Colin Matthews

The second, third and fifth of these studies were composed in 1974, the other two a year later. The fifth in particular reflects my interest at that time in minimalism, but all are relatively simple i...

In the first part the strings spell out a version of the chaconne (a continuously repeated motive) in octaves while the piano plays improvisatorily against them; the second (and longest) part is a slo...

In the first part the strings spell out a version of the chaconne (a continuously repeated motive) in octaves while the piano plays improvisatorily against them; the second (and longest) part is a slo...

Triptych was commissioned by the Schubert Ensemble and first performed by them in the Wigmore Hall in May 1984. It is a single movement, lasting 6 ½ minutes, whose title derives both from the three se...

I. Sostenuto - II. Pesante - III. Allegro assai - IV. Vigoroso - V. Molto sostenuto When I composed by Second String Quartet in 1985 I intended to have two movements, of which the second was a slow mo...

‘A superb, ambitious new quartet from Matthews, numerically his first but so confident one finds it hard to believe that.' The Guardian (Edward Greenfield), 9 June 1980

comissioned by the Fine Arts Brass Ensemble

Instrumentation: afl(=picc).ob.Ebcl(=bcl).bsn.hn Each of these short pieces features one of the players, not so much as a concertante soloist as the most prominent amongst equals and at the same time...

The rules of A Musical Dice Game – first published in 1793 and ascribed to Mozart as K. 516f (with more than a little likelihood of authenticity) – allow for the throw of the dice to determine the ord...

Colin Matthews’ searching setting of Paul Auster received its first performance at Sadlers Wells in 1990 from bass-baritone David Mattinson and pianist Malcolm Martineau. This ruminative 4-minute song...

This setting of a poem by Thomas Traherne (1637-74) was composed between August 1978 and May 1979 as a sixty-ninth birthday present for Peter Pears, who, with Steuart Bedford, gave the first performan...

Instrumentation: perc(1): tam-t/susp.cym - strings

Studienpartitur - Orchestriert von David und Colin Matthews m - Stimmlage: mittel

Instrumentation: 2.2.Ebcl.1.bcl.2.cbsn - 4231 - timp - perc(3): 2 BD/4 tom-t/bongos/tam-t/susp.cym/siz.cym/tgl/tamb/lujon/log drum/2 c.bells/ratchet/sleigh bells/sandpaper block/guiro/vib/glsp - harp...

Instrumentation: picc.2.2.ca.2.bcl.2.cbsn - 4331 - timp - perc(2/3): BD/hi-hat/cyms/2 susp.cym/2 anvil/4 tom-t/tgl/tamb/(vibraslap)/vib/2 tam-t/(flexatone)/ratchet or guiro/glsp/siz.cym - pno - harp -...

Instrumentation: 2.2.2.bcl.2 - 4230 - timp - perc(1): tgl/susp.cym/cyms/BD - strings I orchestrated about half of Beethoven's 'Rule Britannia' Piano Variations in 1980 for Carl Davis' score for the 19...

Instrumentation: 2(=picc).afl.2.ca.Ebcl.2.bcl.cbcl.2.cbsn - 6431 - timp- perc(4): 3 BD(one with foot ped)/2 TD/12 tom-t/3 tam-t/3 susp.cym/2 siz.cym/2 hi-hat/tamb/log drum/guiro/ratchet/1 or 2 fishing...

Instrumentation: 1.afl.2.1.bcl.2 - 2100 - perc(1): vib/glsp/t.bells/2 tam-t - cel - harp - strings (ideally 10.8.6.6.4) Chiaroscuro, the play of light and shade in painting or drawing, isn’t a term th...

Instrumentation: 1(=picc).ca(=ob).2.bcl.1 - 1100 - perc(1): glsp/susp.cym/vib/2 gong/tam-t - strings (2.2.2.2.1 or 4.4.4.4.1)

Instrumentation: picc.2.2.ca.3(II=Ebcl.III=bcl).2.cbsn - 4331 - timp -perc(4): crot/metal chimes/lujon/5 tuned gong/glsp/bell tree/sleigh bells/2 siz.cym/handbells/2 springcoils/2 brake drum/vib/susp....