Welsh composer William Mathias (1934-1992) could write choral works as irresistibly attractive and catchy as the anthem Let the people praise thee, O God (written for the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981), and also more harmonically thorny and melodically angular pieces such as the Magnificat (1971) or All wisdom is from the Lord (1982). But no matter the musical setting and structure, the music is invariably comprehensible, expertly written, and profoundly affecting–although never “easy” nor conventionally “pretty”.
While there’s plenty of evidence to claim Mathias as heir to Britten–for instance, the uninhibited rhythmic facility and inherent affinity for austere, often acerbic harmony (the opening bars of the Missa brevis even offer a gentle reminder of the introductory passages of Britten’s own work)–Mathias possessed his own recognizable style, much of it derived from modal melody and quartal/quintal harmony. His particular musical language stirs all manner of emotion and mood, exemplified in the at once strangely serene, evocative, and transcendent Ave verum corpus; yet when there’s a joyful noise to be made, no one creates it more convincingly or infectiously than Mathias, as in the Gloria of the Missa brevis, or the two magnificent solo organ works, superbly performed here by Jonathan Vaughn.
And speaking of performance, you might expect one of Britain’s finest cathedral choirs to be quite “at home” with this music–and of course the Wells Cathedral Choir offers not only expert singing and unassailable ensemble mastery, but proves a first-rate advocate for a composer whose works should be more familiar and better understood. All of the music on this program, much of it not often recorded, is well worth hearing (and performing!), and once heard will surely draw you back time and again. The sound is faithful to the spacious, resonant cathedral acoustic. Highly recommended. [4/19/2010]
