William MATHIAS (1934-1992)
Violin Sonata No. 1, Op. 15 (1961) [15:28]
Violin Sonata No. 2, Op. 94 (1983) [20:40]
Violin Sonata (1952) * [16:44]
Sara Trickey (violin); Iwan Llewellyn-Jones (piano)
rec. Champs Hill, West Sussex, UK, 18-20 August 2009
*World première recording
NAXOS 8.572292 [53:05]
Unfortunately there appears to be little biographical and analytical information
about William Mathias. There is an expensive but out-of-date bio-bibliography,
a short book by Malcolm Boyd that is now out of print and a four page article
by Ian Parrott in the hard to find Anglo-Welsh Review. Apart from this everything
would appear to be reviews or short studies in various journals about the
organ music, the choral works and the vocal pieces. This is a pity, as most
critics would regard Mathias as one of the top five Welsh composers of the
twentieth century. For the record the other four are (probably) Alun Hoddinott,
Grace Williams, Daniel Jones and the fifth is almost certainly a matter of
preference.
However, Rob
Barnett points out in his review of these Sonatas, that William Mathias
has been ‘well treated’ on CD. The Arkiv website currently notes
some 77 discs devoted to or containing his music. These span the entire range
of his catalogue including the three symphonies, the great choral pieces This
Worlde’s Joie and Lux Aeterna and a goodly selection of the
fine organ works.
It is not necessary to provide a lengthy biography of William Mathias in this
review, but a few biographical details may be of interest and remind the reader
of the importance of this composer.
William Mathias was born in Whitland in Carmarthenshire on 1 November 1934.
He studied at Aberystwyth University and later at the Royal Academy of Music.
His teachers there were Sir Lennox Berkeley and Peter Katin. Much of his musical
career was concerned with the academic world: he was a lecturer and then Professor
of Music at Bangor University. Much time was spent organising the North Wales
International Musical Festival, which was (and is) based at St Asaph. He was
involved in such august bodies as the Welsh Arts Council and the BBC’s
Central Music Advisory Panel. Mathias regularly played and conducted music
at concerts. However he only really became ‘famous’ and a household
name in 1981, when a specially commissioned anthem
was heard in St Paul’s Cathedral at the wedding of HRH The Prince of
Wales to the late Lady Diana Spencer on 29 July 1981. Mathias died at Menai
Bridge on Anglesey on 29 July 1992.
The CD cover suggests that the Violin Sonata (1952) is a first performance.
I have found a reference to the Op.15: it was released in 1976 on a record
of chamber music by Argo (ZRG771). However, I have been unable to track down
where the Op.94 was recorded. I have certainly never heard any of these works
before.
The early Violin Sonata (1952) is a real treasure. To be sure, it is to a
certain extent a ‘retro’ work with the composer writing in a highly
charged romantic style that would have been largely anathema in the early
’fifties. Geraint Lewis suggest that this piece, written when the composer
was eighteen years old. ‘represents a culmination of what he [Mathias]
always referred to as his ‘juvenile’ phase.’ The work was
first performed on 16 May 1953 with the violinist Edward Bor and the composer
at the piano. However the performance history has not been straightforward.
Mathias withdrew some two dozen ‘student’ works and these were
not performed again. This included the Violin Sonata.
Towards the end of his life the composer did review his entire ‘compositional
archive’ before it was prepared for presentation to the National Library
of Wales. Some of the discarded works were singled out as possibilities for
performance. However, Lewis assures us that the Violin Sonata was not amongst
them. In 2008 representations were made to the composer’s estate and
the present work was given a ‘trial run’ at the Wigmore Hall.
All were agreed that the sonata is not representative of the composer’s
work but it was felt that it was of ‘such astonishing power and originality
as a self-taught pre-student work that it should be heard in that light’.
It was duly ‘premiered’ at Galeri, Caernarfon on 2 July 2010.
The Sonata is in three well-balanced movements that are typically romantic
in their outlook. Rob Barnett has noted that this sonata is in a trajectory
from Howells, Ireland and Bax. I also agree with him that the sound-worlds
of Cyril Scott and John Ireland permeate this work, however it never becomes
pastiche.
I accept that this is not ‘typical’ Mathias - any more than most
composers’ ‘early horrors’ are typical of their mature work.
Yet this Sonata is excellent and enjoyable. Its parts are well balanced and
the mood, whilst largely romantic is never kitsch. It is a work worthy of
the composer and ought to be in the repertoire of many violinists.
The Violin Sonata No. 1 was the composer’s first commission for the
Cheltenham Festival. It was given its first performance there on 12 July 1962.
The violinist was Tessa Robbins and the pianist was Robin Wood. The work was
well received by the critics; however there was a suggestion that the last
movement, the Lento-Allegro Ritmico, did not fulfil the promise of
the first two.
There is certainly urgency about this music which is clear from the very first
downward phrase from the piano. This opening movement contrasts an angular
theme with one that is considerably more ‘melodic and flowing’.
This is reflective and moving music: however, it is cast away by the ‘spiky’
tune before coming to an aggressive and finally enigmatic conclusion. The
Lento has been described as a ‘long and lyrical berceuse’.
This is music that is approachable and satisfying. On the other hand the final
‘dance’ movement is another story. This is in ‘typical’
Mathias style as seen in a number of his organ works. However it does seem
to lack consistency with the preceding two movements.
Interestingly, a quotation from Vaughan Williams’ Sixth Symphony has
been detected in the finale - somewhat ‘irrelevant’ one reviewer
thought. It would be interesting to understand the reason for this gesture.
The Second Violin Sonata was commissioned by the Guild for the Promotion of
Welsh Music. It was to celebrate the composer’s fiftieth birthday in
1984. The work was duly performed at the Swansea Festival on 16 October that
year with Erich Gruenberg and John McCabe.
Mathias has made use of ‘blocks’ of musical material in this Sonata
which he had derived from the works of Tippett and Stravinsky. This is used
to create a ‘sonata’-like framework which allows for dialogue
and self-reference throughout. The sound-world of this piece has moved on
from ‘melody’ as such and depends to a large extent on the manipulation
of motifs. It has been suggested that Mathias has used a transposed version
of Shostakovich’s DSCH motive ‘presumably as an act of homage’.
The second movement corresponds to a ‘scherzo’ but in reality
this is more of a toccata with its rapid figuration testing the violinist’s
technique. The slow movement is intense and is reminiscent of a funeral march.
The finale is imposing, economical and is in the form of a ‘rondo’.
I have not studied the score, but one feels that material used earlier in
the work is being revisited. The slow episodes are introverted and quite beautiful.
The conclusion of the movement and of the work is a riot of sound: there may
even be a little hint of Iberia in these pages!
I believe that this Sonata may not impress the listener on a first hearing.
But stick with it. There is much striking music in these pages that is worthy
of the composer at his best.
The CD liner-notes by Geraint Lewis are excellent. He has contributed a great
deal to the periodical literature about Mathias and has written the Grove
entry. I would have liked a little more analysis of the 1952 Sonata - most
of the notes deal with the compositional and performance history. My only
gripe is that for a Naxos CD 53 minutes is a wee bitty short. Was there nothing
else they could have included? Perhaps the Musette and Dance for two
violins?
Finally the performances of these three Sonatas are excellent. There is a
commitment from Sara Trickey and Iwan Llewelyn-Jones that understands and
presents Mathias’s music in the best possible manner. This recording
is likely to become definitive for many years to come.
John France
Likely to become definitive for many years to come.