Short bio John Ireland
Birthday:
1879 in Inglewood, Bowden, Cheshire, England
Died:
1962 in Rock Mill, Washington, Sussex, England
Active:
1900s - 1950s
Genre:
Classical,Avant-Garde
Period:
20th Century, Modern
Full biography John Ireland
John Ireland (1879-1962) was an English composer and teacher of music who is known for his compositions in small forms such as piano miniatures ), chamber music, and songs. He was born in Bowdon, Cheshire, England, into a family of amateur musicians and studied at the Royal College of Music in London. His early compositions were influenced by French Impressionism and the works of Edward Elgar.
Ireland worked as a church organist and choirmaster for many years, most notably at St. Luke's Church in Chelsea, London, where he worked for over two decades. He also taught at the Royal College of Music and was highly regarded as a teacher, inspiring many young composers.
Ireland's compositions are marked by their lyricism, harmonic complexity, and use of folk melodies. Some of his best-known works include the piano piece "The Island Spell", the song cycle "These Things Shall Be", and the Chamber Music No. 1 for clarinet, cello, and piano. Despite his prolific output, Ireland did not write any symphonies or operas, preferring instead to focus on smaller forms of music.
In addition to composing, Ireland was also an editor and writer on music. He wrote a book on harmony and counterpoint, as well as a series of articles for the magazine The Listener.
Overall, John Ireland remains an important figure in the history of British classical music, known for his distinctive style and contributions to the chamber music and song repertoire.
Compositions featuring John Ireland
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scherzo and Cortège on themes from "Julius Caesar", for orchestra (arr. by G. Bush) | 6:43 min | Orchestral | 1970 |
| 2 | Elegaic Meditation, for string orchestra (arr. by Geoffrey Bush) | 5:14 min | Orchestral | 1958 |
| 3 | Meditation on John Keble's "Rogotation Hymn", for organ | 6:06 min | Keyboard | 1958 |
| 4 | Psalm 23, baritone solo | 1:42 min | Choral | 1958 |
| 5 | Adam lay ybounden, for chorus | 1:31 min | Choral | 1956 |
| 6 | The Hills, for chorus | 2:56 min | Choral | 1953 |
| 7 | The Holy Boy, version for brass ensemble (arr. by R.E. Stepp) | 2:32 min | Chamber Music | 1950 |
| 8 | Columbine, for piano | 3:40 min | Keyboard | 1949 |
| 9 | Impromptu (Ballerina), for piano | 4:38 min | Keyboard | 1949 |
| 10 | Sampford, hymn for chorus | 2:05 min | Choral | 1947 |
| 11 | A Maritime Overture, for brass band | 9:35 min | Band Music | 1946 |
| 12 | The Overlanders, film score | 20:05 min | Film Score | 1946 |
| 13 | Ex ore innocentium, for soprano, alto & piano (or organ) | 3:30 min | Vocal Music | 1944 |
| 14 | Satyricon, overture for orchestra | 9:31 min | Orchestral | 1944 |
| 15 | Fantasy-Sonata, for clarinet & piano in E flat major | 13:33 min | Chamber Music | 1943 |
| 16 | Immortality, for chorus | 3:37 min | Choral | 1942 |
| 17 | A New Year carol, for chorus | 1:15 min | Choral | 1941 |
| 18 | Epic March, for orchestra | 8:42 min | Orchestral | 1941 |
| 19 | Evening Service (Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis), for chorus & organ in C major | 4:37 min | Choral | 1941 |
| 20 | Pastels (3), for piano | 6:46 min | Keyboard | 1941 |
| 21 | The Holy Boy, version for chorus | 2:55 min | Choral | 1941 |
| 22 | The Holy Boy, version for string orchestra or string quartet | 2:52 min | Orchestral | 1941 |
| 23 | Sarnia: An Island Sequence, pieces (3) for piano | 15:42 min | Keyboard | 1940 |
| 24 | Concertino Pastorale (Threnody), for string orchestra | 18:20 min | Orchestral | 1939 |
| 25 | A thanksgiving, for voice & piano (from "Sixteenth-Century Poems (5)") | 1:55 min | Vocal Music | 1938 |
| 26 | Green Ways: Three Lyric Pieces, for piano | 8:45 min | Keyboard | 1938 |
