(b. 1943)
David Matthews was born in London in 1943 and started composing at the age of sixteen. He read Classics at the University of Nottingham, which also made him an Honorary Doctor of Music and afterwards studied composition privately with Anthony Milner. He was also much helped by the advice and encouragement of Nicholas Maw. He spent three years as an assistant to Benjamin Britten at Aldeburgh in the late 1960’s. He has largely avoided teaching but to support his composing career has done editorial work, he collaborated with Deryck Cooke on the performing version of Mahler’s Tenth Symphony and orchestrations of film music. He has also written books on the music of Michael Tippett and of Benjamin Britten. He published a lecture on the relation of music to painting, Landscape into Sound and reviews for various journals. Matthews is Music Advisor to the English Chamber Orchestra and was Artistic Director of the Deal Festival for 13 years. His music is widely played in Britain and abroad, is frequently broadcast.
Composition Timpani and Percussion Requirements
Chaconne
Timpani + 3 percussion + celeste
Guiro, glockenspiel, 2 octaves crotales, vibraphone, 3 suspended cymbals, 3 tam tams, 2 orchestral bass drum, tambourine, triangle, clash cymbals, Chinese cymbal, 12 roto toms, tenor drum, snare drum, celeste
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In the Dark Time
Timpani + 4 percussion + celeste
2 orchestral bass drums, 2 congas, bongos, tambourine, 3 suspended cymbals, splash cymbal, Chinese cymbal, guiro, tam tam, 9 tuned gongs, bell plate, triangle, temple bell, jingles, finger cymbals, 2 octaves crotales, glockenspiel, vibraphone, marimba, celeste
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Symphony No 2
2 Timpani + 3 percussion + celeste
4 tam tam, orchestral bass drum, 3 tom toms, tenor drum, bongos, 4 suspended cymbals, glockenspiel, vibraphone, marimba, xylophone, tubular bells, 2 octaves crotales, celeste
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Symphony No 3
Timpani + 2 percussion
2 timpani, orchestral bass drum, suspended cymbal, Chinese cymbal, tam tam, gong, glockenspiel, vibraphone, finger cymbals, 3 crotales
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The Music of Dawn
Timpani + 4 percussion
2 timpani, orchestral bass drum, 2 congas, 3 tam tam, 4 suspended cymbal, 2 sizzle cymbal, Chinese cymbal, caxixi, 2 metal maracas, rainmaker, xylophone, marimba, vibraphone, 2 octaves crotales
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Vespers
Timpani + 2 percussion + celeste
Orchestral bass drum, 4 tom toms, clash cymbals, 3 suspended cymbals, Chinese cymbal, gong, tam tam, tambourine, triangle, brake drum, thunder sheet, glockenspiel, xylophone, 2 octaves crotales, tubular bells, celeste
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