Search - John Mark Ainsley, Christopher Maltman, John [British Composer] Ireland :: The Songs of John Ireland

Neglected gems

D. MCGOVERN | New Zealand | 12/29/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Apart from Sea Fever, most of the songs recorded here will be unfamiliar to listeners. Ironically, Sea Fever is one of the weaker selections; Christopher Maltman pushes a little, and the tempo is too funereal. (For a better performance, check out Bryn Terfel's The Vagabond CD on Deutsche Gramaphon.) Elsewhere, however, you'll encounter a surprising number of beautiful songs - and singing - from this much-neglected of British composers.John Ireland (1879-1962) was well known in his day as a composer of, among other things, piano works, songs, and chamber music. He composed very little in the way of large scale works, and this possibly accounts for his lack of familiarity today. But what he wrote, he wrote beautifully, and his is a very personal music. In much the same way as Elgar, he was at his best in reflective moments and many of the songs here are hauntingly exquisite. You'll need to play some of them a number of times to appreciate their mastery, but patience will ultimately be rewarded.This 2-CD set comprises most of Ireland's song output, and the material is divided between three singers: tenor John Mark Ainsley, baritone Christopher Maltman and soprano Lisa Milne. Of the three, Milne impressed me the most; hers is a ravishing lyric soprano, and her artistry was in full display in the multi-layered Earth's Call, a perfect piece of vocal painting. Ainsley has a sweet lyric tenor, a little pushed at times, but with superb phrasing. Maltman's rich baritone varies from song to song, at times gritty in texture and occasionally strained, but very satisfying in his better moments. I particularly enjoyed his renditions of the sentimental Spring's Sorrow and the reflective Vagabond.All of the songs are set to (often familiar) poems, and there are many surprises along the way. Ireland was not one to wear his heart on his sleeve, but The Heart's Desire is a superb song of barely restrained longing that will leave few listeners unmoved.The liner notes by Andrew Green are splendidly written: lively, informative and without a trace of the pretension that such collections often invite. Overall, this is an excellent introduction to a most interesting composer, and well worth your consideration. The songs will not be to all tastes at first, but as I said before, give them time to make their beauty apparent, and you'll discover a composer with much to say."