©Clive Barda
David Matthews
David Matthews has an over 30-year association with Little Missenden and is the Festival’s patron. Nineteen of his works, some of which were commissioned by us, have previously been performed in the Church.
In 2023 we’re delighted that he’ll be with us in person to celebrate his 80th birthday. On the afternoon of Saturday 7th October we’ll be showing Barrie Gavin’s new film portrait of David, and then enjoy his personal reflections in a conversation with Thomas Hyde. In the evening the Carducci Quartet and Clare Hammond will perform his Piano Quintet.
"Some time ago I described Little Missenden as 'England's best-kept secret festival', and that still seems to sum it up rather well. Every year there are unusual concerts of a very high standard played to discerning and highly appreciative audiences, who are not afraid of contemporary music. I look forward to many more visits, and hope that the Festival will never lose its spirit of adventure."
Works performed at the Festival
1988 String Quartet no3 - Brindisi String Quartet
1991 Piano Trio op34 - Chagall Piano Trio
1991 String Quartet no6 op56 ¹ - Brindisi String Quartet
1994 String Trio op48 - Kent String Trio
1996 Song and Dance Sketchbook ² - Schubert Ensemble of London
1999 String Quartet no6 op56 - Brindisi String Quartet
2002 Three Studies for solo violin - Alexandra Wood
2003 Three Roman Miniatures op81 - Edward Vanderspar and Friends
2004 Adagio - Sound Collective
2006 Sonata for Piano op47 - Mark Bebbington
2009 Songs and Dances of Mourning - Podger/Cooper/de Saram
2009 Two Dionysius Dythrambs - James Kreiling
2010 Songs for Gemma (from Journeying Songs op95) - Rosefield/Waley-Cohen
2011 Drakeford Tribute (with Tom Hyde) ² - Schubert Ensemble
2011 Actaeon - Counterpoise
2013 Piano Trio #3 op97 - Leonore Trio
2013 Fugue 15 (2003) - Aisha Orazbayeva
2013 Three Birds and a Farewell - Sound Collective
2018 Sonatina for Viola and Piano op141 - Bradley/Lenehan
2022 Venus and Adonis - Trickey/Gavrić¹ Commission and first performance ² First performance
David Matthews & Sarah-Jane Bradley (Oct 2018)