The Welsh composer, William
Mathias (1934-1992) was born in Whitland, Carmarthenshire, Wales. A child
prodigy, he started playing the piano at the age of three and began composing
at the age of five. He studied at Aberystwyth University, before going on to the
Royal Academy of Music where he studied under Lennox Berkeley. He was elected a
fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in 1965 and later became professor of
music and head of department at the University of Wales, Bangor.
A recipient of the Bax Society Prize of the Harriet Cohen
International Music Award, his compositions include an opera, The Servants (1980), three symphonies, concertos,
chamber music and works for piano and organ. Much of his music was written for
the Anglican choral tradition. His anthem Let
the people praise Thee, O God was written for the royal wedding of the
Prince and Princess of Wales. He founded the North Wales International Music
Festival in St Asaph in 1972 and directed it until his death in 1992.
A new release from
Naxos www.naxos.com features
St. Albans Abbey Girls Choir www.stalbanscathedral.org/music/abbeygirlschoir
, the Lay Clerks of St. Albans Cathedral
Choir www.stalbanscathedral.org/worship-and-music/music/cathedral-choirs/st-albans-cathedral-choir
and
Orchestra Nova www.novamusic.org.uk/orchestra.htm
conducted
by Tom Winpenny www.tomwinpenny.org
with Peter Foggitt www.peterfoggitt.com (piano primo) and Michael Papadopoulos https://en-gb.facebook.com/michael.papadopoulos.14
https://twitter.com/michael_pap514
(organ and piano secondo).
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| 8.573523 |
Lift up your heads, O
ye gates, Op. 44, No. 2 (1969) was commissioned by Oxford University Press
for their publication, Anthems for Choirs
edited by organist and composer, Francis Jackson of York Minster. It has a brilliant
opening from the organ to which the choir add an equally vibrant choral sound
together with some typically Mathias turns of phrase, finding a real snap.
There is a more subdued central section with some nicely controlled singing
from this choir.
Ave Rex, Op. 45
(1969) includes carols that have achieved great popularity, with Sir
Christèmas often featured in the Kings College, Cambridge, Christmas Eve
service. Ave Rex angelorum opens with
a lovely organ phrase to which the choir add some very fine choral sounds to
which the organ responds. Mathias finds something new to say in his harmonies
and intervals, bringing an uplifting beauty and expanding through some quite
wonderful passages. There is a lovely directness to Alleluya, a new work is come on hand before this composer provides some
intricate choral writing. There is no
rose of such virtue is a setting that is simply very beautiful. It works
its way through some exquisite part writing with the Girls’ Choir adding some
particularly fine moments and the organ superbly captured before finding a
lovely close. The organ introduces Sir Christèmas, the choir bringing lively, particularly
accurate singing with some razor sharp phrasing.
The choir sound out joyfully in the Wassail Carol, Op. 26, No. 1 (1964) that was commissioned by Kings
College, Cambridge for their famous Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. This
carol brings some lovely accents, uplifting and wonderfully sung.
St. Pauls Cathedral organist, John Scott commissioned the
anthem, As Truly as God is our Father (1987)
on behalf of the Friends of St. Pauls Cathedral. It was first sung in the
presence of the Friends Patron, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
There is a gentle opening from organist Michael Papadopoulos with some lovely
subtle harmonies. When the choir join they add equally fine harmonies, the Lay
Clerks blending with the Girls’ Choir quite wonderfully. They keep a fine pace,
adding subtle increases in tempo and dynamics as the piece progresses, rising
through some lovely passages before the organ returns the music to a quieter
level and the choir gently sing ‘All shall be well…’ A quite gorgeous setting.
It was Jesus College Cambridge that commissioned Mathias’
setting of the Evening Canticles - Magnificat
& Nunc Dimittis, Op. 53 ‘Jesus College Service’ (1971). There is a
strikingly fine opening for organ to the Magnificat
before the Girls’ Choir enter, bringing a lovely brilliance. Soon there is a
more subdued section, very much reflecting the awe of the words ‘For he hath
regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden…’ before rising through passages of
further joy and brilliance with a passage
of terrific breadth captured by this choir. The gentle Nunc Dimittis has some lovely harmonies with some beautifully
controlled passages from this choir to which the organ joins for ‘Glory be to
the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.’ This is a particularly fine Nunc Dimittis.
Tom Winpenny goes to the organ loft for a lively, vibrant Toccata Giocosa, Op. 36, No. 2 (1967). Written
for Sir David Willcocks it is full
of fine harmonies, textures and rhythmic ideas, a most attractive piece with a
lovely quieter central section.
All thy works shall
praise thee, Op. 17b (1961) was Mathias’ very first piece of church music
and receives its World Premiere Recording here. A grand opening from the organ
announces the anthem to which the choir bring some very fine descending phrases
with lovely overlaid choral lines as well as some firm, strong passages.
The other World
Premiere Recording on this disc is Mathias’ setting of The Lord's Prayer (1992) which he wrote for the male choir of
Whitland only a few months before his death. There is a lovely hushed organ
opening to which the choir soon bring an equally lovely gentle theme, with the
organ adding some lovely touches. There is a lovely gentle undulating flow in
this very fine setting that rises magnificently for ‘Thine is the Kingdom’ before
ending quietly.
The larger scale anthem, An Admonition to Rulers, Op. 43 (1969) was
written for the Southern Cathedrals’ Festival and first performed in Salisbury
Cathedral along with the choirs of Chichester and Winchester Cathedrals. The
organ sounds out in almost a fanfare before the choir join to add to the
brilliance and power. Here the choir and organist deliver terrific strength. The
way Mathias sets the words and adds little organ decorations, is quite masterly.
A very fine soloist from the St. Albans Abbey Girls’ Choir is heard singing
over an organ accompaniment and later a solo tenor joins bringing a fine tone,
beautifully shaped. The choir re-join to bring a very fine section as they
weave an undulating theme before rising in strength to a stirring peak before
gently declining at the words ‘…for she is more beautiful than the sun...’
Orchestra Nova joins
for Salvator Mundi, Op. 89 (1982) for strings, piano duet, percussion and
choir written to celebrate the centenary of Cheltenham Ladies College and first
performed there. A tambourine points
up a rhythmically buoyant Make we merry
sung by the St. Albans Abbey Girls’ Choir. A piano is heard as the music quietens almost
to a halt only to slowly plod forward in Mirabile
mysterium with string accompaniment to which the Girls’ Choir slowly and
steadily brings the text in this really striking section. Be we merry in this feast is also lively and buoyant with subtle influences
of Benjamin Britten. The choir are
particularly skilled in this fast moving music.
Pianos and hushed strings open Lullay to which a solo girl’s voice joins. Another soloist joins
before the choir slowly takes this beautifully conceived music forward with
some beautifully harmonies. There is a nicely contrasting Susanni full of light textured, rhythmic phrases with piano and
pizzicato strings adding lovely textures before Christe, redemptor omnium where bell chimes are heard quietly
before the choir enters, the girls bringing a lovely overlay of voices. The
joyfully rhythmic Welcome, Yule
almost has the feel of a Copland Hoedown as it is pushed along by the pianos
and orchestra, the choir rising to rush to the vibrant end.
The St. Albans Abbey Girls’ Choir proves to be an impressive
choir who along with the Lay Clerks of St. Albans Cathedral Choir deliver some
very fine performances.
The recording from St. Albans Cathedral, Hertfordshire,
England is first class and there are excellent booklet notes from Geraint
Lewis.
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