The Queen’s official composer has spoken of the betrayal he felt after discovering his former agent swindled him out of more than £500,000.
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, who ranks among the world’s most eminent composers, was left so distressed by the discovery that the money was missing that he was temporarily unable to compose.
Michael Arnold, 76, a self-confessed gambler, was jailed for 18 months last week after pleading guilty to falsely accounting a total of £522,333 of the musician’s earnings.
His crime came to light in 2006 when Sir Peter tried to withdraw money from a cash dispenser, only to find he had insufficient funds.
Sir Peter has now revealed that he was in so much debt that he was just days away from being evicted from his home in Orkney, where he lives with partner Colin Parkinson.
The composer, known as Max to his friends, should have been earning hundreds of thousands of pounds a year, but instead Arnold, of Barnet, London, gave him an annual allowance of £25,000.
He said: “I know one year I spent £9,000 and Michael berated me and said I couldn’t afford to spend so much – it was only later I found out I had earned £350,000 that year.
“I was even 15 days away from being evicted from my home on Sanday because Michael had taken out a mortgage I didn’t know about and the payments were overdue. I was heartbroken and desperate. At the last minute the British Library came to my rescue and bought a lot of my manuscripts which paid off the mortgage.”
Sir Peter then discovered his bank account was overdrawn by £88,000 and that he had £130,000 worth of back tax to pay. “It was hard to cope with because I had no money,” the composer said.
“The islanders were fantastic. I would find daily gifts of kindness – a home-baked loaf, fish, a brace of ducks, meals, and even a few bottles of wine left in my porch. Without them, I don’t know what would have happened. They were the darkest days of my life.
“The Queen later became aware of things and sent me a personal message, which was very sweet and kind of her.”
Sir Peter has written a full account of the events in his diaries, which will be bequeathed to the British Library on his death.
He added: “I feel utterly betrayed and humiliated. I regarded Michael as more than a friend. He was like a father to me. I trusted him completely. How he could do this to me is beneath contempt.
“I am very naive where money is concerned. I just love music and composing. I just can’t be bothered with the money side – that is why I trusted Michael completely and he took advantage.”