Offaly music lovers taken on magical journey

MAIRE McKay took listeners on a musical journey through story and song at Tullamore Gramophone Society's most recent recital.

The trip started in the highlands of Scotland with The Land of the mountain and the flood by Hamish Hamilton and played by the BBC Concert orchestra.

An entertaining Musical Snuffbox came next with the great Florence Foster Jenkins showing off her operatic skills!!

A spell in Ireland gave listeners two jigs – The Dancing Priest and the Irish washerwoman followed by Olc a bheatha seo from Patrick Cassidy and his Children of Lir suite.

Dulra gave the recital Thugamar Féin an Samhradh linn. Flanders Recorder quartet cheered those present with a gailliard – the Fruit of Love, before Gloomy Sunday by Reszo Seress played by the London Concertante.

Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony made the journey smoother and Birdsong recorded by Fintan O'Brien added to the peace.

Night Winds in the Valley by Irish composer Ina Boyle played by the RTE Concert orchestra brought the recital nicely to the tea break.

The second half of the journey began in Donegal with The Vagabond by Vaughan Williams, sung by A.R Johnson, tenor and D Williams on piano. Clannad and Moya Brennan then gave listeners Pill, a RunÓ.

Then came the wonderful Passau organ, and J.S. Bach’s Toccata with Hans Leitner on organ.

Jesu Joy, also by Bach followed with Jacques Louissier on piano. The Iberian peninsula featured on the journey with Danza Lejana from Falla’s Night in the gardens of Spain and a Portuguese Ballada Da Despedida by Fernando Machado Soares.

The recital then landed back in Scotland at the end with Robert Burns and My Love is like a red red rose.

To send listeners home to sleep all joined in singing a lullaby led by recitalist Máire.

The next recital will be given by David Connor on November 30 at 7.30pm in Charleville Centre, Tullamore. All are welcome.