This week we learned the very sad news of the death of talented cellist David Watkin, at the age of 60. Watkin had to stop playing cello 11 years ago due to scleroderma, but as this moving tribute from fellow Scottish Chamber Orchestra cellist Su-a Lee shows, he was a much-loved character whose influence continued to be an overwhelmingly positive one.
I had the good fortune to witness David in action for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and his charismatic playing – with good humour clear to see – left a lasting mark. I am sure that in addition to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra the members of The Academy of Ancient Music, The King’s Consort and the Orchestre Révolutionnaire Et Romantique – to name just three ensembles Watkin played with – would concur.
Watkin made relatively few commercial recordings, but it is very much a case of quality over quantity. His collection of VivaldiCello Sonatas for Hyperion is proof of that:
Even more deserving of praise is his cycle of BachCello Suites, made for Resonus and carrying remarkable poise and personality, which these two excerpts illustrate:
On Sunday we learned of the sad news that Matthew Best, the British conductor and bass singer, had sadly passed away at the age of 68.
To many collectors, Best will be known for a series of very fine recordings made with two ensembles that he founded, the Corydon Singers and Orchestra, for Hyperion in the 1980s and 1990s. These discs became cornerstones of the label’s choral repertoire. Here is the text of an obituary shared by Matthew’s artist management team at Intermusica:
“It is with deep sadness that we inform you of the death of renowned British conductor and bass, Matthew Best. Matthew passed away today, 11 May 2025, surrounded by his loving family.
Matthew’s long career was defined by his extraordinary versatility earning him a distinguished reputation worldwide. An opera singer for over thirty-five years with over one hundred bass, bass-baritone and baritone roles in his repertoire, he also worked extensively as a choral and orchestral conductor across the UK and Europe, at various stages during his career as a composer, arranger and editor.
Julia Maynard, Director, Vocal & Opera, said:
“Matthew was one of the finest basses of his generation and an intuitive musician and interpreter of many of the major roles in the bass repertoire. He was a warm, funny, utterly engaging artist, teacher, friend, and a much loved parent, grandfather and husband. Our thoughts are with his most treasured family”
As a singer, Matthew was a regular guest artist for all the major UK opera houses, singing extensively the roles of Wotan in the complete Wagner Ring Cycle, The Flying Dutchman, King Mark, Amfortas, Kurwenal, King Heinrich, Scarpia and Jochanaan, and premiering new works by Jonathan Harvey, Julian Anderson and Kaija Saariaho. Matthew’s extensive concert career made his a familiar face across the country and in Europe and the USA, working with many distinguished conductors including Muti, Haitink, Colin Davis, Andrew Davis, Mehta, Nelsons, Salonen, Mackerras, Marriner, Runnicles, Gardiner and Hickox.
As an active composer and arranger, Matthew conducted the premiere of his operetta Alice (based on Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland) in Cambridge in February 1979, directed by Nicholas Hytner; with further performances as part of the 1979 Aldeburgh Festival, with a guest appearance by Sir Peter Pears. Matthew produced performing editions for a number of works, including of a rare Bruckner manuscript for inclusion in his Bruckner cycle for Hyperion Records.
Matthew was equally well known as a conductor specialising in choral, vocal and orchestral music, in 1973 Matthew founded the Corydon Singers and later, in 1991, Corydon Orchestra and went on to make over thirty highly-regarded recordings for the Hyperion label. His extended conducting career took him to many of the orchestras and festivals of the UK and Europe, where he was regular guest conductor with, amongst many others, the English Chamber Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Northern Sinfonia, City of London Sinfonia and BBC Singers. For the 1998/99 season he was Principal Conductor of the Hanover Band, and in 2017, Matthew became Music Director of the Academy Choir Wimbledon and Academy Baroque Players. In his final performance with the Academy Choir on 8 March 2025, he conducted the London Mozart Players in a performance of Brahms Requiem and Strauss Metamorphosen for Strings.
Since 2015, Matthew had been a highly regarded teacher at the Royal Northern College of Music, shaping the careers of many students, several of whom have gone on to have active professional careers. In April 2025, Matthew was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Northern College of Music in acknowledgement of his remarkable career, an award he was able to collect in person from Head of Vocal Studies and Opera, Professor Lynne Dawson.
Our thoughts are with Matthew’s wife Roz and family at this incredibly sad time.”
The below link will take you to a Tidal playlist collecting a number of Matthew’s recordings as a singer, but principally those made with the Corydon Singers. My own personal favourites include those selections from albums of Vaughan Williams, Rachmaninov, Beethoven and Bruckner, finishing with a terrific performance of Vaughan Williams’ Dona nobis pacem.
