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.
Oboe Quartets Nos. 1 & 2
Performers: The Berlin Oboe Quartet;
A release of contemporary British repertoire from The Berlin Oboe Quartet features Colin Matthews’ 1st and 2nd Oboe Quartets. Framed by classics of the oboe quartet repertoire, the Phantasy Op. 2 by Benjamin Britten and the Quartet for oboe and string trio by Richard Rodney Bennett, the CD also presents the first recording of Helen Grime’s Oboe Quartet, written in 2011.
Colin has had a special relationship with the Berlin Oboe Quartet for many years, after they championed his Oboe Quartet No. 1 in the 1980’s. After hearing their performances of this first work, Colin offered to write a second quartet for the ensemble, which they premiered in The Purcell Room, London in 1990.
