Matthew Dewey Composer and Composer

General Information

Matthew Dewey’s 5 Miniatures for Solo Piano is a collection of 4 short works written quite separately of each other. The movement that opens and closes the work was written on the occasion of Carolyn and David’s wedding. The second movement was written for Hans Kooij who talked of piano miniatures. The third movement was written in memory of my grandmother Eileen Esther Thomas. The fourth movement was written after a night working in the call centre where I held a job during my undergraduate days.

The work is in 5 movements:
I – for Carolyn and David
II – Something bright for Hans Kooij
III – E.E.
IV – Now my ears are free
V – for Carolyn and David (reprise)

Notes to the Performer
There are no pedal marks written into this score, it is anticipated that the pianist will make use of the pedal as desired.Please use as much or as little rubato as desired.

Duration: 8’00”

Movements
1. Hobart in the Park
2. High Tide

Music: Matthew Dewey
Poetry: Nicholas Dewey

Commissioned by Ben van Tienen for the Sydney Children’s Choir (Cambiata Group). Premiered by the Sydney Childrens Choir conducted by Ben van Tienen on the 3rd of July 2006, at the Verbrugen Hall (Sydney Conservatorium of Music).

The Dance of Light is an electronically treated solo piano work originally composed by Matthew Dewey for a street theatre piece for the Adelaide Fringe Festival in 2008. It accompanied a scene on a busy city street, where an acrobat constructed a tall ladder extending from a manhole. Metres above the street, she danced in the light.

Inspired by the sound of a telephone dead tone, “Dead Tone Music” is an electronic work which has a firm harmonic/melodic influence pulled from the classical symphonic cannon. The work was originally composed by Matthew Dewey for a street theatre piece for the Adelaide Fringe Festival in 2008.

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Experience the power of Tasmanian orchestral music. The Russian Philharmonic conducted by Alexey Osetrov perform two orchestral works by Matthew Dewey: The dramatic Orchestral Suite No.1, a three movement work for full orchestra that evokes images of the Tasmanian landscape; and Dewey’s Symphony No.1 (Port Arthur, 1996) for orchestral strings, which was written in response to the Port Arthur massacre of 1996, inspired by Tom Holloway’s profoundly moving play “Beyond the Neck”.

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Elegy – A Song Suite for Soprano, Two Percussionists and Digital Pre-record.

Based on the poem of the same name by Nicholas Dewey. Premiered @ Maldini’s Restaurant Salamanca by Sarah Jones [Soprano] Robert Rule [Percussion 1] and composer [percussion 2] for the IHOS / Maldini’s winter Music Series, July 2004. Subsequent performance at the Tasmanian Conservatorium [same artists] October 2004) 16’00”

The piece is dedicated to the memory of Francois Hugo. This short miniature for solo clarinet in Bb was first premiered by NYME member Joshua Rubin at the Bruno Walter Auditorium in the Lincoln Centre in New York. November 30th 2006. The piece has a duration of approximately 1’20” and is the form of a cadenza.

This score is available as a down-loadable pdf file. Once the file has been purchased, an automated email is sent with the download link.

Premiered by Jabrah Latham in recital at Runnymede House, New Town, Tasmania, September 2008. 3’20”

Anonymous commission, composed for the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra. Recording premiere by the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Alexey Oestrov, Moscow Radio House, 27th June 2009. (3 Movements) (2,2,2,2)(4,2,3,1)Timp(Strings)

Duration: 17’00″ approx

Music by Matthew Dewey
Libretto by Alexander Dick

DURATION: 22’00”

STATUS: Complete

SYNOPSIS
A young man is about to launch his dingy into the water. He loads the boat with fishing equipment and an esky and heads out to sea to escape the world for a while. While he fishes, he philosophies, and the unblinking eyes of the fish force him into a terrible admission.

The Water Cools the Temper

The Madness Aria

“A highlight for me was the aria from Matthew Dewey’s chamber opera The Buzz of the Sea, dramatically sung by Michael Lampard.”
Peter Donnelly “New works, Tasmanian delights”, The Mercury September 27th 2008.
Madness aria from the chamber opera The Buzz of the Sea performed by Michael Lampard and Karen Smithies.

