What Makes the Music of William Mathias so Compelling?

What makes the music of Welsh composer William Mathias so compelling? I try to answer that question by exploring a school song he wrote (and I sang!) whilst attending Whitland Grammar School at the tender age of 11. The piece unlocks his sound world, in turn showing us how this composer's brilliant music provides a way into exploring twentieth century classical music.

For more information about the composer:
OUP publisher page: https://tinyurl.com/9nzcvswt
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William...
Choral music playlist: https://tinyurl.com/4a5cwxea
Organ music playlist: https://tinyurl.com/a3msdasb
Symphonies 1 and 2: https://tinyurl.com/22x9mwfu
Lux Aeterna (perhaps his greatest choral piece): https://tinyurl.com/5n9yykfx

For more information about me:
Personal website: https://christianmorris.net
Fun arrangements and other practical music: https://hooplamusic.com

Chapters:
0:00 Introducing the School Song and William Mathias.
1:35 Classical music during Mathias's early career.
2:49 Mathias's attitude to post-War music.
3:24 Mathias's works and their great compositional range.
5:45 Mathias's influence on me.
7:02 Summing up and signing off.
8:15 Whitland Grammar School Song, complete performance.


What makes the music of Welsh composer William Mathias so compelling? I try to answer that question by exploring a work he wrote (and I sang!) at the tender age of 11. The piece unlocks his sound world, in turn showing us how this composer's brilliant music provides a way into exploring twentieth century classical music.

For more information about the composer:
OUP publisher page: https://tinyurl.com/9nzcvswt
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William...
Choral music playlist:    • Mathias: Let the People Praise Thee, O God...  
Organ music playlist:    • Fanfare  
Harp concerto:    • William Mathias : Concerto for harp and or...  
Symphonies 1 and 2:    • Symphony No. 1, Op. 31: I. Allegro Moderato  
Lux Aeterna (perhaps his greatest choral piece):    • Lux Aeterna, Op. 88: I. Lux aeterna (Contr...  

For more information about me:
Personal website: https://christianmorris.net
Fun arrangements and other practical music: https://hooplamusic.com

Chapters:
0:00 Introducing the School Song and William Mathias
1:35 Classical music during Mathias's early career
2:49 Mathias's attitude to post-War music
3:24 Mathias's works and their great compositional range
5:45 Mathias's influence on me
7:02 Summing up and singing off
8:15 Whitland Grammar School Song, complete performance