The rise and fall of Dublin’s Golden Age
presented by students from the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin

Eílis Fox – soprano
Martina O’Connell – flute
Kevin Meehan – violin
Sophie  Ní Mhaoláin – cello
Laoise McMullin and David Adams – pianoforte

GF Handel from the Water Music, arr. for two performers on the harpsichord or piano forte by Thomas Carter
Philip Cogan Sonata II in B flat major, from Six Grand Sonatas for the Piano Forte or Harpsichord with an accompaniment for a Violin
Thomas Moore Sweet seducer for voice and piano
Thomas Moore ‘Tis the last Rose of Summer for voice and ensemble
F Kalkbrenner Variations on The last Rose of Summer from Fantasie pour le Piano-Forte sur un Air Irlandais
Ignaz Moscheles For Erin is my Home for voice and ensemble
Thomas Carter Sonata III in Eb major, from Six Sonatas for the Harpsichord or Piano Forte with an accompaniment for a Violin and Violoncello
John Stevenson Come tell me says Rosa, voice, piano and speaker
John Stevenson Those Ev’ning Bells for voice and piano
GT Giordani Sonata II in D major, pour le clavecin, flute, violon et violoncello
GT Giordani Caro mio ben for voice and ensemble
TT Bennison La Retour de Wicklow: Aria Pastorale, Pas Seul and Waltz (1800) for ensemble

This delightful programme presents music from the Golden Age in Dublin when artistic endeavour was centred around the viceregal court. Many visiting musicians and composers contributed to one of the liveliest music scenes in Europe, and sets of variations on Irish tunes were popular everywhere. With the Act of Union and the abolition of the Irish parliament in 1800, the aristocracy departed and patronage declined. The life of the practising musician once more became precarious. The music is eclectic and entertaining: Handel, Giordani, Cogan, Moscheles, Thomas Moore; sonatas, dances, songs, arrangements of orchestral music, baroque, classical, traditional Irish and everything in between.