Mathias' Sonatina, originally composed in 1953 but revised in 1986, is a slighter yet more approachable work. A considerable amount of straight repetition renders the music easily assimilable. For instance, both main themes in the opening sonata movement are repeated during the exposition; similarly a large stretch of the development consists simply of a transposed version of a previous passage. Only in the third and final movement does the structure become more complex, with the combination of variants of the main themes of the first movement. But such subtleties pale into insignificance when compared with the rhythmic ebullience and good humour of the outer movements, and the suave, urbane lyricism of the central Andante. If the listener is entertained agreeably, the Sonatina has done its job well. © Trevor Bray
