Il Rozzo Martello for unaccompanied choir SATB, by Peter Maxwell Davies, was commissioned by BBC Radio 3. It was first performed on 14th August 1997 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, by the BBC Singers conducted by Stephen Cleobury.
A Michaelangelo sonnet lies at the heart of Il Rozzo Martello - a contemplation on the process of artistic creation and the role of inspiration within it, the sculptor's 'crude hammer'; of the title, in Davies's words, 'a pale echo of the creative efforts of exploring the same theme and similar imagery'. This introduction is distinguished from the setting of Michaelangelo's test by adopting a plainsong style, although it builds to a climax with progressively rich harmony Duration: c 12 minutes.