Focus

A Poetic Four A Poetic Four James Camien McGuiggan Il Ritorno del Angelo – a new group featuring Barry Guy, Olesya Zdorovetska, Nick Roth and Izumi Kimura – have just released 'Spring & Asura', an album of four new improvised works. James Camien McGuiggan reviews.
Charting a Period of Extraordinary Change in Irish Traditional Music Charting a Period of Extraordinary Change in Irish Traditional Music Méabh Ní Fhuartháin Cork University Press has recently published a third edition of the landmark 'Companion to Irish Traditional Music' edited by Fintan Vallely. Méabh Ní Fhuartháin reviews.
Traditional Tunes as Points of Departure Traditional Tunes as Points of Departure Adrian Scahill Córas Trio – Kevin McCullagh, Paddy McKeown and Conor McAuley – have just released their debut album of experimental traditional music. Adrian Scahill reviews.
Dark Tales in a City at Play Dark Tales in a City at Play Brendan Finan Brendan Finan reviews the musical fare at the opening weekend of the 2024 Kilkenny Arts Festival, including the Carducci Quartet, Chamber Choir Ireland, Bassekou Kouyate, and Emma O'Halloran's operas 'Trade' and 'Mary Motorhead'.
An Expressive Portrait An Expressive Portrait James Camien McGuiggan Composer Greg Caffrey has just released 'Environments', an orchestral album featuring the Ulster Orchestra conducted by Sinead Hayes, guitarist Craig Ogden and pianist Daniel Browell. James Camien McGuiggan reviews.
Crash the Universe Crash the Universe Brendan Finan Crash Ensemble's two most recent recordings focus on works by Irish composer Sam Perkin and Canadian Bekah Simms. Brendan Finan reviews 'Children in the Universe' and 'Metamold', both released on the group's own label.
Stanford Revisited Stanford Revisited Áine Mulvey Jeremy Dibble has recently published a revised and expanded version of his major work 'Charles Villiers Stanford: Man and Musician', marking the centenary of the composer's death. Áine Mulvey reviews.
A Remarkable Conversation A Remarkable Conversation James Camien McGuiggan The Blue Chopsticks label has just released 'In the Merry Month of May', a collaboration between Irish composer Jennifer Walshe and the late American experimental artist Tony Conrad who died in 2016. James Camien McGuiggan reviews.
Silence is Not Complicity: A Reply to Sebastian Adams Silence is Not Complicity: A Reply to Sebastian Adams Adrian Smith In a previous article in the Journal of Music, composer Sebastian Adams criticised music organisations for not supporting activist musicians. Here, music writer Adrian Smith replies and makes the case for the political independence of promoters.
'Never since .... have I forgotten Erin': The Life and Work of Irish Composer William Vincent Wallace 'Never since .... have I forgotten Erin': The Life and Work of Irish Composer William Vincent Wallace Una Hunt On Friday 26 July at the National Concert Hall, the National Symphony Orchestra and Heritage Music Productions will present a concert performance of Waterford-born William Vincent Wallace's opera 'Lurline'. In this essay, Una Hunt explores his adventurous life and key works.

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