A selection of 'Ireland' articles
Echoes of Oblivion by Robert McCarney - Nothing Written in the Stars
CD Spotlight. Irish Coffee - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Puccini's 'La bohème' from Irish National Opera. 'The excellent Italian diction of all the singers, both the protagonists and those in secondary roles, is remarkable.'
CD Spotlight. Wonderfully Attuned - Robert McCarney listens to music by Kevin Raftery. '... this is one of the most richly stimulating, impressive and sheerly enjoyable CDs of music, new or old, that I have heard in quite some time.'
Echoes of Oblivion by Robert McCarney - From swerve of shore to bend of bay
CD Spotlight. Star of the North - Gerald Fenech strongly recommends Meyerbeer's 'L'Étoile du Nord' on Naxos. 'Vladimir Jurowski conducts the piece with natural gusto and sparkling flair ...'
CD Spotlight. Exhilarating from Start to Finish - Gerald Fenech listens to suites of incidental music by Arthur Sullivan. 'Andrew Penny is an enthusiastic advocate of this composer, and his lively and beautifully shaped interpretations are a treat to the ear.'
Classical music news. March 2022 Newsletter - Watch and listen to our March 2022 newsletter
CD Spotlight. Highly Romantic - Gerald Fenech listens to orchestral music by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. '... this re-issue still sounds fresh and lively, credit to Adrian Leaper's advocacy for this fine music ...'
CD Spotlight. Dash and Swagger - Gerald Fenech listens to Arthur Sullivan's 'Victoria and Merrie England'. '... playing of the highest order ...'
CD Spotlight. Expertly Crafted - Keith Bramich listens to Caitríona O'Leary's Christmas album, 'Strange Wonders'. '... the performances are empowered by their simplicity and directness.'
Classical music news - October and November 2021 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this and last month
Classical music news. November 2021 Newsletter - Watch and listen to our November 2021 newsletter
CD Spotlight. Welcome back Lord Berners - Gerald Fenech listens to two stage works by an enigmatic English composer. 'Soloists and chorus deliver some flawless singing, and their great attention to the text creates a sense of reverential homage to the sacred.'
CD Spotlight. A Masterpiece Re-discovered in Wexford - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to the opera 'Risurrezione' by Franco Alfano. 'Francesco Lanzillotta conducts the orchestra of the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino skilfully.'
Classical music news - Female Grief, Sacrifice and Heroism - Announcing the release of 'iGIRL', a new electronic opera by Roger Doyle with libretto by Marina Carr
Ensemble. Three Days in Ravenna - Giuseppe Pennisi samples Northern Italy's high profile and wide-ranging arts festival
Classical music news. Defining Our Field - Classical Music Daily's June 2021 Newsletter is a panel discussion led by John Dante Prevedini, and has just been published as a video podcast
Classical music news. Streaming, Downloads and CDs - Classical Music Daily's May 2021 Newsletter has just been published as a video podcast
Classical music news - April 2021 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month
CD Spotlight. Benjamin Britten and James Joyce - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to two sets of English folk and other songs. '... very good listening ...'
Classical music news. Hang in there together - Classical Music Daily's March 2021 Newsletter has just been published as a video podcast
CD Spotlight. An Atmosphere of Serene Beauty - Matthew Washington Kennedy's 'familiar favorites', recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Hugely pleasant stuff, passionately executed and recorded.'
CD Spotlight. Six Composers, Piano, Strings and Voice - Ona Jarmalavičiūtė listens to works by six female composers. '... performed profoundly ...'
CD Spotlight. An Integral Part of Christmas - Carols from the SWR Vokal Ensemble, heard by Gerald Fenech. '... beautifully shaped and vocally refined and the voices come across clear and resonant.'
CD Spotlight. Particularly Arresting - Further music by the recently deceased American composer Paul Reale impresses Geoff Pearce. 'Although these works are in an unmistakably modern idiom, they are exciting, fresh and performed with panache.'
CD Spotlight. South American Melodic Turns - Music by José Serebrier, heard by Gerald Fenech. '... I was very much taken by the imagination, colour, rhythm and neo-classical expressiveness of the music, particularly in the "tango" pieces ...'
Ensemble. Gruesome and Engrossing - Giuseppe Pennisi experiences Franco Alfano's rarely performed opera 'Risurrezione' in Florence
Classical music news. Obituary - Colin Mawby (1936-2019)
Classical music news. The Great Composers - Five films to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth, in cinemas from December 2019
Ensemble. 'Proserpine' in Spoleto - An opera by Italian composer Silvia Colasanti, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi
CD Spotlight. Sheer Musicianship - Geoff Pearce listens to music for viola, played by Matthew Lipman. '... a delight for the listener and aficionados of the viola.'
