Colin Matthews (1946-)
Concerto pour violon
Cortège
Concerto pour violoncelle n° 2

Leila Josefowicz, violon
Anssi Karttunen, violoncelle
Orchestre du Concertgebouw
Riccardo Chailly, direction
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Oliver Knussen, direction
Rumon Gamba, direction

To celebrate Colin Matthews' 70th birthday we release this new album featuring a star-studded line-up of artists, including conductors Riccardo Chailly, Oliver Knussen, Rumon Gamba, and soloists Leila Josefowicz (violin) and Anssi Karttunen (cello). Over four decades Colin's output of more than 130 works has ranged from solo piano music through fi ve string quartets and many ensemble and orchestral works. This album showcases three of his large-scale orchestral pieces; the dark, Mahlerian Cortège (1988) being the earliest work recorded here. Matthews’ Violin Concerto (2009) was composed for Leila Josefowicz and Colin says it “emerged naturally from her musical personality, style and technique”. Matthews’ Cello Concerto No.2 (1996) was composed for Mstislav Rostropovich, who gave its first performance with the London Symphony Orchestra and Sir Colin Davis at the Barbican, London, on 17 September 1996. Three great works, then, to celebrate the three score and ten of a remarkable musical polymath.