John Ireland (1879-1962)

[vandermolen]

Love this disc:
[asin]B002QQH0FE[/asin]

[cilgwyn]

Love this disc:
[asin]B002QQH0FE[/asin]

Yes,an excellent collection. I haven't got that one!!

[vandermolen]

Yes,an excellent collection. I haven't got that one!!

It's the only one which features The Forgotten Rite, Mai Dun and These Things Shall Be all together in great performances.

[cilgwyn]

On now. If you like John Ireland this is a good cd to invest in! The performances are very good,with great atmosphere. The sound quality is very good considering the performances are derived from a live 1949 Prom concert. And you don't have to worry that it's live and they're will be lots of coughing,because I've got as far as the second movement of the Piano Concerto,and I still haven't heard any....CHOOOCH-CHACH-EUGH-UCHUR-UCHUUR....Noises (I mean coughing). If there is any,it's extremely muted,or discreet?! I didn't even hear any flem being ejected between movement's, either!! I've only got pathway through the cd,however;as it only arrived by post today. Recommended for fans of this composer. I didn't even know about this one until the other day,and,"click",there was another couple of quid gone from my account!! Nice,evocative photo on the front,too,I must say! Excellent!

 

There,I finally heard one....nice,quick and not too distracting either. Sounded like a gent!

I also received this one today,as recommended by vandermolen;and very good it is too! I would say these are easily the finest recordings of John Ireland. Everything is just right. Lot's of atmosphere. Barbirolli gets the most feeling,poetry and mysticism out of these pieces. They also feel more tightly structured than they do in any other recording. These Things Shall Be is wonderfully stirring. In this recording I could honestly say it's one of my favourite choral works.
And all the other recordings are wonderful too. Of course,I've heard some of these recordings before. The Elgar,VW and Purcell are new to me,though.



It strikes me that John Ireland is one of those composer's that is hard to pin down. Get the wrong recording and you might not go back to him again. Hickox is a good example of this. Not that his recordings are not good;they just lack some of the mysticism and poetry that Barbirolli captured in these recordings. Also,despite the lush,Chandos,and sometimes a little too reverberant,sound quality,they seem to emphasise some of what some people might single out as Ireland's worst failings. In other words they seem a bit too rhapsodic. Or as someone might say less kindly....they meander. Not with Barbirolli,they don't! And Boult is good,too. In fact,I think that hearing recordings as good as Barbirolli's is almost like a key to all of Ireland's few orchestral works. Barbirolli,then Boult....or at least,Boult? But not Hickox first!! I actually,did hear Hickox first. I remember enjoying Ireland's music,but thinking,it was nice,but not something I would return to that often! Then I bought the emi cd of Barbirolli conducting Bax's third symphony and The Forgotten Rite and These Thing Shall Be. I also got the Piano Concerto and Mai Dun performed by JB off one of those vinyl blogs. Anyway,the Boult cd's followed and the Eric Parkin Piano cd's;and the long and the short of it is,Ireland is now one of my favourite British composers!

[vandermolen]

On now. If you like John Ireland this is a good cd to invest in! The performances are very good,with great atmosphere. The sound quality is very good considering the performances are derived from a live 1949 Prom concert. And you don't have to worry that it's live and they're will be lots of coughing,because I've got as far as the second movement of the Piano Concerto,and I still haven't heard any....CHOOOCH-CHACH-EUGH-UCHUR-UCHUUR....Noises (I mean coughing). If there is any,it's extremely muted,or discreet?! I didn't even hear any flem being ejected between movement's, either!! I've only got pathway through the cd,however;as it only arrived by post today. Recommended for fans of this composer. I didn't even know about this one until the other day,and,"click",there was another couple of quid gone from my account!! Nice,evocative photo on the front,too,I must say! Excellent!

 

There,I finally heard one....nice,quick and not too distracting either. Sounded like a gent!

I also received this one today,as recommended by vandermolen;and very good it is too! I would say these are easily the finest recordings of John Ireland. Everything is just right. Lot's of atmosphere. Barbirolli gets the most feeling,poetry and mysticism out of these pieces. They also feel more tightly structured than they do in any other recording. These Things Shall Be is wonderfully stirring. In this recording I could honestly say it's one of my favourite choral works.
And all the other recordings are wonderful too. Of course,I've heard some of these recordings before. The Elgar,VW and Purcell are new to me,though.