Ensemble. Pin-point Delicacy and Precision - Mike Wheeler is impressed by the Eblana String Trio
Ensemble. An Enthralling Production - György Kurtág's 'Fin de Partie' impresses Giuseppe Pennisi
Wild Extravagance - George Colerick investigates Berlioz, Fantasy and Literature
Ensemble. Plus and Minus - Songs and arias from Jennifer Davis and Caroline Dowdle at the Buxton Festival, heard by Mike Wheeler
Book Review. A Real Gem - Jonathan Keates' study of Handel's 'Messiah', recommended by Gerald Fenech
CD Spotlight. Specially Reconstructed - Music for ancient giant horns, heard by Gerald Fenech. '... for those who wallow in the joys of past cultural mysteries and their unraveling, this issue is a must.'
Ensemble. A Very Interesting Discovery - The first performance in modern times of Bellini's 'Adelson e Salvini', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
CD Spotlight. Attentive Conducting - Orchestral music by Georges Bizet, heard by Stephen Francis Vasta. 'Tingaud's "Roma" easily outclasses the last version I'd heard ...'
An Affectionate Eye - George Bernard Shaw as London Music Critic, by George Colerick
Ensemble. Welcome Rarities - James Sohre enjoyed his visit to Wexford Festival Opera
CD Spotlight. Impressive Clarity - Ancient Irish songs about sleep, heard by Howard Smith. '... conspicuous authenticity.'
Ensemble. Operas You've Probably Never Heard Of - Roderic Dunnett visits Wexford
CD Spotlight. Subtly Harmonized - Moeran solo folksong arrangements delight Patric Standford. '... a delightful exploration of the sensitive and creative treatment of folksongs ...'
Ensemble. Remarkable Development - Quilter songs from Trevor Alexander and Peter Crockford impress Malcolm Miller
Ensemble. Surprisingly Believable - Britten's 'The Turn of the Screw' impresses Maria Nockin
CD Spotlight. An Appropriate Memorial - Songs by Moeran, Warlock and Geoffrey Stern, heard by Patric Standford. '... a well balanced programme and clean, clear studio performances ...'
CD Spotlight. An Invaluable Recording - The complete solo songs of E J Moeran, heard by Patric Standford. '... beautifully sung ...'
Incisive Playing - Daniel Hyde at the organ of Derby Cathedral, heard by Mike Wheeler
CD Spotlight. Elgar and Bax - A sepia album from World War I, heard by George Balcombe. '... intense emotion, beautifullly replicated ...'
Ensemble. A Remarkable Event - Paul Sarcich visits the West Cork Chamber Music Festival
CD Spotlight. Grandest Lines - Donald Tovey's cello concerto, heard by Robert Anderson. '... satisfyingly masterful.'
Ensemble. Pushing Back the Boundaries - London Sinfonietta's 'British Experiments', reviewed by Chris Graham
A Genuine Beethoven Pianist - Simon Watterton gives a lunchtime recital in London, heard by Julian Jacobson
Ensemble. A Crisp Performance - 'Belshazzar' at the London Handel Festival, reviewed by Robert Hugill
CD Spotlight. Musical Finesse - Songs by Gregg Kallor, recommended by Howard Smith. 'Go to the top of the class.'
Ensemble. Vividly Characterised - Mike Wheeler listens to the Sitwell Singers
Ensemble. Excellent Singing - Handel and Rossini from Los Angeles Opera impress Maria Nockin
Ensemble. Magnificent Performances - 'Salome' from Arizona, reviewed by Maria Nockin
Bizarre Perception - Alistair Hinton discusses a recent article on English music by David Hamilton
Ensemble. An Immensely Successful Event - Thomas Bielinski reports from the West Cork Chamber Music Festival 2009
Ensemble. Excellent Throughout - A lunchtime piano recital by Maiko Mori, heard by Bill Newman
CD Spotlight. Consistently Solid - Kurt Masur and others conduct Mendelssohn, reviewed by Howard Smith. '... too often short on graciousness, charm or buoyancy.'
CD Spotlight. Easy Listening - Christina Linhardt's 'Voodoo Princess', reviewed by K C Devereaux. 'The only voodoo conjured here is the dread spectre of "Smooth Jazz".'
