love bracelets
The gleaming accessory is covered with diamonds. Perfect Pilates attire, apparently
Only a year ago Tony Blair, noted peacekeeper, turned up in Mongolia and told its unsuspecting people: ‘This is my first visit to Mongolia, and I hope it will not be my last.
‘Mongolia has many attractive things. As I served as the PM of Great Britain for ten years, I am ready to share my experience and to co-operate with Mongolia.’
Well, yesterday he arrived back aboard a private plane on a one-night stop as an official adviser to the Mongolian government.
One of the attractive things about the country he recently discovered is its vast supplies of copper and gold in the Gobi Desert.
When Blair was there last March, it was thought he might be required to mediate between the Mongolians and Rio Tinto, the Anglo-Australian mining conglomerate that operates the country’s biggest mine.
But Blair’s office is at pains to deny any involvement in this delicate diplomatic mission.
‘As is widely known, we have a governance project with the Government of Mongolia, which focuses on public service delivery,’ says a spokesman for Blair’s office. Let’s hope Cherie, who visited the Pope a few weeks ago, will accept this explanation of why Tony has been away from home.
David Cameron’s London house is proving to be a pot of gold.
The family home that the Prime Minister rents out for up to £72,000 a year while he lives at No.10 is often said to be worth £2 million.
But according to one of his neighbours, it is worth far, far more.
‘I own a house round the corner from Mr Cameron and I can assure you his place is worth nearer £3million,’ says Barbara Want, widow of Radio 4 presenter Nick Clarke.
‘I’m not an estate agent but, like most Londoners, I obsess about house prices.’
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mal10georgio, limassol, Cyprus, 1 week ago
I don't think she could have stuck a nine hour shift on a Volvo B10B single decker