William Mathias
Born: November 1, 1934; Whitland, Dyfed
Died: July 29, 1992; Menai Bridge
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Welsh composer William Mathias only lived to be 57 years old, but composed a large amount of work. Much of it is not considered to be great work; however, some of it is excellent, and Mathias has been deemed as one of the great Welsh composers. Mathias wrote in different styles, but there is a slight Welsh flavor throughout his pieces. Some of his influences were Stravinsky, Bartok, Tippett, and Gershwin, hardly known as Welsh-style
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Works
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A babe is born, Op. 55 (10)
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A Grace, Op. 89 no 3 (2)
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Ad majorem Dei gloriam (2)
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All wisdom is from the Lord, Op. 88 no 3 (1)
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Alleluia (2)
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Angelus, Op. 90 no 5 (2)
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Antiphonies, Op. 88 no 2 (1)
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As truly as God is our Father (3)
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Ave Rex, Op. 45 (3)
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Ave Rex, Op. 45: Alleluya, a new work is come on hand (1)
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Ave Rex, Op. 45: Ave Rex Angelorum, no 1 (1)
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Ave Rex, Op. 45: Ave Rex Angelorum, no 2 (1)
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Ave Rex, Op. 45: Sir Christèmas (1)
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Ave Rex, Op. 45: There is no rose of such virtue (1)
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Ave verum corpus (1)
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Bell Carol (3)
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Berceuse for Organ, Op. 96 (1)
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Canzonetta for Organ, Op. 78 no 2 (4)
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Carillon for Organ (2)
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Celtic Dances, Op. 60 (2)
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Chorale for Organ (2)
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Concerto for Clarinet, Op. 68 (1)
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Concerto for Harp, Op. 50 (1)
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Concerto for Horn (1)
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Concerto for Piano no 3, Op. 40 (1)
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Dance Overture, Op. 16 (1)
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Divertimento for Strings, Op. 7 (1)
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Doctrine of Wisdom, for chorus & organ (1)
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Elegy for a Prince, Op. 59 (1)
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Except the Lord Build the House, Op. 89 no 2 (1)
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Fanfare for Organ (2)
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Fantasy, Op. 78 (1)
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Fenestra (1)
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Festival Te Deum, Op. 24 (1)
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Festival Te Deum, Op. 83 (1)
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Hail, true body (1)
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Hodie Christus natus est (1)
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I will celebrate (3)
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Improvisations for Harp, Op. 10 (1)
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In excelsis gloria (1)
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Intrada, Op. 54 (1)
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Investiture Anniversary Fanfare (1)
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Invocation and Dance, Op. 17 (1)
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Invocations, Op. 35 (2)
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Jesus College Service, Op. 53 (4)
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Jubilate, Op. 67 no 2 (2)
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Jubliate Deo, Op. 90 no 2 (1)
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L'Homme Arme (1)
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Laudi, Op. 62 (1)
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Lazy Robin (1)
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Let all the World in Every Corner Sing, Op. 96 no 2 (1)
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Let the people praise Thee, O God!, Op. 87 (5)
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Missa Aedis Christi, Op. 92 (2)
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Missa brevis, Op. 64 (2)
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Missa brevis, Op. 64: Gloria (1)
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O how amiable, Op. 90 no 3 (2)
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Organ Album: Recessional (1)
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Partita for Organ, Op. 19 (3)
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Piano Concerto No. 1 (1)
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Piano Concerto No. 2 (1)
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Prelude, Aria and Finale, Op. 25 (2)
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Processional for Organ (3)
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Psalm Collection: no 2, Lift up your heads, O ye gates (1)
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Quartet for Strings no 1, Op. 38 (1)
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Quartet for Strings no 2, Op. 84 (1)
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Quartet for Strings no 3, Op. 97 (1)
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Quintet for Winds, Op. 22 (1)
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Recessional, Op. 96 no 4 (4)
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Rememberance of Home (1)
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Rex gloriae, Op. 83 (4)
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Rex gloriae, Op. 83: Laetentur Coeli (1)
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Rex gloriae, Op. 83: O nata lux (2)
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Rex gloriae, Op. 83: Victimae paschali (1)
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Salvator mundi, sequence of carols (30) for chorus, Op. 89: 3. Be we merry in this feast (1)