On Thursday we learned the sad news of the passing of Ronald Corp, a much-loved conductor and composer. Ronald’s worth to The London Chorus, where he was musical director for 30 years, can be felt in the warmth of the tribute on their website
Below is a link to a Tidal playlist including a number of Ronald’s colourful recordings for Hyperion and Epoch. For the former he recorded works by Satie and Milhaud that have aged incredibly well, and he was also responsible for a renewed interest in British Light Music – all through albums made with the New London Orchestra. In addition he showed his prowess as a composer through premiere recordings of his Piano Concerto no.1 and Symphony no.1 released by Epoch. The symphony appears at the end of the playlist:
There have been many significant first performances at the English Music Festival’s opening concert over the years and this year sees the BBC Concert Orchestra give the much-anticipated World Première of the Symphony no.2by Stanley Bate (1911-1959); another outstanding student from the Royal College of Music, whose teachers included Ralph Vaughan Williams, R.O. Morris, Gordon Jacob, and Arthur Benjamin.
Stanley Bate’s prolific but vastly neglected output is overdue for re-evaluation and his works although being gradually recorded have yet to find a place in the concert hall. Symphony no.2 op.20 was completed in the spring of 1939, but the work appears to have been withdrawn by the composer without ever having achieved a performance.
Bate’s wife and fellow-composer, Peggy Glanville-Hicks, claimed her husband wrote a dozen or more symphonies and thirty or so piano sonatas. Often writing ‘en voyage’, Bate’s idiom can be dramatic and turbulent contrasting with interludes of exuberance, beauty and lyricism.
Anyone who knows Martin Yates’ recordings for Dutton will be familiar with the composer’s work. “Stanley Bate’s Symphony no.2 is, I think, going to be a revelation”, says Martin Yates. “He clearly was influenced by other composers working at the time, but he really did achieve something remarkable and individual with some of his works including this symphony. From the opening it explodes with tension. It is going to be incredible to hear it for the first time as it bursts into the world!”
Dedicated “To Mstislav Rostropovich with admiration and gratitude”, Arthur Bliss’ Cello Concerto is scored for small orchestra with the addition of harp and celesta. Heroic in character with ‘Quixotic’ flourishes and a soulful slow movement; according to Bliss, “There are no problems for the listener – only for the soloist!”
“The Arthur Bliss Cello Concerto is the most wonderfully crafted work, and I can’t understand its neglect”, says Martin Yates. “I know there is a lot of music that one could say that about, but Bliss really was a consummate musician and this concerto, written very late in his life, has a real lightness, yet depth that is utterly captivating and profound. It has a devastatingly difficult solo part with beautifully balanced orchestrations for a Mozart sized orchestras with the addition of a Celeste.”
The two works are performed alongside Ralph Vaughan Williams’ ‘trombone piece’, his Heroic Elegy and Triumphal Epilogue; a student work dating from 1901, which drew praise from his teacher Stanford who, according to the composer’s wife Adeline, chose the title for the piece. It remained unheard until a revival by the recording label, Dutton. Works by Delius and Alwyn complete the programme.
FURTHER INFORMATION AND HOW TO BOOK
Tickets are on sale from the website and by means of a postal booking form. Tickets for individual concerts will also be available at the door, subject to availability. Full Festival and Day Passes are also available. Programme and booking information is available on the EMF website
Dorchester Abbey (above) is the venue for the duration of the long weekend with talks taking place in the Village Hall as well as a Festival Lunch (pre-booking required). A dedicated mini-bus shuttle operates to/from Didcot Parkway rail station – bookings should be made via the website on publication of the timetable.
FRIDAY 23 MAY 2025 19:30 Dorchester Abbey, Oxfordshire ENGLISH MUSIC FESTIVAL OPENING CONCERT William Alwyn: The Innumerable Dance: An English Overture Frederick Delius: The Walk to the Paradise Garden Sir Arthur Bliss: Cello Concerto Ralph Vaughan Williams: Heroic Elegy and Triumphal Epilogue Stanley Bate: Symphony no.2 (World Premiere) BBC Concert Orchestra Martin Yates (conductor) Raphael Wallfisch (cello)
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) today announces its 2025-26 season, presenting a compelling programme of concerts deeply connected to the city’s vibrant cultural identity.
Findings from the orchestra’s new “Listening Project” – a West Midlands focused research initiative reveals Birmingham’s strong cultural confidence. The new research shows 60% of Birmingham residents consider attending arts and cultural events to be a vital aspect of their free time. In addition, public support for Birmingham’s music venues is strong: 79% of people say they have attended a Birmingham venue in the last year – and 57% say they haven’t felt the need to travel beyond the city for music concerts.
