John Ireland (1879-1962)

Series

Episode

First
Broadcast

Comments

2007

20071112

John Ireland (1879-1962)

1/5. Donald Macleod surveys the life and work of John Ireland, an undeservedly neglected minor master whose precocious early talent gained him entry to London's Royal College of Music at the age of 14. The programme includes early essays in all of the genres in which he would later excel.

Sea Fever (Saltwater Ballads)

Bryn Terfel (baritone)

Malcolm Martineau (piano)

String Quartet No 1 in D minor (4th mvt)

Maggini Quartet:

Laurence Jackson, David Angel (violins)

Martin Outram (viola)

Michal Kaznowski (cello)

Vexilla Regis (Hymn for Passion Sunday)

Paula Bott (soprano)

Teresa Shaw (contralto)

James Oxley (tenor)

Roderick Elms (organ)

London Symphony Chorus and Orchestra

Richard Hickox (conductor)

Tritons (Symphonic Prelude)

London Symphony Orchestra

A Sea Idyll

Eric Parkin (piano)

Songs of a Wayfarer: Memory (William Blake); When daffodils begin to peer (William Shakespeare); English May (Dante Gabriel Rossetti); I was not sorrowful (Ernest Dowson); I will walk on the earth (James Vila Blake)

Christopher Maltman (baritone)

Graham Johnson (piano).

John Ireland's early talent gained him entry to London's Royal College of Music at 14.

2007

20071113

John Ireland (1879-1962)

2/5. Donald Macleod explores how Ireland, a practising Anglo-Catholic, discovered his pagan leanings. His motet, Greater Love Hath No Man, and his orchestral prelude, The Forgotten Rite, reflect these two apparently divergent sides of his personality.

Michael Pearce (tenor)

Paul Robinson (baritone)

Christopher Hughes (organ)

Choir of King's College, Cambridge

The Forgotten Rite (Prelude for Orchestra)

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Adrian Boult (conductor)

Violin Sonata No 2 in A minor

Paul Barrit (violin)

Catherine Edwards (piano)

The Land of Lost Content (Housman, from A Shropshire Lad)

Peter Pears (tenor)

Benjamin Britten (piano).

Donald Macleod explores how Ireland combined Anglo-Catholicism and paganism in his music.

2007

20071114

John Ireland (1879-1962)

3/5. Ireland and the Ladies

There was a brief interlude in Ireland's lifelong bachelordom, as in quick succession he married, separated, then sought an annulment.

Ireland's song-cycle, Five Poems by Thomas Hardy, reflects a rather more idealised view of love, while his Piano Concerto was dedicated to the other woman in his life at this time, the pianist Helen Perkin. Ireland later withdrew the dedication in a fit of pique after she married another man.

When I am Dead My Dearest (Rossetti)

Roderick Williams (baritone)

BBC Concert Orchestra

Martin Yates (conductor)

Benjamin Luxon (baritone)

Alan Rowlands (piano)

Sonatina

John Lenehan (piano)

Piano Concerto in E flat

Eric Parkin (piano)

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Adrian Boult (conductor).

Donald Macleod explores Ireland's relationships with the women in his life.

2007

20071115

John Ireland (1879-1962)

4/5. Donald Macleod continues his exploration of the music and life of John Ireland with two contrasting celebrations of the composer's beloved Sussex Downs, the sunnily bucolic Downland Suite for brass band, and the brooding Legend for piano and orchestra.

A Downland Suite

The London Brass Virtuosi

David Honeyball (conductor)

Piers Lane (piano)

Ulster Orchestra

David Lloyd-Jones (conductor)

These Things Shall Be

John Carol Case (baritone)

London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir

Adrian Boult (conductor).

Including two contrasting musical celebrations of Ireland's beloved Sussex Downs.

2007

05 LAST

20071116

John Ireland (1879-1962)

5/5. Donald Macleod concludes his exploration of the life and works of Ireland with the composer's final song-cycle, Five 16th Century Poems. Plus the impressive Concertino Pastorale for strings, composed at the outbreak of the Second World War, and Ireland's first foray into film music, The Overlanders, a wartime story of courage in the face of adversity.

Christopher Maltman (baritone)

Graham Johnson (piano)

Concertino Pastorale (for string orchestra)

City of London Sinfonia

Richard Hickox (conductor)

The Overlanders (Suite from the film, arr. Charles Mackerras)

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Adrian Boult (conductor).

