Mathias, William (1934 - 92)

[Tony Halstead]

I just simply LOVE his music and I'm sorry to see that it is hardly ever played on R3 these days.
As a fledgling church organist in the mid-1960s I struggled, technically, with his 'Partita', but after quite a lot of practice I was able to play his superb 'Variations on a Welsh Hymn Tune' well enough for my organ diploma at the old RMCM, followed by several public performances in recitals on the wonderful organ of Holy Trinity, Sloane Square, London.
Having also played (horn) in a few of the LSO's 'Lyrita' recordings with David Atherton as well as the organ part in their recording of 'Ave Rex' I am now wondering whether there exists a 'Mathias Society', (?) which I would be happy to join.

[Roehre]

Hi Tony.
Mathias is a favourite of mine, and his grave is to be found in the church yard of St.Asaph Cathedral, not far from where I live, and home of the North Wales William Mathias Music Festival.

Apart from the Lyrita recordings there are others (of the symphonies e.g.) on Nimbus, and choral works on Hyperion. His 3 string quartets are to be found on a Metronome CD. The Welsh label SAIN records made and released a couple of his works on collections of Welsh music.

I am afraid we've got a Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias/William Mathias Music Center here, but not a William Mathias Society (yet).

[EdgeleyRob]

A favourite of mine too,although I'm a fairly recent convert.

Try his three string quartets,well what can I say,amazing writing for the genre.

[umslopogaas]

There used to be some of his music on L'Oiseau Lyre, Decca and their subsidiary label Argo in the days of LPs. I have:

Laudi, Clarinet Concerto, Elegy for a Prince, Vistas (Argo ZRG 882)
Divertimento for flute, oboe and piano, String Quartet Op. 38, Sonata for violin and piano, Wind Quintet (Argo ZRG 771)
Dance Overture, Ave Rex, Invocation and Dance, Harp Concerto (Decca SXL 6607)
Music for Organ, including Partita Op. 19 (L'Oiseau Lyre SOL 342)

I do not know how much, if any, of these recordings were transferred to CD.

I dont ever remember hearing any of his works on R3.

[Serial_Apologist]

I have to say I always found Mathias a pleasant if somewhat lightweight eclectic, a "quality routinist" capable of reaching people who do not want to be disturbed or in any way challenged in their listening, as compared to his near-contemporary compatriot, Alun Hoddinott, whom I would judge the far more substantial composer.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I have to say I always found Mathias a pleasant if somewhat lightweight eclectic, a "quality routinist" capable of reaching people who do not want to be disturbed or in any way challenged in their listening, as compared to his near-contemporary compatriot, Alun Hoddinott, whom I would judge the far more substantial composer.

Having been at Bangor when Mathias was Professor (and Hoddinott was Professor at Cardiff) there was something of a rivalry - not between the two composers/professors, but between their students, who defended and attacked like football supporters. In composition tutorials, Mathias encouraged us to act like professionals on commission: i.e. write a complete work to a specified deadline. It certainly did me good, with more incomplete compositions to my name than Schubert, and fewer complete ones than Howard Ferguson.

[Serial_Apologist]

Having been at Bangor when Mathias was Professor (and Hoddinott was Professor at Cardiff) there was something of a rivalry - not between the two composers/professors, but between their students, who defended and attacked like football supporters. In composition tutorials, Mathias encouraged us to act like professionals on commission: i.e. write a complete work to a specified deadline. It certainly did me good, with more incomplete compositions to my name than Schubert, and fewer complete ones than Howard Ferguson.

[ahinton]

I have to say I always found Mathias a pleasant if somewhat lightweight eclectic, a "quality routinist" capable of reaching people who do not want to be disturbed or in any way challenged in their listening, as compared to his near-contemporary compatriot, Alun Hoddinott, whom I would judge the far more substantial composer.

Agreed entirely.

[ahinton]

Having been at Bangor when Mathias was Professor (and Hoddinott was Professor at Cardiff) there was something of a rivalry - not between the two composers/professors, but between their students, who defended and attacked like football supporters. In composition tutorials, Mathias encouraged us to act like professionals on commission: i.e. write a complete work to a specified deadline. It certainly did me good, with more incomplete compositions to my name than Schubert, and fewer complete ones than Howard Ferguson.

As S-A said(!)...

[Roehre]

I have to say I always found Mathias a pleasant if somewhat lightweight eclectic, a "quality routinist" capable of reaching people who do not want to be disturbed or in any way challenged in their listening, as compared to his near-contemporary compatriot, Alun Hoddinott, whom I would judge the far more substantial composer.

For me these two are on par, with Mathias almost always the immediately recognizable composer with a lighter and brighter (dances, some of the concertos e.g.) and a definitely more darker side (the symphonies, string quartets e.g.)

[maestro267]

I came across Mathias when I happened upon a performance of his Organ Concerto on Radio Cymru* sometime in 2011 or '12. I was captivated by the music, that went on for a good half-hour or so, while I had no idea of the composer or anything. Sadly no commercial recording of the Concerto exists yet.

In the autumn of 2013, I found a disc in a charity shop featuring his first two symphonies. Both absolutely fantastic works, especially No. 2. Since then, I've also bought the Chandos recording of Lux Aeterna.

With Mathias, Alun Hoddinott, Grace Williams, Daniel Jones (and no doubt others), Wales has a very fine symphonic tradition that needs to be delved into by orchestras and broadcasters.

*For the record, I'm not fluent in Welsh.

[Petrushka]

I like Matthias's choral anthems and organ works which have something of a distinctive touch to them. Greatly like Sir Christemas which concludes with a wonderful pay off.

[EdgeleyRob]

There used to be some of his music on L'Oiseau Lyre, Decca and their subsidiary label Argo in the days of LPs. I have:

Laudi, Clarinet Concerto, Elegy for a Prince, Vistas (Argo ZRG 882)
Divertimento for flute, oboe and piano, String Quartet Op. 38, Sonata for violin and piano, Wind Quintet (Argo ZRG 771)
Dance Overture, Ave Rex, Invocation and Dance, Harp Concerto (Decca SXL 6607)
Music for Organ, including Partita Op. 19 (L'Oiseau Lyre SOL 342)

I do not know how much, if any, of these recordings were transferred to CD.

I dont ever remember hearing any of his works on R3.

His violin concerto was a highlight (for me) of last year's Proms.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

As S-A said(!)...

Well, yes.

And one student whose compositional skills were considerable handed in a composition that was pure Mathias pastiche. It had us in stitched of laughter, but Professor Mathias couldn't see the connection; he just thought it was an excellent student composition.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

He did once ask my advice about playing the oboe the oboe. Shortly afterwards, he produced his oboe concerto, so I like to think I may have made a difference.