Silver Swan, Reminding, Knots and

Extraordinary Improvisations now only £10.00

SOLO:

The Dance of The Three Legged Elephants

with jazz pianist Julian Joseph

“Outstanding!” Roger Thomas, BBC Music Magazine, October 2009, *****

“The young virtuoso of the cello has been straddling styles and fields of activity for a while, but this is probably his most jazz-oriented venture yet. Barley’s execution and quality of invention are exceptional” Brian Priestley, Jazzwise Magazine, October 2009 ****

“devilish fun enjoyed by two brilliant musical personalities…beguiles and overwhelms alternately” Brian Wilson, MusicWeb International - Recording of the Month September 2009

Matthew’s debut release on Signum Records includes music by Carlos Jobim, John McLaughlin, Julian Joseph, Ravel and Jaco Pastorius

Buy The Dance of The Three Legged Elephants

The Silver Swan Black Box Records BBM 1068 (2003)

Arrangements of great classical music by Matthew Barley for multiple cellos, multi-tracked by Barley

“…truly sublime… Barley’s brilliantly inventive approach - not to mention his sheer technical flair - makes this disc well worth a listen.” Catherine Nelson, The Strad, December 2003

“…playing and the recording are both excellent….brilliantly conceived for the medium.” Duncan Druce, Gramophone, September 2003

“A disc of immense dignity and communication. Technical matters of synchronization and ambience are dealt with so successfully that the listener can disregard them, concentrating instead on the moving way these offerings are delivered…Purcell’s Dido’s Lament and a stunning version of Stanford’s The Bluebird are among other features, and this remarkable release ends with the searing simplicity of Pablo Casals’ favourite encore, the Song of the Birds.” Chris Morley, Birmingham Post, 27 September 2003

Includes:

• Henry Purcell (Dido’s Lament)
• Georges Bizet Romance from The Pearl Fishers
• JS Bach Jesu, Meine Freude
• Corpus Christi Carol (read by Dame Judi Dench)
• Arvo Pärt Fratres for 4 cellos
• Gregorio Allegri Miserere mei, deus
• Charles Stanford Bluebird
• Stravinsky Apotheosis from Apollon Musagette
• Trad. Song of the Birds

Reminding Quartz QTZ 2032 (2005)

“Barley plays with such extraordinary concentration and devotion…this will reward the inquisitive collector many times over.” Julian Haylock, International Record Review, December 2005

“…a fascinating journey through the recent cello music of Russia and the former Soviet Union…this is an excellent recital, quirky and stunningly well played.” Warwick Thompson, Metro, 24 October 2005

With Stephen de Pledge, piano, music from the late Soviet era. Includes:

• Schnittke sonata no. 1,
• Arvo Pärt Fratres (cello and piano)
• Kanchelli With a Smile for Slava
• Kuulberg Meenutus
• Shostakovich Suite from Cheremushki (arr. Barley)

BETWEEN THE NOTES:

Extraordinary Improvisations
FMR Records FMRCD234-0707

This CD was made after a competition ran in the BBC Music Magazine to find ideas on which to base improvisations – the idea was to explore how music can come from non-musical sources like concepts, words, pictures and so on. We asked for entries in 9 categories and we chose our favourite one of each, then recorded two or three versions of each, then picked the best one to be on the disc. There was no editing at all.

1. Water
2. Two Characters
3. Connection, intersection, rejection, introspection
4. Chord Sequence
5. Bi Polar
6. Scatterbrain
7. Torchnote
8. Almscliff Crag
9. Clarinet solo
10. Mindwander Graphic Score
11. Intransigent
12. Lake Garda

Knots Black Box BBM1095 (2005)

“The ensemble Between The Notes grabs this likeable, hot-foot excursion – music that kicks out with the tips of its toes – and turns it into aural ballet.” **** Rob Cowan Independent 6 December 2005

with Viktoria Mullova, music by Fraser Trainer and Between The Notes Includes

• BTN Tangerine Dance
• Trainer Knots
• Human League arr. Trainer Love Action
• BTN Lucky

COLLABORATIONS:

Through the Looking Glass Philips CD464184-2 (2000)

All arrangements by Matthew Barley, produced by Matthew Barley. Viktoria Mullova, violin, Matthew Barley, cello, Julian Joseph, piano, Steve Smith, guitar, Paul Clarvis, Colin Currie and Sam Walton, percussion. Music by Alanis Morissette, Youssou N’Dour, Miles Davis, The Beatles, The Bee Gees, Duke Ellington, Weather Report.

Through the Looking Glass has been deleted from the Philips catalogue

Strings Attached – Sarod and Cello Navras NRCD 6004 (2003) & Navras NRDVD 013-P (2006)

“The result is a genuine expansion in both instruments’ scope – a majestic meeting of minds.” Top of the World Editorial Choice, Songlines Magazine, November 2003

With a special appearance by Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan (Raga Bhairavi). With Matthew Barley, cello, Amaan Ali Bangash, Ayaan Ali Bangash, sarod, Vikku Vinayakran, ghatam, Ustad Sabir Khan, tabla, Mamta Baxi, Tampura.

• Tracks 1-3 Raga Kirwani (live at the Royal Festival Hall, London)
• Tracks 4-6 Raga Bhairavi (live at the Sirifort Auditorium, New Dehli)

Strings Attached – Sarod and Cello (DVD) Navras NRDVD 013-P (2006)