Thomas Appleby Matthews (1884-1949) is a surprisingly unknown figure given his importance to music making in Birmingham. He was the first conductor of what became the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra – then the City of Birmingham Orchestra.
He does have a Wikipedia article to his name, but no article in Grove Music (Oxford Music Online) – though he gets a mention in their article on Birmingham’s music history. I’ve been drawn into his story because of the commitment he had to put classical music where people already were – in local cinemas and theatres.
Continue reading “Birmingham Music Making: the beginnings of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra”
Sarah Whitfield 