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There are not many recordings available at the moment, but there are some.
Here I will tell you more about those I have myself:
 | The collected
orchestral works. Chandos CHAN
7053 (3) or as three single CDs (CHAN 7032/7033/7034), at mid price. |
The performers on these recordings are:
| Heather Harper, soprano |
| Ralph Holmes, violin |
| Malcolm Binns, piano |
| The Ulster orchestra is conducted by Bryden Thomson |
All recordings are from the period 1979-1983. All recordings are
digital.
This box includes the following works:
| An Irish symphony |
| A comedy overture |
| Ode to a Nightingale |
| Violin concerto in D minor |
| With the wild geese |
| Variations on a Dublin air |
| Piano concerto in B minor |
| In Ireland (the
orchestrated version) |
| The Children of Lir |
This is THE ultimate Harty recordings. This box includes all of his
orchestral works, and therefore it is a must for everyone who like his music.
My favourite work from this box is his orchestral poem (with wordless soprano)
The Children of Lir, also his last composition (finished 1938). I am no
musical expert, so I can't discuss his music in details. But there are some
real gems in this set, no doubt. His Irish symphony is very good, and the same
is his Piano concerto in B minor. These works, and his Irish fantasy and the Lir are the ones I like best. All works are very good, and
I recommend you highly to listen to some of his works.
| Water music etc.
Chandos Collect CHAN 6583, mid price. More info.
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Harty made several arrangements during his lifetime, and here we have three
of them: A John Field suite, Suite from Händel's Water music and The
Londonderry air. A John Field suite is made from piano pieces and the Water
music suite is a rearrangement from Händel's original suite. Both suites are
very good, and are highly recommended. He has not done anything drastic with
the music, just another orchestration and arrangement. The Londonderry air is
also included on this CD, a piece with strings and harp, with solo violin.
It's based on the famous melody with the same name. It's a very beautiful
piece of music, and it does full justice to the wonderful melody. As a filler,
Chandos has included In Ireland, it's the same recording as used in the 3CD box
mentioned above.
| Music of the four
countries. EMI Classics for Pleasure CDCPF 4635, budget price. More
info |
This CD is a very good collection of British orchestral works. It's one
from each of the British nations + Ireland. It's Maccunn from Scotland, German
from Wales, Smyth from England and Harty from Ireland. All of these four works
are very good. Only of them is not a separate work and that is the Smyth
overture. It's the overture from the opera The Wreckers (a complete recording
is available on Conifer records CDCF 250/1, 2CD), a highly recommended opera.
Harty's With the Wild Geese are probably his most known work, and it's indeed
a very good one. This CD is highly recommended for anyone who likes British
music.
| Irish fantasy.
Continuum records CCD 1051, full price. More info
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This CD includes one Harty work, Irish fantasy, a work from 1912. It's the
title work, and it's for violin and piano. It is folk inspired, and it's a fun
piece to listen to. I like this piece very much, and it's one of my favourite
Harty work. It's the only one of Harty's chamber works that I have heard
myself. More recordings please!! Other composers represented on this CD are
Stanford, Ferguson, Esposito and several traditional pieces. I like this CD
very much, and I have enjoyed it immensely. I can highly recommend this CD to
everyone who likes beautiful music!
Not rewied yet:
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