Tír Na HiFi

Simon has given us the following link to this year’s Dún Laoghaire Summer Organ Concert Series.

Although the details of the contents of each programme has not yet been posted I was wondering, Simon, if there were any of the listed organists that one should make a special effort to hear in this particular line-up?

I actually have some of the programmes on my computer in work, so I'll have a look to see which stand out. Without knowing that, David Titterington and David Adams would be obvious choices. A few of the names are unfamiliar to me so I'll get back to you.

Diapason wrote:I actually have some of the programmes on my computer in work, so I'll have a look to see which stand out. Without knowing that, David Titterington and David Adams would be obvious choices. A few of the names are unfamiliar to me so I'll get back to you.

Thank you for that Simon.

Jared, you can buy a season ticket to all concerts for €100. Good value for those, like yourself, who'll attend all dates...

Good suggestion, Simon....Jared had crossed my mind as well!!

I've had a look at most of the programmes and, it has to be said, it's quite an unusual year. There's an awful lot of early-Baroque music, a fair chunk of modern music, and not so much in between. I assumed it'd be wall-to-wall Liszt and Alain (important anniversaries) but they're not as well-represented as I expected. Even compared to a "normal" year, there's a dearth of Buxtehude, for example (you can decide whether that's a good thing or not!)

So, given that it's always hard to say in advance which will be good anyway, and coupled with the fact that I don't know many of the performers, nor a huge number of the works being played, it's even more difficult than usual to highlight the obvious stand-outs. That said, I'd definitely consider the "organ plus" concerts:

July 10: Carole O'Connor (organ), Anne-Marie O'Farrell (harp), Roger Moffatt (percussion)
July 24: Malcolm Proud (organ), Roisin O'Grady (soprano).

These concerts also have the advantage of having interesting-looking programmes.

For the recitals, I'd stand by my early suggestions of

September 4: David Adams (he closes the series every year, it's generally the highlight.)
June 19: David Titterington (a very famous organist, here as a juror for the organ competition, playing lots of interesting looking early music mixed in with a few 20th Century pieces.)

and throw in

August 21: Stuart Nicholson (organist of St. Patrick's Cathedral, meant to be good, playing a varied programme including the eye-catching "Kiwi Fireworks: Variations on God defend New Zealand" by Paul Spicer.)

I'm expecting lots of other enjoyable recitals, and it should be said that the Irish performers often to a fantastic job compared to the international players, and deliver more enjoyable recitals.

Thank you for that Simon....I appreciate it.

I must say one that interests me is the Malcolm Proud concert as I have heard him on many occasions over the years playing harpsichord but never the organ; I did not even know that he played the instrument!

Diapason wrote:Jared, you can buy a season ticket to all concerts for €100. Good value for those, like yourself, who'll attend all dates...

Organ or not, it would be well worth the 100 Euros (try as I might, I can't find a 'euro' sign on my keyboard... (?) ) just to skip across the Irish Sea and meet all you fine fellas sometime.. ;-))

Brief update: the new series has been launched on the website, and details for the first few concerts are online:

http://www.dunlaoghaireorganconcerts.ie/current

Thank you for that Simon.