Search - John [British Composer] Ireland, John Ireland, John Lenehan :: Ireland: Piano Works, Vol 2

Glorious John!

K. Farrington | Missegre, France | 03/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Every bar of this wonderful music is to be relished! This sadly neglected composer had a musical gift that put him up there with Ravel, Debussy and others who are more celebrated today. In true British fashion, we will fete the artists of other nations while ignoring the talent we have at home. When I play any piece of music I try to take the date and put the piece in with its contemporaries. John Ireland was not a flashy, innovative composer who shocked a generation. He did not excite audiences with hair raising disonances like Mahler in his symphonies nor did he create new rhythmic explosions like Stravinsky in his 'Sacre de Printemps'. He did not scandalise audiences with shocking material like Bartok in his 'Miraculous Mandarin'. Nothing he produced gave the chattering classes, who control what is deemed to be the flavor of the month, anything to lionize, hence his neglect during his lifetime and after. Instead he composed generally simple tuneful pieces that please the ear and make the heart feel lighter because of a gentle, nostalgic quality in which he can summon up the magic of a long ago Soho summer's day or the smiling face of a dear friend as in 'Merry Andrew'. His understatement of emotion throughout is quintessetially English in mood for despite Ireland's 100% Scottish parentage he seems to me to encapsulate the mood of that splendid flower of a generation who went away to die in WWI. The whistful touches of 'Summer Evening' or 'two Pastels' means to me that I cannot play anything else this session after I have played these atmospheric pieces. The pianist here gives us these works on a budget label, 70 minutes of lovely music that will delight any lover of 20th Century post-impressionistic music. I just wish I could discover these pieces all over again. His neglect is unforgivable."

A good introduction to a fairly unfamiliar composer

F. Behrens | Keene, NH USA | 08/18/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The name of John Ireland, 1879-1962, may not ring many bells except to those very conversant with piano literature. Indeed the two Naxos releases (8.553700) and (8.553889) contain music that to my knowledge I have never heard before; and I am most grateful to Naxos (as I always am) for introducing me to this composer. The booklets tell of his far from happy life so we can concentrate on his not inconsiderable talents. The first set contains "In those days," "Sarnia," "Prelude in E flat," "London Pieces," "Ballade," and "Columbine." Volume 2 gives us "Rhapsody," "Two Pieces," "Decorations," "Leaves from a Child's Sketchbook," "Sonatina," and several other pieces. Much of this will recall Debussy and some is comparable to similar efforts by MacDowell. The cover notes mention Gershwin, Stravinsky, and Ravel. But like any good composer, his past must needs be incorporated into his music; and perhaps the term "bitter-sweet" used by the copywriter is as good as any to sum up these two programs. John Lenehan plays with feeling. Despite a rival set on another label, these Naxos discs are half the price and certainly to be highly recommended"