In line with this, the CBSO has crafted a season that brings together world-class classical performances, diverse cultural collaborations, and accessible community events that reflect what Birmingham audiences value most.
CBSO Music Director, Kazuki Yamada, comments: “Our 2025-26 season celebrates both our classical heritage and Birmingham’s diverse cultural voices. We’re bringing orchestral music directly to communities across the city – honouring traditional masterworks while creating experiences that reflect what Birmingham audiences have told us they value most.”
The CBSO’s 2025-26 season at a glance
Classical tradition at its finest
The 2025-26 season offers ambitious classical programming:
· Kazuki Yamada enters his second year as Music Director by beginning a full Mahler Symphony Cycle with Symphony No.1, and leading more than 10 concerts in Birmingham, including as part of CBSO in the City.
· Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius opens the season with the full CBSO Chorus.
· Puccini’s Tosca in concert featuring Natalya Romaniw, Gwyn Hughes Jones and Sir Bryn Terfel.
· The CBSO season has drawn top international soloists, including; Isata Kanneh-Mason, Benjamin Grosvenor, and Lisa Batiashvili.
Celebrating Birmingham’s cultural diversity
Building on successful past collaborations, the CBSO continues to champion the city’s rich cultural tapestry:
· Black Lives in Music brings a taste of their celebrated classical music festival to Birmingham with the return of award-winning singer-songwriter Laura Mvula to her hometown.
· The CBSO & The Orchestral Qawwali Project, a glorious blend of Sufi poetry, Indian Classical dance and symphony orchestra returns to Birmingham.
· Rushil Ranjan leads an evening that celebrates the musical and spiritual connections between western and eastern classical music.
· Satnam Rana presents Bringing the Light, an evening dedicated to celebrating light and winter festivals, including new commissions from contemporary voices including Cassie Kinoshi, Joan Armatrading and Roxanna Panufnik.
Taking music to Birmingham’s communities
The CBSO continues its commitment to bringing music directly to communities across the city:
· CBSO in the City week (23-28 July 2025) will return – as the CBSO delivers free music in public spaces throughout Birmingham.
Music for everyone
The season includes accessible programming designed to welcome new audiences:
· The complete Star Wars Original Trilogy performed over a full weekend, with live orchestra (24-26 October 2025). · Symphonic Queen celebrating one of the UK’s greatest-ever rock bands. · Charlie Chaplin’s The Gold Rush with live orchestra.
Inspiring music experiences for children and students
The CBSO’s 2025-26 season will also feature a strong focus on young people, giving more than 20,000 young people enriching music experiences through 36 concerts specifically designed for young people:
· Targeted Schools’ Concerts for different key stages, reaching thousands of children who might otherwise never experience live orchestral music. · Notelets performances specifically designed for toddlers and young children’s first music experiences – these fun-filled interactive concerts give children the freedom to dance, sing and learn about musical instruments for the first time. · Relaxed Concerts created for pupils attending Special Schools to enable pupils to experience live music in a supported, accessible and engaging environment. · Four dedicated family concerts including “Music from the Movies”, “CBSO Family Christmas”, “Tunes & Tales” and “Dance Across America.”
“Our new season is a magnificent celebration of music” says Emma Stenning, CBSO Chief Executive, who promises that 2025-26 will deliver “joy filled concerts for everyone, whether you find us at Symphony Hall, across Birmingham and the West Midlands, or on national and international tour led by our incredible Music Director, Kazuki Yamada”.
She adds: “Birmingham is our inspiration. Our home city is fantastically musical, and full of diversity and creative adventure. This new season is drawn from exactly that spirit, and presents us to the world as a truly future facing orchestra, that both celebrates the great classical repertoire, and dares to try something new”.
“As you delve into what’s on offer, we hope that you will discover music that moves you, uplifts you and offers you moments of celebration and reflection. We very much look forward to welcoming you to a concert soon”.
Catherine Arlidge, Director of Artistic Planning and former CBSO violinist, added: “Our season marries the global with the local. Whilst the diversity of our season programming is informed by understanding our wide-ranging audiences locally, we are also delighted that so many top international artists are joining us for the new season – Sir Bryn Terfel, Lisa Batiashvili, Osmo Vänskä, Vilde Frang and the Jussen brothers to name but a few. At a time of international geo-political tensions, our concerts celebrate different geographies and cultures – and remind us all about music’s power to unite people. Through our research, we have a strong sense of the musical experiences that speak for the city today – yet in terms of repertoire, guest artists and composers, the season is richly international in flavour. It is a season about celebrating home – but on the world stage.”
To explore the 2025-26 CBSO season in full visit the CBSO website. Tickets for the new season go on sale from Wednesday 21 May 2025, 10am.
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