Focus

Live Reviews: Composers' Choice – Elaine Agnew Rachel Holstead NCH, 15th April 2003Katherine Hunka (vn), Juliet Welchman (vc), Judith Mok (sop.), Sophia Rahman (pf)Stravinsky – Suite ItalienneJudith Weir – King Harald’s SagaSzymanowski – La Fontaine d’Arethuse Agnew – Snow-HoleBritten...
Live Reviews: Composers' Choice – Ian Wilson Scott McLaughlin NCH, 17 April 2003Psappha (Instrumental Ensemble)Tim Williams, DirectorWilson – Eat, Sleep, Empire (unterwelt, part 1)Morton Feldman – Why Patterns?Wilson – Involute (unterwelt, part 2)George Crumb – Eleven echoes of autumnIan Wilson...
Live Reviews: Sligo New Music Festival 2003 Scott McLaughlin Model Arts and Niland Gallery, 29 March 2003This year’s Sligo New Music Festival, under the artistic direction of Ian Wilson, was a one day event devoted to Italian composer Salvatore Sciarrino, whose works, though well known on the continent, have been...
Exotica Anonymous Bob Quinn A response Bob Quinn, the maker of the Atlantean films, which traced connections between Ireland and North Africa, to 'Sean-nós singing and exoticism', a review by Lillis Ó Laoire of two sean-nós singing CDs, which appeared in the Jan/Feb issue of JMI.
A Reply to Lillis Ó Laoire Jean Yves Bériou This reply comes from the producer of two sean-nós CDs, by Sarah Grealish and Josie Sheáin Jeaic Mac Donncha, which were reviewed by Lillis Ó Laoire in the last issue. This reply has been translated from French.
Báidín Teoirice a d'Imigh go Toraigh Báidín Teoirice a d'Imigh go Toraigh Antain Mac Lochlainn A review of Ar Chreag i Lár na Farraige: Amhráin agus Amhránaithe i dToraigh, a new book by Lillis Ó Laoire on the song, music and dance of the Gaeltacht community of Tory Island.
Letters: Up North! Reviews Brian Kilfedder Dear Editor,The reviews of the recent so called ‘up-worth’ festival seemed to be written in advance! How can colleagues review concerts of other colleagues’ work (with vested interests) objectively? This smacks of hypocrisy – didn’t...
Letters: Up North! Reviews Steve Nixon Dear EditorWhy does the Dublin-based music media discriminate against Cork musicians? Why did you not review Mark O’Leary’s concert at the Nordic Council music festival?The performance he gave was outstanding, yet it’s Dublin’s third-rate...
The National Ear: Part 2 The National Ear: Part 2 Richard Pine The story so far: in the first extract from his book on music and broadcasting (JMI Vol. 3 No. 2) Richard Pine outlined the instability of the political and social environment in which the government established 2RN, the state broadcasting service, in 1926, and the cultural uncertainties attending the development of Irish identity. In this concluding extract he examines the responses of Irish composers to the question of identity and the role played by broadcasting in sustaining musical activity.

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