FÁILTE
W e a r e d e l i g h t e d t o l a u n c h y o u r 1 2 t h a n n u a l C h a m b e r M u s i c
o n V a l e n t i a F e s t i v a l . G o i n g f r o m s t r e n g t h t o s t r e n g t h , w e
h a v e c u r a t e d a r i c h a n d d i v e r s e p r o g r a m m e o f c o n c e r t s ,
m u s i c w o r k s h o p s , i m m e r s i v e e x p e r i e n c e s , a n d p a r t i c i p a t o r y
e v e n t s t h a t c e l e b r a t e m u s i c f r o m a l l o v e r t h e w o r l d . T h e r e ’ s
s o m e t h i n g f o r e v e r y o n e , a n d w e c a n ’ t w a i t t o w e l c o m e y o u
t o t h e i s l a n d .
W i t h g u e s t a r t i s t s f r o m t h e U S A , T a i w a n , t h e U K , a n d I r e l a n d , t h i s y e a r ’ s f e s t i v a l
f e a t u r e s e i g h t c o n c e r t s o v e r f o u r d a y s , p l u s t h e m u c h - l o v e d ‘ M u s i c a l M a p ’ o n t h e
a f t e r n o o n o f S a t u r d a y , 1 6 t h A u g u s t .
O u r o p e n i n g c o n c e r t o n T h u r s d a y , 1 4 t h A u g u s t , i s s p e c i a l l y c u r a t e d a r o u n d ‘ T h e K e r r y
P o l k a a n d M o r e ’ , c o m b i n i n g s t r i n g q u a r t e t s f r o m B o h e m i a a n d S c a n d i n a v i a w i t h s e t s
b y a c c l a i m e d I r i s h m u s i c i a n s J a c k T a l t y ( c o n c e r t i n a ) a n d U l t a n O ’ B r i e n ( f i d d l e ) T h e
S t r i n g E x t r a v a g a n z a F i n a l e o n S u n d a y , 1 7 t h A u g u s t , w i l l b e a j o y f u l c e l e b r a t i o n o f
V i v a l d i c o n c e r t i a n d o t h e r m u s i c a l g e m s W e ’ r e a l s o t h r i l l e d t o f e a t u r e K e r r y n a t i v e s
G a v a n R i n g ( t e n o r ) a n d C o r m a c H e n r y ( f l u t e ) , w h o j o i n u s t h i s y e a r . W i t h a f o c u s o n
m u s i c f r o m A s i a , w e w e l c o m e C h i a - Y i n H u n g o n t h e p i p a a n d g u q i n
C o r e t o t h e p r o g r a m m e a r e m a s t e r p i e c e s o f t h e c h a m b e r r e p e r t o i r e , i n c l u d i n g a
B r a h m s S t r i n g Q u i n t e t , M e n d e l s s o h n P i a n o T r i o , M o z a r t F l u t e Q u a r t e t , a n d m u c h
m o r e O u r a t m o s p h e r i c l a t e - n i g h t c o n c e r t s i n c l u d e ‘ S i l k a n d S t r i n g s ’ o n A u g u s t 1 4 t h
a n d t h e m e d i t a t i v e w o r k s o f P h i l i p G l a s s a n d A r v o P ä r t o n A u g u s t 1 6 . W e a r e h o n o u r e d t o w e l c o m e t h e f o l l o w i n g a r t i s t s : D a r r a g h M o r g a n ( v i o l i n ) , C h a r l e s S p r u i l l ( v i o l i n ) , J a n e A t k i n s ( v i o l a ) , A n d r e e a B a n c i u ( v i o l a ) , P e t e r A d a m s ( c e l l o ) , A d r i a n M a n t u ( c e l l o ) , G a v a n R i n g ( t e n o r ) , C o r m a c H e n r y ( f l u t e ) , C h i a - Y i n H u n g ( p i p a / g u q i n ) , J a c k
T a l t y ( c o n c e r t i n a ) , a n d U l t a n O ’ B r i e n ( f i d d l e ) . t h
T h i s y e a r ’ s f e a t u r e d I r i s h c o m p o s e r i s S i o b h á n C l e a r y , a n d a s a l w a y s , w e p r o u d l y s u p p o r t Y o u n g A r t i s t s a n d e n c o u r a g e c o m m u n i t y e n g a g e m e n t t h r o u g h o u r f e s t i v a l p r o g r a m m e . A l l o f t h i s t a k e s p l a c e a c r o s s a v a r i e t y o f u n i q u e v e n u e s o n b e a u t i f u l
V a l e n t i a I s l a n d . W e l o o k f o r w a r d t o w e l c o m i n g y o u t h i s A u g u s t f o r o u r 1 2 t h F e s t i v a l .