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Salvator mundi, sequence of carols (30) for chorus, Op. 89: 5. Susanni (1)
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Salvator mundi, sequence of carols (30) for chorus, Op. 89: 7. Welcome, Yule (1)
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Santa Fe Suite (1)
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Serenade, Op. 18 (1)
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Sinfonietta, Op. 34 (1)
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Sir Christèmas (11)
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Sonata for Piano no 1, Op. 23 (1)
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Sonata for Piano no 2, Op. 46 (1)
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Sonata for Violin and Piano (1)
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Sonata for Violin and Piano no 1, Op. 15 (1)
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Sonata for Violin and Piano no 2, Op. 94 (1)
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Sonatina for Flute and Piano (1)
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Songs of WIlliam Blake, Op. 82 (1)
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Sounding (1)
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Summer Dances (2)
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Sweet Was The Song (2)
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Symphony no 1, Op. 31 (2)
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Symphony no 2, Op. 90 "Summer Music" (1)
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The Doctrine of Wisdom (2)
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The holly (1)
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The Lord is My Shepherd (2)
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The sleepy wife (1)
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This Worlde's Joie, Op. 67 (1)
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Threnos (1)
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Toccata Giocoso, Op. 36 no 2 (3)
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Trio for Harp, Flute and Viola, Op. 70 "Zodiac" (1)
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Trio for Harp, Flute and Viola, Op. 70 "Zodiac": 1st movement, Pisces "Moderato - Allegro vivo" (1)
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Trio for Harp, Flute and Viola, Op. 70 "Zodiac": 2nd movement, Aries "Moderato - Andante" (1)
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Trio for Harp, Flute and Viola, Op. 70 "Zodiac": 3rd movement, Taurus "Moderato - Allegro alla danza (1)
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Variations on a Hymn Tune, Op. 20 (2)
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Veni Sancte Spiritus, Op. 96 (2)
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Vexilla Regis Prodeunt (1)
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Vistas, Op. 69 (1)
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Vivat Regina, Op. 75 (1)
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Wassail Carol (3)
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Biography |
by Sylvia Typaldos
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Welsh composer William Mathias only lived to be 57 years old, but composed a large amount of work. Much of it is not considered to be great work; however, some of it is excellent, and Mathias has been deemed as one of the great Welsh composers. Mathias wrote in different styles, but there is a slight Welsh flavor throughout his pieces. Some of his influences were Stravinsky, Bartok, Tippett, and Gershwin, hardly known as Welsh-style composers.
Music ran in the family and was encouraged. Son of James Mathias and Marian, a piano teacher and organist, his maternal grandfather was also an amateur conductor. William learned to play piano at an early age, taking lessons from, at first, his mother; then, at the age of six, he began to study with David Lloyd Phillips of Llanfyrnach, Pembrokeshire. William had already begun, at this early stage of life, to improvise at the piano. His teacher encouraged this, while also teaching him the foundations of piano playing and theory. Later, Mathias would dedicate a piano sonata to his first teacher.
Mathias attended Whitland Grammar School, where his father taught history. Here he wrote works of all kinds, some of which are still performed today. He even composed the school song. However, his major introduction to classical music, since he did not live in an setting exceptionally full of cultural activity, was the radio, particularly the BBC.
In 1952, Mathias attended University College at Aberystwyth as an undergraduate. Many of his earlier compositions were heard and written here; and because of the strict class deadlines, Mathias gained ease in writing prolifically. Mathias chose to create his own style by composing in a "recessive" mode. This meant that instead of gradually climbing toward the climax of a piece, he would compel the music away from it. In this way, his music was lively, but not overbearing. Mathias graduated in 1956.
Because of his outstanding musical work at the University, William Mathias gained a scholarship to the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London. He studied piano with Peter Katin (b. 1930), and composition with Sir Lennox Berkeley (1903 - 1989), himself a former student of Nadia Boulanger, and a friend of Stravinsky and Poulenc. These influences would transfer through Berkeley to Mathias in his own compositions, although he always thought of himself more of a Classical composer than a Modern composer. He did not consider himself an avant-garde composer, even though that seemed to be the strategy of his peers. However, he would vary his style within his own genre. He loved Mozart, yet emulated Shostakovich, and admired Michael Tippett (1905 - 1998).
In 1959, Mathias began teaching at University College in Bangor, where he remained (except for one year teaching at Edinburgh) until his retirement in 1988. It was in Bangor that he wrote many works and became well-known to the public, beginning with his Second Piano Concerto, first performed in 1960. Later, Mathias composed some of his more significant works, including the Celtic Dances and the Harp Concerto. Other works include his Lux Aeterna, first performed in 1982, and other choral music, plus chamber music, his Third Piano Concerto, Symphony No. 2 (Summer Music), and also an opera, The Servants. In 1981, an anthem of his was played at Charles and Diana's wedding at St. Paul's Cathedral, and heard by millions of people throughout the world. |
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