Some listening for St Patrick's Day

St Patrick’s Day falls on Thursday March 17, a day marked with even more gusto by ex-patriate Irishmen than by those who’ve stayed at home. I remember having a drink with (the Scotsman) Donald Runnicles in an Irish bar in New York on St Patrick’s Day a few years back and we were both stunned at the energy levels. When it comes to 'classical' music one of the richest seams is the wealth of folksong that infuses the ‘art music’. And one of the most famous of all Irish melodies is the one known as the Londonderry Air, and it’ll not doubt be sung in every corner of the globe where an Irish man or woman can be found. Ironically, the words to Danny Boy (which uses that tune) were written almost exactly 100 years ago by an Englishman Frederic Weatherly (who never actually set foot in Ireland) – but they touch a chord so perfectly that they can be heard both sides of the Irish border. Well, with another St Patrick’s Day nearly upon us again, here’s ten appropriate pieces to turn the thoughts to the Emerald Isle – and I couldn't resist opting for Elisabeth Schwarzkopf's poised, gentle and delightfully accented recording of Danny Boy with Gerald Moore at the piano (have a listen via Spotify).

Balfe Falstaff Soloists; Chorus RTE Concert Orchestra / Marco Zambelli (RTE Lyric FM) Buy from Amazon

Bax Cathaleen-ni-Hoolihan BBC Philharmonic / Martyn Brabbins (Chandos) Buy from Amazon

Field Piano Concertos Nos 5 & 6 Benjamin Frith (pf) Northern Sinfonia / David Haslam (Naxos) Buy from Amazon

Fleischmann Orchestral works RTE Philharmonic Choir; RTE National SO / Robert Houlihan (RTE Lyric FM) Buy from Amazon

Grainger Irish Tune from County Derry BBC Philharmonic / Richard Hickox (Chandos) Buy from Amazon

Harty An Irish Symphony Ulster Orchestra / Bryden Thomson (Chandos) Buy from Amazon

Hughes Songs A Purse of Gold – Irish Songs Ailish Tynan (sop) Iain Burnside (pf) (Signum) Download from Amazon

Stanford Symphony No 3, “Irish” Ulster Orchestra / Vernon Handley (Chandos) Buy from Amazon

Stanford Irish Rhapsody No 1 Ulster Orchestra / Vernon Handley (Chandos) Buy from Amazon

Trad Danny Boy Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (sop) Gerald Moore (pf) (EMI) Buy from Amazon