By some stretch of the imagination, the piano concertos of Delius and Ireland could be considered Romantic piano concertos and thus merit inclusion in Hyperion's 39th volume of the The Romantic Concerto series. Delius' concerto from 1904 is the more obviously Romantic, with its chromatic melodies, hazy harmonies, and languid forms. Ireland's concerto from 1930 along with his Legend from 1932 are, on the other hand, more of a reach chronologically but not at all emotionally: Ireland was in love with the pianist for whom he ...
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By some stretch of the imagination, the piano concertos of Delius and Ireland could be considered Romantic piano concertos and thus merit inclusion in Hyperion's 39th volume of the The Romantic Concerto series. Delius' concerto from 1904 is the more obviously Romantic, with its chromatic melodies, hazy harmonies, and languid forms. Ireland's concerto from 1930 along with his Legend from 1932 are, on the other hand, more of a reach chronologically but not at all emotionally: Ireland was in love with the pianist for whom he wrote both works and their romance is in full bloom in the central Lento espressivo. Piers Lane is a persuasive advocate in both works, with an agile technique and a full, rich tone. David Lloyd-Jones, one of the best non-London based British conductors, leads the Ulster Orchestra in strong and sympathetic performances. Listeners who know Delius' other orchestral works may be disappointed by his overtly Romantic but more weakly imagined piano concerto, but listeners who don't already...
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