William Mathias (1934-92): Holiday Overture (1971)

William Mathias’s Holiday Overture was premiered 50 years ago, tonight. Sadly, despite a good review, it has disappeared. It is the fate of much 20^th century Welsh classical music. 

The North Wales Weekly News (30 September 1971) announced remarkable concert to be held at the popular North Wales seaside resort of Llandudno. The BBC Welsh Orchestra (now the BBC National Orchestra of Wales), in conjunction with the Welsh Arts Council were to appear at the town’s Astra cinema and theatre complex on Friday, 1 October. The orchestra, normally based in Cardiff, was augmented to more than 70 players for the occasion. The conductor was Norman Del Mar. Music programmed included an new overture by William Mathias, Professor of Music at the University College. Bangor, Carl Maria von Weber's overture Euryanthe and the ballet suite from Petruska by Stravinsky. The main work was Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.3 in C minor, op.37, with Peter Katin as soloist.

The Astra, now demolished, was opened as the Winter Gardens on 25 March 1935. It was designed by local architect Arthur S. Hewitt who specialised in cinema architecture and Art Deco houses. It included a large Christie 3 manual organ. As a teenager I was allowed a “shot” on this instrument. Back in the 1970s, there was a dance floor under the auditorium, which was used as a discotheque, but sometimes doubled up as a venue for wrestling. Several of Hewitt’s “palaces of entertainment” were built in Llandudno. The Savoy, now a shop, and the Palladium now converted to a Wetherspoons, survive.  Famously, the Beatles gave a series of six evening concerts beginning on Monday 12th August 1963. They were supported by Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas, the Lana Sisters, Tommy Quickly and the eccentrically named Sons of the Piltdown Man.

The reviewer in the North Wales Weekly News (7 October 1971) showed nothing but praise for this concert. First, he welcomed the “policy of taking the Welsh BBC Orchestra at augmented strength out of Cardiff into other centres in Wales. Obviously practical difficulties prevent this becoming a frequent occurrence, but we are assured that both the Welsh BBC authorities and the Arts Council wish this devolution to be strengthened”.

This orchestra had recently given a “much praised” performance at the Proms. On 31 August they had included music by Haydn, Mozart, Brahms and Stravinsky in their concert. It is sad, but hardly surprising, that they did not feature any works by contemporary Welsh composers. 

Turning to the Mathias's Holiday Overture, the critic considered this to be “a gay, very vital work cleverly using the distinctive tone colours of the instruments and with great rhythmic strength. The contrast coming in with the rumba-like theme, built up the gaiety of the mood and set the atmosphere of enjoyment which characterised the response of the audience to the whole programme. And that, to my knowledge, is the only critique of William Mathias’s Holiday Overture.

The facts about William Mathias’s Holiday Overture are straightforward. It was commissioned by the BBC in association with the Welsh Arts Council. The Overture was completed during the summer of 1971.  It was dedicated to the BBC Welsh Orchestra. The piece lasts for some 7 minutes. The score was published by Oxford University Press.

Maybe someday, an enterprising Welsh orchestra will exhume this piece for the concert hall or a recording.