It strikes me that John Ireland is one of those composer's that is hard to pin down. Get the wrong recording and you might not go back to him again. Hickox is a good example of this. Not that his recordings are not good;they just lack some of the mysticism and poetry that Barbirolli captured in these recordings. Also,despite the lush,Chandos,and sometimes a little too reverberant,sound quality,they seem to emphasise some of what some people might single out as Ireland's worst failings. In other words they seem a bit too rhapsodic. Or as someone might say less kindly....they meander. Not with Barbirolli,they don't! And Boult is good,too. In fact,I think that hearing recordings as good as Barbirolli's is almost like a key to all of Ireland's few orchestral works. Barbirolli,then Boult....or at least,Boult? But not Hickox first!! I actually,did hear Hickox first. I remember enjoying Ireland's music,but thinking,it was nice,but not something I would return to that often! Then I bought the emi cd of Barbirolli conducting Bax's third symphony and The Forgotten Rite and These Thing Shall Be. I also got the Piano Concerto and Mai Dun performed by JB off one of those vinyl blogs. Anyway,the Boult cd's followed and the Eric Parkin Piano cd's;and the long and the short of it is,Ireland is now one of my favourite British composers!

Very much agree with you and delighted that you like that Barbirolli CD. It's good to have Mai Dun, the Forgotten Rite and These Things Shall Be in the same collection in exceptionally atmospheric and moving performances - one of the great Dutton historical releases.

[cilgwyn]

Playing here,now. This cd,which arrived today. These historic recordings of the Moeran Symphony and Ireland Piano Concerto,conducted by the sadly short lived Leslie Heward. The booklet points out that if Heward had lived he would almost certainly have been the principal conductor of the Halle instead of Barbirolli. Some of the classic recordings we associate with Boult might have been recorded with Heward conducting instead. In effect;we would speak here of Heward as we do of Boult!! Ah,those great might have beens of history!! I didn't realise Elieen Joyce had such a colourful career.........and literally! Her belief in the association of colours with music leading her to change costume in between works! She will also forever be associated with the movie Brief Encounter. Joyce being the soloist in Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto,which was used in the soundtrack. She was also known for her revealing gowns,and a bestselling biography. She worked on other movies. Indeed,a film was made about her life.

   

[vandermolen]

Playing here,now. This cd,which arrived today. These historic recordings of the Moeran Symphony and Ireland Piano Concerto,conducted by the sadly short lived Leslie Heward. The booklet points out that if Heward had lived he would almost certainly have been the principal conductor of the Halle instead of Barbirolli. Some of the classic recordings we associate with Boult might have been recorded with Heward conducting instead. In effect;we would speak here of Heward as we do of Boult!! Ah,those great might have beens of history!! I didn't realise Elieen Joyce had such a colourful career.........and literally! Her belief in the association of colours with music leading her to change costume in between works! She will also forever be associated with the movie Brief Encounter. Joyce being the soloist in Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto,which was used in the soundtrack. She was also known for her revealing gowns,and a bestselling biography. She worked on other movies. Indeed,a film was made about her life.

   

Moeran was in the recording studio when Heward recorded his Symphony - Heward's last and possibly greatest recording. Heward was so obviously very ill that Moeran wasn't sure that he'd be able to complete the recording sessions. However, Heward hung on, producing a magnificent performance of this great score. Great cover photo of the troubled composer.

[Scion7]

Haven't revisited Ireland's music in ages.

Time for the violin sonatas and the third piano trio tonight before drifting off to snooze-land . . .

[kyjo]

I listened to Ireland's PC recently and I found it to be a bit of a disappointment. It's a pleasant enough work but nothing in it really grabbed my attention. I've also heard some of his solo piano works which I found more interesting. I must explore his chamber music which many rate very highly.

[vandermolen]

I listened to Ireland's PC recently and I found it to be a bit of a disappointment. It's a pleasant enough work but nothing in it really grabbed my attention. I've also heard some of his solo piano works which I found more interesting. I must explore his chamber music which many rate very highly.

I prefer the 'Legend' for piano and orchestra, Mai Dun and The Forgotten Rite as well as the choral/orchestral 'These Things Shall Be'. There is some fine piano music, especially 'April'.

[cilgwyn]

Well,I like it!! I think it's one of the loveliest Piano Concertos,I know! In fact,I've got it on,right now! That said,I didn't always feel that way! I remember,when I first heard it,thinking it was quite nice,but not something that really 'grabbed me'! Like most of Ireland's music,it's been,what you might call,a 'slow burn'! I'm now a fan!! This isn't my favourite recording of the work. But it's very good,and I like the choice of 'companions! I like the 'artwork',too! It seems appropriate,when you consider some of Ireland's,other interests;beside music! If I had to pick a favourite recording of the Piano Concerto,in stereo;I'd probably pick Kathryn Stott's. The addition of Bridge's Phantasm,is another incentive. I've only recently got to grips with that work. Indeed,I was listening to it last night,and thinking what a fascinating piece of music it was. Parts of it,even,brought to mind,late Scriabin!

