Music and Vinyl: Mathias - Organ Music from Hereford Cathedral

Welsh composer William Mathias has appeared here before with posts of his Clarinet Concerto and 3rd Piano Concerto. This time it's a record of his organ music, played on the Willis Organ in the splendid acoustic and surroundings of Hereford Cathedral. The organist is Christopher Herrick.

William Mathias

Mathias, who died aged only 57 in 1992, studied at the Royal Academy with Lennox Berkeley and was to become professor of music and head of department at the University of Wales, Bangor. He was prolific composer, maybe most noted for choral music, but he also wrote three symphonies and many other orchestral works, 12 concertos for a variety of instruments, and much chamber and instrumental music as well as organ music - which is well represented on this record.

The sleeve notes to this album, by the composer, succinctly describe the music (which was his complete works for organ when this recording was made). This transcription of a conversation with Mathias is an interesting read too.