John IRELAND (1879-1962)
My Song Is A Love Unknown
Church Music
Te Deum in F (1907) [6.45]
Benedictus (1912) [4.54]
Communion Service in C (1913) [14.32]
My song is love unknown (1920) [2.56]
Elegiac Romance (organ solo) (1902) [8.27]
Christ the Lord is risen today (Sampford) [2.05]
Four Unaccompanied Carols [8.27]: Adam lay ybounden (1956) [1.38];
New Prince, New Pomp (1927) [2.45]; The Holy Boy
(1913-15) [2.37]; A New Year Carol (1941) [1.27]
Greater love hath no man (1912) [5.29]
I am trusting (Eastergate) (1905) [2.35]
Ex ore innocentium (1944) [3.24]
Capriccio (organ solo) (1911) [5.03]
Island Praise (1955) [1.53]
Evening Service in F (1915) [5.56]
Charles Harrison (organ)
Lincoln Cathedral Choir/Aric Prentice
rec. Lincoln Cathedral, England; 6-7, 27-29 February 2012
NAXOS 8.573014 [77.05]
John Ireland is mainly remembered for his exquisite miniatures: solo instrumental
- written mainly for the piano - and chamber pieces and songs. These, together
with a handful of orchestral pieces, were composed in the Late-Romantic tradition
and were often influenced by Debussy and Ravel. Their common denominator was
melody and accessibility.
The tendency of Ireland’s music towards influences of antiquity and the occult
has somewhat overshadowed his church music. Again strongly melodic, these
compositions suggest the Victorian and Edwardian character of British music
of that genre – especially Stanford and Elgar.
The title of this album, My Song is Love Unknown is also the title
of John Ireland’s most popular hymn tune. It is still sung regularly in churches
up and down the country. The Christmas carol, The Holy Boy is another
Ireland favourite while the stirring Greater Love Hath No Man has
great emotional impact. It was written as a meditation for Passiontide and
quickly became popular during World War I. This was against the backdrop of
that terrible conflict’s ever-mounting casualties. Ireland’s moving setting
of the words, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his
life for his friends” touched hearts and minds. The present performance is
however a little too subdued. Then again, I can’t help remembering the greater
power of Ireland’s larger version set for soprano and baritone soloists, choir
and orchestra. It can be heard on Chandos CHAN 8879 (1990) by Bryn Terfel,
Paula Bott and the London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Richard
Hickox. This was reissued at mid-price as CHAN
X10110 (2004).
The whole Naxos programme is memorable: the Communion Service in
C, for instance, with its Fauré-like Kyrie, the lovely Sanctus
and the magnificent Gloria. Then there is the uplifting Te Deum
in F and the glorious Evening Service in F with its moving Nunc
Dimitis. The Stanford influence is markedly apparent.
John Ireland was choirmaster for many years in south central London churches:
including Holy Trinity, Sloane Street where he was deputy organist and then
St Luke’s in Chelsea where he was choirmaster and organist for some 22 years.
Two organ pieces are included in this programme: the Elegiac Romance
is lyrical, intensely so from 6.00 onwards. It is a complex piece in technique
and mood. The delightful Capriccio is joyous throughout and I, for
one, could not rid my mind of its association with train-like chuggings; a
joyous holiday treat.
This disc is a treat not only for John Ireland enthusiasts but for all lovers
of English church music.
It was recorded with the generous help of the John Ireland Charitable Trust.
Ian Lace
This disc is a treat not only for John Ireland enthusiasts but for all lovers
of English church music.
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