CHARACTERS (Original Performer)
Young Man – Baritone (Michael Lampard)

CREATIVE TEAM
Director – TBC
Designer – TBC
Lighting Designer – TBC

REQUIRED PERSONNEL
1 operatic singer/actor
1 Instrumentalist – Piano Version
9 Instrumentalists – Chamber Version (Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Percussion, String Quintet)
Stage crew as required

DETAILS
An aria (“The Madness”) from “The Buzz of the Sea” was premièred in concert by baritone Michael Lampard and pianist Karen Smithies at the University of Tasmania Conservatorium of Music in Hobart on Thursday, November 8 at 7:30pm.
The complete work was premièred in concert by baritone Michael Lampard and pianist Karen Smithies at Meadowbank Estate in Hobart in December 2008.

This piece was written for a joint project with the Tasmanian Conservatorium and the IHOS Music Theatre Laboratory.




SYNOPSIS
A priest sits beneath a large crucifix. He is quite drunk on sacramental wine. A phone call. A woman describes how her priest has been unusually grim, distracted and distant to her of late, until one night when he calls her up, and (quite drunk) asks her to come straight away to the church. The Priest Admits to God that he has fallen in love with a woman in his parish. Both a Devil and an Angel appear. He declares his guilt and states that he wishes for, but expects no mercy for forsaking his first love: God. The Woman arrives as he tries to slit his wrists – he is too drunk. He collapses in drunken exhaustion as she runs to him. She holds his in motherly embrace as the Devil and the Angel look down at him in judgment from the cross.




CHARACTERS (Original Cast)
Catholic Priest – Tenor (Adam Purton)
Woman – Soprano (Sarah Jones)
Angel – Soprano (Pamela Andrews)
Devil – Baritone (Tane Thomas)




CREATIVE TEAM
Conductor – Jean Louis Forestier
Direction and Design – Robert Jarman
Musical Director – Matthew Dewey




REQUIRED PERSONNEL
4 operatic singer/actors (SSTB)
Conductor
5 Instrumentalists – Flute, Viola, Cello, Piano/Celeste and Percussion
Audio Technician
Stage crew as required

This piece was written for a joint project with the Tasmanian Conservatorium and the IHOS Music Theatre Laboratory.




SYNOPSIS
A priest sits beneath a large crucifix. He is quite drunk on sacramental wine. A phone call. A woman describes how her priest has been unusually grim, distracted and distant to her of late, until one night when he calls her up, and (quite drunk) asks her to come straight away to the church. The Priest Admits to God that he has fallen in love with a woman in his parish. Both a Devil and an Angel appear. He declares his guilt and states that he wishes for, but expects no mercy for forsaking his first love: God. The Woman arrives as he tries to slit his wrists – he is too drunk. He collapses in drunken exhaustion as she runs to him. She holds his in motherly embrace as the Devil and the Angel look down at him in judgment from the cross.




CHARACTERS (Original Cast)
Catholic Priest – Tenor (Adam Purton)
Woman – Soprano (Sarah Jones)
Angel – Soprano (Pamela Andrews)
Devil – Baritone (Tane Thomas)




CREATIVE TEAM
Conductor – Jean Louis Forestier
Direction and Design – Robert Jarman
Musical Director – Matthew Dewey




REQUIRED PERSONNEL
4 operatic singer/actors (SSTB)
Conductor
5 Instrumentalists – Flute, Viola, Cello, Piano/Celeste and Percussion
Audio Technician
Stage crew as required

Three Contemplations for Solo Harp
Duration: 10’00”

Movements
1. Prelude
2. Phantasm
3. Arabesque

The text comes from a poem of the same name by William Wordswoth. The work was premiered by Sarah Jones [Sop] and Ben van Tienen [Piano] at the Mt. Nelson Theatre in Hobart, February 2004. Recorded for ABC Classic FM by Brooke Green during September 2004 and Broadcast in November of the same year [same artists]) 5’30”.

Composed in the year 2000 for Sarah Elizabeth Jones.