(call number MU-vc-34)
Irish Heritage at Wexford
I
Images reproduced courtesy of the National Library of Ireland
rish Heritage at Wexford, curated by pianist and Irish music specialist Una Hunt, is a new venture designed to highlight and showcase the music of Ireland. While little is known about many of Ireland’s musical creators, there is much to discover in the fascinating details of the lives of these often neglected historic composers. And, as the music is largely unavailable and rarely performed or recorded, many gems may await discovery. Over the next three years, the programmes of Irish Heritage at Wexford will include many modern world premieres as well as providing the potential to interact with Ireland’s rich musical heritage.
Vincent Wallace, a copy of which is held in the National Library, was reproduced in 2012 as a centenary commemoration, together with a CD, and featured in concerts Una gave at Wexford Festival Opera in 2012.
Una Hunt has given many first performances of newly-composed and long-forgotten works by Irish composers and has assembled an unrivalled discography of sixteen CDs of world premiere recordings of Irish interest. In 2001 and 2004, she undertook extensive surveys of the music at the National Library of Ireland and supported the Music Library project, aimed at improving access to hitherto unknown music in the Library’s collections. She was artistic director of the concert series Musical Reflections and Gems of Irish Opera held at the Library between 2006 and 2009, and recorded for the RTÉ Lyric fm label a CD of nineteenth century piano music from the National Library’s collections: Fallen Leaves from an Irish Album (2006). She also led the establishment of the first digital archive of music from the National Library with the National Archive of Irish Composers (2010) www.naic.ie, a collaboration between the National Library, DIT Digital Media Centre and the Conservatory of Music and Drama. A volume of vocal and solo piano music by the Irish opera composer William
Irish Connections is a concert of music by two nineteenth century composers and two from the twentieth century, performed by the Irish piano trio Triantán, and explores the connections between them. Dublin-born Balfe was friendly with Limerick-born Osborne, particularly when they both lived in Paris. Moeran was born in England but felt at home in Ireland, living in Kenmare where the Kerry coastline inspired his music. Like Moeran, Enniskillen-born Trimble was influenced by Irish folk song and the pastoral revival of the early twentieth century.
Image Courtesy of The National Library of Ireland
Una is also an experienced broadcaster and has made many documentaries devoted to Irish composers and the music of Ireland for RTÉ. One of this year’s Irish Heritage at Wexford concerts features music by Irish composers for piano trio, while the other gives us a glimpse of music that would have been enjoyed by passengers on Titanic.
Back to Titanic features four singers of the Festival Company and pianist Una Hunt in a programme that showcases music from the playlist of the White Star Line and tells the story of popular music in the early part of the twentieth century. In Titanic’s First and Second class lounges the band played music from the White Star Line songbook. Legend has it that the hymn Nearer my God to Thee was played as the great ship sank.
Irish Heritage at Wexford
61