On 12 April David Matthews’ lyrical orchestral opener New Fire returned to the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra, where it premiered in 2018, conducted by Jac Van Steen. The 6-minute piece appeared at Beseda House as part of the Easter Festival of Sacred Music.
The piece is inspired by the flames kindled at the start of the Easter Saturday service. It begins in hushed darkness with muted strings; as the piece develops, solo cello then later violins into a plainsong melody as points of light begin to appear in glockenspiel, crotales, piano, harp and then high woodwind. The they gradually proliferate, until the trumpets enter with the three rising notes of the plainsong. New Fire culminates in what David Matthews describes as “a triumphant celebration of light.”
Following its 2018 debut with Dennis Russell Davies and the orchestra at the Königskloster, New Fire received its UK premiere with the BBC Philharmonic and Jac van Steen in 2019. The conductor has an abiding interest in Matthews’ music, most recently reflected in a 2025 orchestral portrait disc with the Ulster Orchestra, released on SOMM. The album featured three new works: the Flute Concerto (featuring Emma Halnan), Symphony No.11, and Anna: Symphonic Diptych. Listen here.
In July 2023 he gave the world premiere of Anna at the Grange Festival, in a concert performance with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra; in 2022 he premiered Matthews’ Symphony No.10 with the BBC Philharmonic. His recording of Matthews’ A Vision of the Sea with the BBC Philharmonic was released by Signum in 2021; in 2007 he premiered Matthews’ Symphony No.6 with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales at the BBC Proms.