Nightingale Dances

Nightingale Dances was commissioned by the Tredegar Town Band for their 2011 performance at Brass in Concert at The Sage, Gateshead. The piece won the Cyril Beere award for Best New Composition or Arrangement, the second successive Cyril Beere award for Matthew Hall as his piece Legends of Cyfarthfa also won the same prize in 2010.

Nightingale Dances opens with a mellophonium-esque ensemble sound of 5 flugel horns, 3 tenor horns and trombones inspired by the Manhattan Transfer version of A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, leading into a fast quickstep section for full band.

Solo flugel horn takes the lead into the paso-doblé middle section of the piece before the original opening to A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square becomes the main focus in the euphonium and baritone.

A big build up into the final kit-led Hollywood-style show dance section with a half tempo feel ends the work with a real thumping ending to any contest or concert performance.

You can purchase the score and parts for this fantastic piece here.

This recording is taken from the Tredegar in Concert Volume 1 which can be purchased from iTunes here.

Nightingale Dances

Aerofoil formed part of Matthew’s PhD portfolio.

The piece was composed for and premiered by the Cardiff University Contemporary Music Group conducted by the composer in 2006 for the composer showcase.

Composed in 2005 for Matthew’s Masters degree at Cardiff University, Ascent was performed by the Pieme Ensemble with the composer conducting.

Pleasurable Infuriation was composed for a string quartet workshop with the Sorrel Quartet during Matthew’s Undergraduate degree at Cardiff University.

The short piece explores the pleasure that some find from anger.

Matthew was commissioned to write a new piece for Solo Cornet and Brass Band by Jim Hayes and the Co-Operative Funeralcare Band from Scotland.

Dial M for Midnight is the title track on the CD, highly influenced by Latin American rhythms and styles to give the soloist a chance to show off their technique over the wide range of the instrument.

Choices, composed in 2006, received its premiere performance on 1st May 2007 at the Cardiff University Concert Hall performed by Enrico Bertelli during a concert performance by the University’s Contemporary Music Group.

This contemporary marimba solo explores the full range of the instrument (Marimba 4.3 octave) and the various techniques.

To purchase this item from Alto Publications, please click here.

Elm Thaw

Elm Thaw was composed in 2004 for a workshop at Cardiff University as part of Matthew’s Masters degree.

Written for cello solo with piano accompaniment, this sound byte is performed by Gabriella Swallow (cello) and Huw Watkins (piano).