A s e v e r a h u g e t h a n k y o u t o o u r s u p p o r t e r s , v e n u e s , v o l u n t e e r s a n d a u d i e n c e i n m a k i n g t h i s F e s t i v a l e x i s t i n s u c h a m a g i c a l p l a c e .
M a r y D u l l e a A r t i s t i c D i r e c t o r
MUSIC BY THE SEA
FRIDAY, 15th AUGUST 2025 | 7.30pm at Church of the Immaculate Conception, Knightstown with Gavan Ring, tenor, Darragh Morgan, violin, Chase Spruill, violin, Jane Atkins, viola, Peter Adams, cello & Mary Dullea, piano
EVENT PROGRAMME
Ernest J. Moeran: Seven Poems by James Joyce for tenor and piano
Felix Mendelssohn: Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49
INTERVAL
Siobhán Cleary: Will O’ The Wisp for violin and electronics
Ralph Vaughan Williams: On Wenlock Edge for tenor, string quartet and piano
PROGRAMME NOTES
Ernest J. Moeran: SevenPoemsbyJamesJoycefor tenor and piano
E. J. Moeran’s output contains a great deal of vocal music which he himself regarded well By 1929 Irish poetry started to emerge as a source of inspiration, including W. B. Yeats. The ‘Seven Poems by James Joyce’ is a distillation of Joyce’s volume of thirty-six short poems, ‘Chamber Music’ which centred on the poet’s developing relationship with his long-term partner Nora Barnacle. The poetic diction of these poems might also have been an attraction for Moeran.
The poems selected by Moeran characterise different stages in the relationship and the feelings they evoke. ‘Strings in the earth and air’ references the first stirrings of love. In ‘The Merry Green Wood’ the natural world declares the capture of his heart. The brief ‘Bright cap’ is ebullient. ‘The Pleasant Valley’ dwells on the two lovers and in ‘Donnycarney’ the lingering impact of a single kiss is recreated. Autumn arrives in ‘Rain has fallen’ and the piano part accompanies with incessant drips and call to renew their love, before being separated in ‘Now, O now, in this brown land’.
Strings in the earth and air
Strings in the earth and air
Make music sweet; Strings by the river where The willows meet.
There's music along the river For Love wanders there, Pale flowers on his mantle, Dark leaves on his hair.
All softly playing, With head to the music bent, And fingers straying Upon an instrument.
Who goes amid the green wood
Who goes amid the green wood
With springtide all adorning her?
Who goes amid the merry green wood To make it merrier?
Who passes in the sunlight
By ways that know the light footfall? Who passes in the sweet sunlight With mien so virginal?
The ways of all the woodland Gleam with a soft and golden fire? For whom does all the sunny woodland Carry so brave attire?
O, it is for my true love
The woods their rich apparel wear O, it is for my own true love, That is so young and fair.
Bright cap
Bright cap and streamers, He sings in the hollow: Come follow, come follow, All you that love.
Leave dreams to the dreamers That will not after, That song and laughter Do nothing move.
With ribbons streaming
He sings the bolder; In troop at his shoulder The wild bees hum.
And the time of dreaming Dreams is over
As lover to lover, Sweetheart, I come.
The pleasant valley
O cool is the valley now And there, love, will we go
For many a choir is singing now Where Love did sometime go.
And hear you not the thrushes calling, Calling us away?
O cool and pleasant is the valley
And there, love, will we stay.
Donnycarney
O, it was out by Donnycarney
When the bat flew from tree to tree My love and I did walk together; And sweet were the words she said to me.
Along with us the summer wind Went murmuring - O, happily!But softer than the breath of summer Was the kiss she gave to me.
Rain has fallen
Rain has fallen all the day. O come among the laden trees: The leaves lie thick upon the way Of memories.
Staying a little by the way Of memories shall we depart. Come, my beloved, where I may
Speak to your heart.
Now, O now, in this brown land Now, O now, in this brown land Where Love did so sweet music make We two shall wander, hand in hand, Forbearing for old friendship' sake, Nor grieve because our love was gay Which now is ended in this way.
