The composer Michael Tippett referred to him as ‘the other Davis’ – that is, not Sir Colin.
Covent Garden never considered him a candidate to succeed his namesake.
He was not appointed Generalmusikdirektor of any holy German imperium.
I don’t think he ever conducted the Vienna Philharmonic.
The high places of classical music tended to look down on Andrew’s unabashed love for the things he did, his way of making things fun without sacrificing profundity.
Andrew, so far as I could tell, was never bothered that he did not get asked to make recordings for the yellow label, or get feted by the Manhattan super-rich, or get dressed by Boss. He was one of those few conductors who seemed perpetually happy with what he did, and he made others happy by doing so.
He made the late Queen Elizabeth laugh out loud, quite often. She was definitely amused.
He was always twice the conductor that the cognoscenti thought they knew. He conducted the BBC Symphony Orchestra more than anyone except its founder, Sir Adrian Boult, another underrated master.
If anyone ever told him that he was underestimated by the establishment, Andrew would have given that blaring, cackling laugh and moved on to the next score. He loved music more than he cared for ‘music lovers’ of this world.
Laura Davis is an entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to Broadway, she offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
