Una Hunt Livres

Focusing on the cultural impact of Thomas Moore's Irish Melodies, this book offers a comprehensive analysis of his influential songs that shaped Irish identity from the nineteenth century onwards. Una Hunt examines both the musical and literary aspects of the 124 songs, exploring their sources and styles. The collaborative efforts of composers Sir John Stevenson and Henry Rowley Bishop are also highlighted. Additionally, the study includes a reappraisal of the musical sources, providing a deeper understanding of Moore's work and its significance in Irish culture.

This critical edition features a unique compilation of original arrangements of the renowned Irish Melodies for solo voice and duet, alongside successful English-language songs with lyrics by Moore. It also includes foreign-language adaptations by esteemed composers such as Schumann, Mendelssohn, Berlioz, and Duparc, making it a valuable resource for both performers and scholars interested in the intersection of Irish music and classical composition.

The rich association between Ireland and France is embodied in music, art and creative writing from both countries and this collection provides a tantalising selection of these interweaving influences. The book presents a vivid picture of interactions between composers, performers, poets and novelists on each side of the Celtic Sea. Surprises abound, with music unexpectedly linking Ireland and France through George Alexander Osborne and Frédéric Chopin, through Thomas Moore and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, through Irish-inspired French opera and a French-directed Irish orchestra. Words and music meet in a Kate O'Brien novel, a musical interpretation of Verlaine and a selection of Paula Meehan's poetry, while the encounter between wine and music creates new possibilities for artistic and cultural expression. Exploring the works and influence of a wide range of figures including James Joyce, Marcel Proust, Jacques Derrida, J. M. Synge, Hélène Cixous, Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin, Hector Berlioz, Maurice Ravel, Neil Jordan and John Field, the essays collected here uncover a wealth of artistic interconnections between France and Ireland.