A rogue in red and yellow dress Is knocking, knocking at the tree; And all around our loneliness The wind is whistling merrily. The leaves - they do not sigh at all When the year takes them in the fall.
Now, O now, we hear no more The vilanelle and roundelay! Yet will we kiss, sweetheart, before We take sad leave at close of day. Grieve not, sweetheart, for anythingThe year, the year is gathering.
Felix Mendelssohn Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49
1. Molto allegro agitato
2. Andante con molto tranquillo
3. Scherzo: leggiero e vivace
4. Finale: Allegro assai appassionato
Apart from an early (unpublished) work dating from 1820 the two piano trios, Op. 49 and Op. 66 remain the only works undertaken by Mendelssohn in this medium. The work you will hear this evening was completed in 1839 (at the age of 30) and was published the following year having undergone many alterations by Mendelssohn, even since the production of the first copy of the score. Many of the plates had to be engraved all over again as he continued altering and correcting the score up to the last minute.
The first movement launches us straight into the dark key of D minor with one of the main themes presented on the cello. It is a movement full of contrasts between the sonorous first theme, the easier lyrical second theme in a major key and virtuosic struggles in all parts. The movement ends with a swirling coda in the piano part. The second movement is akin to a ‘Song Without Words’ with a beautifully expressive main theme and a contrasting middle section of a more fervent tone. The Scherzo is a gem of movement, highly reminiscent of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ It passes by very rapidly and great dexterity and lightness of touch are called for from all three parts. The last movement brings us back to D minor and begins in a controlled yet energetic mood. Much of the movement has a very busy piano part with a lot of interruptions! There is also a contrasting expansive melody in B flat major where the cello takes the lead. This eventually leads to D major, the key in which the work triumphantly ends.
INTERVAL -
Siobhán Cleary: WillO’TheWisp(for solo violin and electronics) (second performance)
‘He flits; and with a whippoorwill Mouth calls, and seems to syllable, ‘Come follow me! Come follow me!’
‘Will O’ The Wisp’ – Madison Julius Cawein 1896
The Will O’ The Wisp for solo violin is a flame-like phosphorescence caused by gases from decaying plants in marshy areas. In folklore, a Will O’ The Wisp, or ignis fatuus (Latin for ‘foolish flame’) is an atmospheric ghost light seen by travellers at night, especially over bogs, swamps or marshes. The most general folkloric belief in Ireland, is that they are spirits of a mischievous and often malevolent nature, luring unwary travellers into dangerous situations. With thanks to Jurgen Simpson for engineering the electronics part this evening.
Ralph Vaughan Williams: OnWenlockEdge Poetry by A.E. Housman from A Shropshire Lad
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) studied with Maurice Ravel in Paris for a few months in 1908. This had a profound impact on his compositions. Vaughan Williams had a lifelong interest in the music of Tudor England and this English identity, as well as the ‘French polish’ he termed what he learnt from Ravel, shine through this work.
On Wenlock Edge in its original version for tenor, string quartet, and piano was completed in 1909 (later reworked for tenor and orchestra). The poetry is from A. E. Housman’s, A Shropshire Lad The music is at the same time sophisticated and down-toearth. The setting of the texts gets straight to the message and the engagement with instrumental ‘effects’ is vivid.
We are launched into this idea of French ‘influences’ and ‘English’ sentiment straight away in the first song, for example in how the wind is conjured up and the shimmering of the opening. Vaughan Williams’ approach to text is evident on two levels, the wordpainting itself and bringing out meanings inherent in longer phrases or sections of text. This approach is evidenced throughout the cycle. The fifth song is full of onomatopoeic effects, with the instrumental part of pealing church bells.
The entire cycle really shows a composer who was as accomplished and sophisticated as his continental peers but without forsaking the heritage of English music and poetry. Structurally the emotional centre of the cycle lies in the third and fifth movements (‘Is my team ploughing’ and ‘Bredon Hill’), separated by a relatively fleeting movement, which is a welcome respite between two songs of sustained and focused intensity.
On Wenlock Edge
On Wenlock Edge the wood's in trouble; His forest fleece the Wrekin heaves; The gale, it plies the saplings double, And thick on Severn snow the leaves.
'Twould blow like this through holt and hanger
When Uricon the city stood: 'Tis the old wind in the old anger, But then it threshed another wood.
