I’ve always thought of William Mathias as a sort of alter-Britten. Sort-of because while the musical cues and clues are there, he’s also much more than that, in some ways more Britten than Britten (especially in his treatment of melody, not as an end but a means; not a thing of beauty but of economy, urgency, and simplicity), in others a confirmed original whose path may have crossed his older contemporary’s, but only accidentally. And, if you’re inclined to hear such things, not far away are hints of Tippett, or Stravinsky, or Lennox Berkeley, Mathias’ teacher. This fine program contains some of his best-known works, beginning with the rousing anthem Lift up your heads, O ye gates and including the well-loved Sir Christèmas, the last of the set of four carols titled Ave Rex (for some reason the other three in the group are not as well represented on choral programs and recordings), and the carol sequence Salvator Mundi, which in its musical language and scoring–ancient texts, treble choir, small instrumental ensemble–are most Britten-like.
Adding immeasurably to the value of this recording–not counting the outstanding performances by choirs and instrumentalists(!)–is the inclusion of several lesser-known works (As truly as God is our Father; The Lord’s Prayer, written four months before the composer’s death and here receiving its world-premiere recording; All thy works shall praise thee, Mathias’ first piece of church music–another world-premiere on this disc). The organ Toccata Giocosa is always a delight, as is the Mag and Nunc known as the “Jesus College Service”. The long, dark, difficult, and rarely-heard An Admonition to Rulers has an incredibly timely text (from Wisdom of Solomon) that’s worth reading even while the music provokes and challenges.
Choristers all over the world know Mathias’ music–and they know that one of its most desirable traits is that it’s always fun to sing–a fact fully on exhibit here with this excellent group of singers and players. There’s still room for much more extensive exploration of Mathias’ work on disc, so this new release is most welcome, and perhaps in some way will inspire others to take serious interest in, say, the concertos–for harp, or clarinet, for instance–other instrumental works, or the cantatas. Strongly recommended.
