COLIN MATTHEWS was born in London in 1946. He studied with Arnold Whittall and Nicholas Maw; in the 1970s he was assistant to Benjamin Britten, and worked for many years with Imogen Holst. His collaboration with Deryck Cooke on the performing version of Mahler’s Tenth Symphony lasted from 1963 until its publication in 1975. Over five decades his music has ranged from solo piano music through five string quartets and many ensemble and orchestral works. He was Associate Composer with the London Symphony Orchestra between 1992 and 1999, and Composer-in-Association with the Hallé from 2001-10, now their Composer Emeritus.
Featured Recording
Divertimento for Double String Quartet, Oboe Quartet No.1, Triptych, Five Concertinos, String Quartet No.2
Performers: Divertimenti Ensemble, Schubert Ensemble, Haffner Wind Ensemble, Brindisi Quartet; Melinda Maxwell (oboe); Oliver Knussen (conductor)
This disc of chamber music brings together works previously issued only on LP, from the Schubert and Divertimenti Ensembles, with an unreleased recording by the Brindisi Quartet of String Quartet No.2. The disc is completed with Five Concertinos for Wind Quintet, performed by Nicholas Daniel’s Haffner Ensemble.
Gallery
A selection of images spanning Colin Matthews’ career in music.
- Donald Mitchell, Paul Daniel, Colin Matthews, Michael Berkeley, Aldeburgh Festival (Photo: Nigel Luckhurst; copyright Britten-Pears Foundation)
- CM, Janet Baker, Benjamin Britten, Rita Thomson - Aldeburgh Festival 1976 (Photo: Nigel Luckhurst; copyright Britten-Pears Foundation)
- Robin Holloway, CM, Oliver Knussen, Toru Takemitsu, Howard Skempton - Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh Festival (Photo: Nigel Luckhurst; copyright Britten-Pears Foundation)
- CM, Sally Groves, Hans Werner Henze - Aldeburgh Festival (Photo: Nigel Luckhurst; copyright Britten-Pears Foundation)
- Lukas Foss & CM - Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh Festival (Photo: Nigel Luckhurst; copyright Britten-Pears Foundation)
- Colin Matthews at his desk, photographed by Fiona Garden
- Elliott Carter & CM - Aldeburgh Festival (Photo: Nigel Luckhurst; copyright Britten-Pears Foundation)






