Michael McHale's Irish Piano Tour

By Terry Blain, 23 May 2014

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Reviewed at Queen's University, Harty Room, Belfast on 22 May 2014

Schubert, Impromptu no. 2 in E flat major, D.899

Field, Nocturne no. 10 in E minor

Chopin, Nocturne no. 18 in E major, Op.62 no.2

Barber, Nocturne "Homage to John Field", Op.33

Wallace, Roslyn Castle

Traditional, Cailín ó cois tSuire Mé ((arr. McHale) )

Traditional, The Coulin ((arr. McHale) )

Hammond, The Beardless Boy

Dennehy, North Circular

Sholdice, Am Koppenplatz

Hammond, Open the door Softly

Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition

Michael McHale, Piano

A lunchtime feast from Michael Collins and Michael McHale

Mark Pullinger, 18th June

Two Michaels – Collins and McHale – provided the musical nourishment in today’s lunchtime recital from Wigmore Hall, a feast of classic clarinet sonatas.

****1

Ulster Youth Orchestra alumni celebrate their founding

Leighton Jones, 29th December

Honouring a quarter-century since their creation, alumni from the orchestra united to give a very special anniversary commemorative concert filled with musical fellowship and pride.

****1

Autumn sunshine and Gallic flair

Mark Pullinger, 26th September

Watery September sunshine and an autumnal air hung over Wigmore Hall, appropriate conditions for a recital of late clarinet sonatas.

****1

Concertos – for violin and for orchestra – from the Hallé

Peter Connors, 22nd March

Viktoria Mullova is a superb soloist in Brahms' Violin Concerto, while an orchestra full of soloists play Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra with Kahchun Wong presiding.

*****

Chopin and Franck reframed with elegance and insight in Dublin

Andrew Larkin, 20th March

In Dublin, Jean-Luc Tingaud and Louis Lortie bring clarity and purpose to two composers often ill at ease with the orchestra.

****1

Kristiina Poska makes an exciting return to conduct the RSNO

Simon Thompson, 20th March

Kristiina Poska directs the RSNO in gripping Tchaikovsky and Pärt, but words and music only occasionally match in Elena Langer's new song cycle.

***11

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Terry Blain

Terry Blain is a freelance arts journalist who writes regularly on classical music, dance and theatre for a variety of publications, including BBC Music Magazine, Opera, Irish Theatre Magazine, Culture Northern Ireland, and the Belfast Telegraph. He is also a Specialist Tutor at the Open University.