Donald Macleod explores Ireland's last works, including Five 16th Century Poems.

Episodes

Series	Episode	First Broadcast	Comments
2007	01	20071112	John Ireland (1879-1962) 1/5. Donald Macleod surveys the life and work of John Ireland, an undeservedly neglected minor master whose precocious early talent gained him entry to London's Royal College of Music at the age of 14. The programme includes early essays in all of the genres in which he would later excel. Sea Fever (Saltwater Ballads) Bryn Terfel (baritone) Malcolm Martineau (piano) String Quartet No 1 in D minor (4th mvt) Maggini Quartet: Laurence Jackson, David Angel (violins) Martin Outram (viola) Michal Kaznowski (cello) Vexilla Regis (Hymn for Passion Sunday) Paula Bott (soprano) Teresa Shaw (contralto) James Oxley (tenor) Roderick Elms (organ) London Symphony Chorus and Orchestra Richard Hickox (conductor) Tritons (Symphonic Prelude) London Symphony Orchestra A Sea Idyll Eric Parkin (piano) Songs of a Wayfarer: Memory (William Blake); When daffodils begin to peer (William Shakespeare); English May (Dante Gabriel Rossetti); I was not sorrowful (Ernest Dowson); I will walk on the earth (James Vila Blake) Christopher Maltman (baritone) Graham Johnson (piano). John Ireland's early talent gained him entry to London's Royal College of Music at 14.
2007	02	20071113	John Ireland (1879-1962) 2/5. Donald Macleod explores how Ireland, a practising Anglo-Catholic, discovered his pagan leanings. His motet, Greater Love Hath No Man, and his orchestral prelude, The Forgotten Rite, reflect these two apparently divergent sides of his personality. Michael Pearce (tenor) Paul Robinson (baritone) Christopher Hughes (organ) Choir of King's College, Cambridge The Forgotten Rite (Prelude for Orchestra) London Philharmonic Orchestra Adrian Boult (conductor) Violin Sonata No 2 in A minor Paul Barrit (violin) Catherine Edwards (piano) The Land of Lost Content (Housman, from A Shropshire Lad) Peter Pears (tenor) Benjamin Britten (piano). Donald Macleod explores how Ireland combined Anglo-Catholicism and paganism in his music.
2007	03	20071114	John Ireland (1879-1962) 3/5. Ireland and the Ladies There was a brief interlude in Ireland's lifelong bachelordom, as in quick succession he married, separated, then sought an annulment. Ireland's song-cycle, Five Poems by Thomas Hardy, reflects a rather more idealised view of love, while his Piano Concerto was dedicated to the other woman in his life at this time, the pianist Helen Perkin. Ireland later withdrew the dedication in a fit of pique after she married another man. When I am Dead My Dearest (Rossetti) Roderick Williams (baritone) BBC Concert Orchestra Martin Yates (conductor) Benjamin Luxon (baritone) Alan Rowlands (piano) Sonatina John Lenehan (piano) Piano Concerto in E flat Eric Parkin (piano) London Philharmonic Orchestra Adrian Boult (conductor). Donald Macleod explores Ireland's relationships with the women in his life.
2007	04	20071115	John Ireland (1879-1962) 4/5. Donald Macleod continues his exploration of the music and life of John Ireland with two contrasting celebrations of the composer's beloved Sussex Downs, the sunnily bucolic Downland Suite for brass band, and the brooding Legend for piano and orchestra. A Downland Suite The London Brass Virtuosi David Honeyball (conductor) Piers Lane (piano) Ulster Orchestra David Lloyd-Jones (conductor) These Things Shall Be John Carol Case (baritone) London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir Adrian Boult (conductor). Including two contrasting musical celebrations of Ireland's beloved Sussex Downs.
2007	05 LAST	20071116	John Ireland (1879-1962) 5/5. Donald Macleod concludes his exploration of the life and works of Ireland with the composer's final song-cycle, Five 16th Century Poems. Plus the impressive Concertino Pastorale for strings, composed at the outbreak of the Second World War, and Ireland's first foray into film music, The Overlanders, a wartime story of courage in the face of adversity. Christopher Maltman (baritone) Graham Johnson (piano) Concertino Pastorale (for string orchestra) City of London Sinfonia Richard Hickox (conductor) The Overlanders (Suite from the film, arr. Charles Mackerras) London Philharmonic Orchestra Adrian Boult (conductor). Donald Macleod explores Ireland's last works, including Five 16th Century Poems.