To celebrate Colin Matthews' 70th birthday we release this new album featuring a star-studded line-up of artists, including conductors Riccardo Chailly, Oliver Knussen, Rumon Gamba, and soloists Leila Josefowicz (violin) and Anssi Karttunen (cello).
Over four decades Colin's output of over 130 works has ranged from solo piano music through five string quartets and many ensemble and orchestral works. This album showcases three of his large-scale orchestral pieces; the dark, Mahlerian Cortège (1988) being the earliest work recorded here. Matthews' Violin Concerto (2009) was composed for Leila Josefowicz and Colin says it "emerged naturally from her musical personality, style and technique". Matthews' Cello Concerto No.2 (1996) was composed for Mstislav Rostropovich, who gave its first performance with the London Symphony Orchestra and Sir Colin Davis at the Barbican, London, on 17 September 1996.
Three great works, then, to celebrate the three score and ten of a remarkable polymath.
Leila Josefowicz violin
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Oliver Knussen conductor
Anssi Karttunen cello
Rumon Gamba conductor
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Riccardo Chailly conductor
AUDIO
REVIEWS
THE SUNDAY TIMES, TOP 100 BEST ALBUMS OF 2016
'It's wonderful to hear such a thrilling performance of [Cortège] … his pieces are impeccably crafted' The Times
'Cortège ... somewhere between Mahler and Birtwistle at his grittiest ... It's tremendous climax is given shuddering conviction by the Concertgebouw under Riccardo Chailly' BBC Music Magazine
'All the recordings on this disc have that sense of confidence, and bravura challenge. This is a fine birthday present and is essential listening' Planet Hugill
'Josefowicz is superb – radiant and pointed – in the concerto written for her. Cortège is colossal; and Karttunen dexterously finds his way through the Second Cello Concerto' Gramophone
'Lyrically rewarding and memorably orchestrated with the textures constantly shifting' BBC Radio 3 Record Review
'The Violin Concerto (2009) and the Cello Concerto No.2 (1996) inhabit a world half way between Berg and Britten, where nervy, restless detail in the background gives way to a core of expressive lyricism' Financial Times
'It is difficult to imagine a more sympathetic account or better sound [of Violin Concerto]' The Strad
'Performances throughout are top-notch in a CD that is a fine birthday tribute to a significant musical personality' The Whole Note
‘A lovingly curated and recorded triptych by a senior Brit master’ Limelight Magazine
FUNDERS
The production of this album was generously supported by an anonymous donation in memory of Mary Mackenzie
RECORDING CREDITS
The Violin Concerto was recorded live by the BBC on 28 July 2010 at the Royal Albert Hall, London, and first broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on 28th July 2010
Cello Concerto No.2 was recorded by the BBC on 23-24 April 2002 at Maida Vale Studios, London, and first broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on 17 October 2002
ANN MCKAY Recording Producer
SIMON HANCOCK Engineer
Cortège was recorded 19 December 1998 at The Concertgebouw, Amsterdam.
Recorded by AVROTROS