[cilgwyn]

Here's the cd,with less appealing 'artwork'! (At least,for me!) And that's my favourite (currently) stereo recording,on the right! I've only,recently,really 'got to grips',with Phantasm! I think it's a fascinating work! I was listening to it,last night. Parts of it,brought to mind,late Scriabin! The Walton makes a nice finale,to an excellent album!

     

[vandermolen]

Here's the cd,with less appealing 'artwork'! (At least,for me!) And that's my favourite (currently) stereo recording,on the right! I've only,recently,really 'got to grips',with Phantasm! I think it's a fascinating work! I was listening to it,last night. Parts of it,brought to mind,late Scriabin! The Walton makes a nice finale,to an excellent album!

     

i like both Chandos cover images and also like Ireland's 'Legend' for Piano and Orchestra.
And here is the Conifer CD as reissued by Dutton:

[Irons]

i like both Chandos cover images and also like Ireland's 'Legend' for Piano and Orchestra.
And here is the Conifer CD as reissued by Dutton:

I own the earlier Chandos CD which is a good cover image but for the mixing of black and white letters in the titles which doesn't work. Some would say "so what" but companies such as Chandos think it important and pay accordingly to get it right, or in this case wrong.
Let us not forget the Lyrita Eric Parkin recording in the Ireland PC.

 

[Biffo]

I own the earlier Chandos CD which is a good cover image but for the mixing of black and white letters in the titles which doesn't work. Some would say "so what" but companies such as Chandos think it important and pay accordingly to get it right, or in this case wrong.
Let us not forget the Lyrita Eric Parkin recording in the Ireland PC.

I don't like the mixing of letters either but worse the image is a picture of Corfe Castle; Mai Dun is the Iron Age hill fort Maiden Castle near Dorchester.

[North Star]

This one with John Lenehan has a fine cover too, I guess. I certainly think the recording is excellent, although I'm not familiar with other versions. The one volume of Lenehan's Ireland solo piano recordings I have is also fine, though I have yet to explore the rest..

[asin]B005KNODZ0[/asin]

Here you can read what France thinks of this Ireland recording.

[vandermolen]

I own the earlier Chandos CD which is a good cover image but for the mixing of black and white letters in the titles which doesn't work. Some would say "so what" but companies such as Chandos think it important and pay accordingly to get it right, or in this case wrong.
Let us not forget the Lyrita Eric Parkin recording in the Ireland PC.

Another great nostalgia trip! My first encounter with both works when I took it out of the High Street Kensington Music Library, probably in the late 1970s. I've always thought that it features the best version of 'These Things Shall Be' - a work which I admire very much. Also a great cover design.

[vandermolen]

This one with John Lenehan has a fine cover too, I guess. I certainly think the recording is excellent, although I'm not familiar with other versions. The one volume of Lenehan's Ireland solo piano recordings I have is also fine, though I have yet to explore the rest..

[asin]B005KNODZ0[/asin]

Here you can read what France thinks of this Ireland recording.

That is indeed a very enjoyable CD with a fine cover image. Ireland lived in a windmill not that far from here (I've seen it during a walk on the Sussex Downs):
Here he is:

[kyjo]

I'll have to give the PC another try. My favorite Ireland work (of those I know) remains A Downland Suite - originally written for brass band but later transcribed for string orchestra. I only know it in the latter incarnation and cannot imagine it any other way. It boasts a heart-rending Elegy and an elegantly nostalgic, catchy Minuet. Continuing in the string orchestra realm, his Concertino Pastorale is another gorgeous, eloquent work.

In the chamber music realm, I really enjoy his early, rather Brahmsian/Dvorakian Sextet for the tonally rich instrumentation of clarinet, horn, and strings - a charming, tuneful work. Also, the later, stormier, rather Baxian Cello Sonata is a fine work with a moving, hymn-like slow movement.

[vandermolen]

I'll have to give the PC another try. My favorite Ireland work (of those I know) remains A Downland Suite - originally written for brass band but later transcribed for string orchestra. I only know it in the latter incarnation and cannot imagine it any other way. It boasts a heart-rending Elegy and an elegantly nostalgic, catchy Minuet. Continuing in the string orchestra realm, his Concertino Pastorale is another gorgeous, eloquent work.

In the chamber music realm, I really enjoy his early, rather Brahmsian/Dvorakian Sextet for the tonally rich instrumentation of clarinet, horn, and strings - a charming, tuneful work. Also, the later, stormier, rather Baxian Cello Sonata is a fine work with a moving, hymn-like slow movement.

Interesting Kyle. I must look out for the Cello Sonata.