Do you have a favorite Irish classical composer? Are you wracking your brain trying to think of some Irish classical composers?
John Field receives a lot of attention, since he’s credited with being the first composer to write piano pieces called nocturnes (a genre that Chopin picked up and ran with).
John Field Nocturne No. 5
Jim Lange has some Irish selections mixed into his program today. Tune into Classical Music with Jim Lange from 11am to 3pm on WV Public Radio (listen online here)to hear nocturnes by John Field, Barry Douglas playing Beethoven, Leroy Anderson’s “Irish Suite,” and an Irish Symphony by Charles Villiers Stanford (an Irish composer who spent most of his life in England).
Fred Child also had a great mix of music by Irish composers and performers this morning on Performance Today. You can listen to that show online for the next week. The program includes Barry Douglas conducting the Irish Camerata and performances by flutist James Galway. Some of the composers they feature included Turlough O’Carolan and Hamilton Harty (I'll admit, they were both new to me!)
For more, check out our interviews with Barry Douglas and James Galway.
In addition to the music he’ll be playing today, Jim sends this sound advice: “don’t drink the green beer.”