Then, 'twas before my time, the Roman At yonder heaving hill would stare: The blood that warms an English yeoman, The thoughts that hurt him, they were there.
There, like the wind through woods in riot,
Through him the gale of life blew high; The tree of man was never quiet: Then 'twas the Roman, now 'tis I.
The gale, it plies the saplings double, It blows so hard, 'twill soon be gone: To-day the Roman and his trouble Are ashes under Uricon.
From far, from eve and morning
From far, from eve and morning And yon twelve-winded sky, The stuff of life to knit me Blew hither: here am I.
Now - for a breath I tarry Nor yet disperse apartTake my hand quick and tell me, What have you in your heart.
Speak now, and I will answer; How shall I help you, say; Ere to the wind's twelve quarters I take my endless way.
Is my team ploughing "Is my team ploughing, That I was used to drive And hear the harness jingle When I was man alive?"
Ay, the horses trample, The harness jingles now; No change though you lie under The land you used to plough. "Is my girl happy, That I thought hard to leave, And has she tired of weeping As she lies down at eve?"
Ay, she lies down lightly, She lies not down to weep: Your girl is well contented. Be still, my lad, and sleep.
"Is my friend hearty, Now I am thin and pine, And has he found to sleep in A better bed than mine?"
Yes, lad, I lie easy, I lie as lads would choose; I cheer a dead man's sweetheart, Never ask me whose.
Oh, when I was in love with you Oh, when I was in love with you, Then I was clean and brave, And miles around the wonder grew How well did I behave.
And now the fancy passes by, And nothing will remain, And miles around they'll say that I Am quite myself again.
Bredon Hill
In summertime on Bredon The bells they sound so clear; Round both the shires they ring them In steeples far and near, A happy noise to hear.
Here of a Sunday morning My love and I would lie, And see the coloured counties, And hear the larks so high About us in the sky.
The bells would ring to call her In valleys miles away; "Come all to church, good people; Good people come and pray." But here my love would stay. And I would turn and answer
Among the springing thyme, "Oh, peal upon our wedding, And we will hear the chime, And come to church in time."
But when the snows at Christmas On Bredon top were strown, My love rose up so early And stole out unbeknown And went to church alone.
They tolled the one bell only, Groom there was none to see, The mourners followed after, And so to church went she, And would not wait for me. The bells they sound on Bredon, And still the steeples hum, "Come all to church, good people."O noisy bells, be dumb; I hear you, I will come.
Clun
In valleys of springs of rivers, By Ony and Teme and Clun, The country for easy livers, The quietest under the sun,
We still had sorrows to lighten, One could not be always glad, And lads knew trouble at Knighton, When I was a Knighton lad.
By bridges that Thames runs under, In London, the town built ill, 'Tis sure small matter for wonder If sorrow is with one still.
And if as a lad grows older The troubles he bears are more, He carries his griefs on a shoulder That handselled them long before.
Where shall one halt to deliver
This luggage I'd lief set down? Not Thames, not Teme is the river, Nor London nor Knighton the town:
'Tis a long way further than Knighton, A quieter place than Clun, Where doomsday may thunder and lighten
And little 'twill matter to one.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
Full biographies are available on our website. You can scan this QR code on your phone or tablet to take you straight there:
SAVE THE DATE
We also look forward to welcoming you to our 2026 festival, so why not pop the date in your diary now? Join us Thursday 13th to Sunday 16th August 2026
JOIN US AT OUR UPCOMING EVENTS
SATURDAY, 16 AUGUST 2025
Family Concert at the Lighthouse Concert 11.00am | Lighthouse, Cromwell Point
Musical Map Live Events Experience
Celebration of Kerry Concert
Folk Effects Concert
Pärt and Glass Concert
SUNDAY, 17 AUGUST 2025
Mozart meets the Pipa
String Extravaganza Finale
From 2.00pm | All across Valentia Island
6.15pm | Church of the Immaculate Conception
7.30pm | Church of the Immaculate Conception
9.30pm | Church of the Immaculate Conception
1.00pm | Church of St. Dorarca and St. Teresa, Chapeltown
7.30pm | Church of the Immaculate Conception, Knightstown
To find out more about our 2025 events, please visit www.chambermusiconvalentia.com/your-2025-festival/ or call +353 (83) 096 5977
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