Record Box. Irish Rambles - Music by Turlough O'Carolan, reviewed by Malcolm Tattersall
Record Box. Distinctive and Attractive - 'Snowcarols' and other Christmas music by William Ferris, admired by Patric Standford
Ensemble. Lush Sonorities - Kelly Ferjutz writes about her penultimate day at the 2007 West Cork Chamber Music Festival
Ensemble. A Music-lovers' Paradise - Kelly Ferjutz is in awe of some of the musicians at the 2007 West Cork Chamber Music Festival
Ensemble. Beautiful Playing - More chamber music from the south west of Ireland, enjoyed by Kelly Ferjutz
Entirely Transcendent - Another day at the West Cork Chamber Music Festival, with Kelly Ferjutz
Ensemble. Flying Dutchmen - More from Bantry House, West Cork, Ireland, with Kelly Ferjutz
Ensemble. From Strength to Strength - Another day at the West Cork Chamber Music Festival, with Kelly Ferjutz
Ensemble. Intelligence and Intensity - Kelly Ferjutz continues her reports from the West Cork Chamber Music Festival
Ensemble. Settling in - Kelly Ferjutz prepares for a week of reports from the West Cork Chamber Music Festival
Record Box. Clear Vividness - The 1751 version of Handel's 'Messiah', reviewed by Patric Standford
CD Spotlight. Sparkle and Polish - Robin Zebaida plays piano rarities, enjoyed by Bill Newman. '... musical appeal is immediate.'
Ensemble. World Class Chamber Music - Malcolm Troup on the recent BPSE chamber music masterclass and competition in London
CD Spotlight. Beyond Piazzolla - Tangos and dances played by Fionnuala Hunt, reviewed by Malcolm Tattersall. '... relaxing and eminently listenable ...'
Record box. Accomplished playing - Kumiko Ida's British piano album, appreciated by Patric Standford
Profile. The man with the golden flute - On the occasion of the flautist's 65th birthday, James Galway talks to David Lipp
Record box. Ease and warmth - Music by Billy Cowie, reviewed by Ron Bierman
European tour - A preview, of sorts, of the Cleveland Orchestra's four-city, three festival visit, by Kelly Ferjutz
'Messiah' as never before - Howard Smith describes Lygia O'Riordan's quest to bring Handel's masterpiece to Eastern Russia
Record box. Choral textures - An anniversary CD by an English cathedral choir, welcomed by Patric Standford
Ensemble. New directions - Keith Bramich at the Vale of Glamorgan Festival of Music 2003
CD Spotlight. Adventurer and virtuoso - Rosemary Tuck plays the Celtic Fantasies of Vincent Wallace, reviewed by Patric Standford. '... splendid performance ...'
Record box. Glittering light - The music of Irish composer Raymond Deane, by Keith Bramich
Ask Alice - Our classical music 'agony aunt', Alice McVeigh, tackles more questions
To Russia with Love - A bizarre story from Moscow, told by Howard Smith
The Bell Tolls too soon for Derek - A tribute to Derek Bell (1935-2002) of The Chieftains, by Jennifer Paull
CD Spotlight. Much originality - John Field's Piano Concertos, explored by Robert Anderson. '... accomplished performances ...'
Site seeing at the Mandolin Café - with Keith Bramich
Profile - A man of vision. Victor Herbert, the first composer to write for film, investigated by Jennifer Paull
Ensemble - Evolution or revolution? Samuel Brown on RTÉ's Second Viennese School weekend
Record box - Alongside AD1620. Basil Ramsey listens to the music of Edward MacDowell
CD Spotlight - World Orchestral Music. 'Perhaps some future anti-ravers will take up this work ...' Hugh Flynn's Wexford Symphony, investigated by Gordon Rumson
CD Spotlight - Beautiful moments. '... "The World" and the six short Russian songs show Tavener at his best ...' The Vanbrugh Quartet plays John Tavener, with Patric Standford
Atavistic thrill - In a more extended 'captivating moment', Peter Dale discovers one of the truly great living musicians
Summer Opera Reviews - Roderic Dunnett looks back at a thumping good summer for opera festivals in Britain and Ireland. Read from part 1 - Castleward, Wexford and Stowe
CD Spotlight - A paean of rejoicing. '... a sunburst carrying the listener forward and upwards to new quests of achievement.' Bax's Fifth Symphony with Bill Newman
CD Spotlight - Unknown gems. 'Throughout, Varcoe and Benson give musicianly, affectionate performances ...' Two Hyperion albums of Stanford's songs, with Trevor Hold
Record box - Spirit and polish - Hymns in demonstration, with Basil Ramsey
CD Spotlight - Musical spurs. 'His musical palette constantly overflows with colour, never garish yet sometimes opulent and sometimes sombre.' Irish convictions - Basil Ramsey investigates the music of Ian Wilson.