Paul Matthen

Paul Seymour Matthen was an American bass-baritone, musical scholar and music pedagogue.

He studied music and chemistry at Columbia University, and was a student of Friedrich Schorr.

Paul Matthen had international concert and operatic career, and was a leading baritone at the Stuttgart State Opera for several years. He won wide acclaim as an interpreter of opera, early music, and German Lieder. From 1940 to 1965, he appeared with major symphony orchestras, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, and National Symphony Orchestra (Washington). He regularly appeared in operas staged by Wieland Wagner. He was a leading soloist with many of New York's major choral groups in Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, and on major radio and television networks. His musical experience ranged from appearances as soloist for two years at Radio City Music Hall to the musical directorship of the American Bach Society of New York. Matthen was offered Metropolitan Opera contracts in 1943 and 1950, but declined in order to fulfill previous contracts and devote time to his family.

Over the years, Paul Matthen held faculty positions at Bennington College, the Longy School of Music, Wellesley College, Union Theological Seminary School of Music, Boston University, and Baptist Theological Seminary. He joined the Indiana University voice faculty in 1957. During his tenure at Indiana University, he performed regularly, in addition to chairing the doctoral dissertation committees of many of the School of Music's graduate voice students. From 1961 to 1984, he taught all of the doctoral seminars in solo vocal literature and opera. He was sponsor and advisor for more than 35 dissertations, many of which appeared in scholarly journals. On his retirement from Indiana University in 1984, he was offered a position at The Julliard School, which he declined because he wished to remain in the Bloomington area. He was Emeritus Professor at the Indiana University School of Music and Graduate School almost to his death. He died at his home on November 23, 2003 at the age of 89, leaving behind a legacy of performing and teaching accomplishments.