Matthews, Denis (1919-1988), an English pianist and teacher, won acclaim for his sensitive interpretations of the works of the German composers Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven and the Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Matthews also built a reputation as a skillful piano teacher and music lecturer. In addition, he wrote several works on major composers, especially Beethoven.
Denis James Matthews was born on Feb. 27, 1919, in Coventry and studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London from 1935 to 1940. He made his debut in 1939. He was professor of music at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne (now Newcastle University) from 1971 until 1984. Matthews wrote an autobiography, In Pursuit of Music (1966). He died in Birmingham on Dec. 24, 1988.