| 27 | Piano Trio No. 3 in E major | 25:53 min | Chamber Music | 1938 |
| 28 | Sixteenth-Century Poems (5), for voice & piano | 9:45 min | Vocal Music | 1938 |
| 29 | The Holy Boy, version for voice & piano (or strings) | 3:02 min | Vocal Music | 1938 |
| 30 | These Things Shall Be, for baritone, chorus & orchestra | 18:39 min | Choral | 1937 |
| 31 | A London Overture, for orchestra | 12:27 min | Orchestral | 1936 |
| 32 | Comedy Overture, for brass band | 11:30 min | Band Music | 1934 |
| 33 | Legend, for piano & orchestra (also 2 pianos) | 12:36 min | Concerto | 1933 |
| 34 | Month's Mind, for piano | 4:43 min | Keyboard | 1933 |
| 35 | A Downland Suite, arrangement for orchestra (completed by G. Bush) | 16:11 min | Orchestral | 1932 |
| 36 | A Downland Suite, pieces (4) for brass band | 10:47 min | Band Music | 1932 |
| 37 | Indian Summer, for piano | 2:14 min | Keyboard | 1932 |
| 38 | Tutto è sciolto, for voice & piano | 2:00 min | Vocal Music | 1932 |
| 39 | Piano Concerto in E flat major | 25:02 min | Concerto | 1930 |
| 40 | Ballad, for piano | 9:43 min | Keyboard | 1929 |
| 41 | Ballade of London Nights, for piano | 7:03 min | Keyboard | 1929 |
| 42 | If we must part, a valedictation for voice & piano | 2:04 min | Vocal Music | 1929 |
| 43 | Pieces (2) for piano (1929-30) | 6:46 min | Keyboard | 1929 |
| 44 | Songs Sacred and Profane, songs (6) for voice & piano | 13:02 min | Vocal Music | 1929 |
| 45 | The Salley Gardens, for voice & piano (from "Songs Sacred and Profane") | 2:30 min | Vocal Music | 1929 |
| 46 | During Music, for voice & piano (from Two Songs, 1928) | 2:36 min | Vocal Music | 1928 |
| 47 | Songs (2), for voice & piano (1928) | 6:35 min | Vocal Music | 1928 |
| 48 | Tryst, for voice & piano (from Two Songs, 1928) | 3:45 min | Vocal Music | 1928 |
| 49 | New prince, new pomp, for chorus | 3:00 min | Choral | 1927 |
| 50 | Spring will not wait, for piano | 3:56 min | Keyboard | 1927 |
| 51 | We'll to the woods no more, songs (3) for voice & piano | 8:04 min | Vocal Music | 1927 |
| 52 | Piano Sonatina | 10:12 min | Keyboard | 1926 |
| 53 | Songs (3) for voice & piano (1926) | 7:48 min | Vocal Music | 1926 |
| 54 | Songs (5) to poems by Thomas Hardy, for voice & piano | 10:40 min | Vocal Music | 1926 |
| 55 | April, for piano (from "2 Pieces" [1925]) | 3:59 min | Keyboard | 1925 |
| 56 | Great things, for voice & piano | 2:16 min | Vocal Music | 1925 |
| 57 | Her song, for voice & piano (from "Songs (3) to Poems by Thomas Hardy") | 2:56 min | Vocal Music | 1925 |
| 58 | Pieces (2) for piano (1925) | 6:27 min | Keyboard | 1925 |
| 59 | Santa Chiara (Palm Sunday, Naples), for voice & piano | 2:40 min | Vocal Music | 1925 |
| 60 | Songs (3) to Poems by Thomas Hardy, for voice & piano | 6:52 min | Vocal Music | 1925 |
| 61 | Prelude, for piano in E flat major | 5:32 min | Keyboard | 1924 |
| 62 | They told me, Heraclitus, for TTBB chorus | 2:41 min | Choral | 1924 |
| 63 | What are you thinking of?, for voice & piano | 3:26 min | Vocal Music | 1924 |
| 64 | When I am dead, my dearest, for voice & piano | 1:56 min | Vocal Music | 1924 |
| 65 | Sonata for cello & piano in G minor | 20:38 min | Chamber Music | 1923 |
| 66 | Equinox, for piano | 2:45 min | Keyboard | 1922 |
| 67 | On a birthday morning, for piano | 3:04 min | Keyboard | 1922 |
| 68 | Soliloquy, for piano | 3:29 min | Keyboard | 1922 |
| 69 | The vagabond, for voice & piano | 2:07 min | Vocal Music | 1922 |
| 70 | Twilight night, for chorus | 2:50 min | Choral | 1922 |
| 71 | Fain would I change that note, for chorus | 2:18 min | Choral | 1921 |
| 72 | Love is a sickness full of woes, for voice & piano | 2:31 min | Vocal Music | 1921 |
| 73 | Pieces (2) for piano (1921) | 7:23 min | Keyboard | 1921 |
| 74 | The Merry Month of May, for voice & piano | 1:36 min | Vocal Music | 1921 |
| 75 | Epilogue (You smile upon your friend to-day), for voice & piano (from "The Land of Lost Content") | 1:39 min | Vocal Music | 1920 |
| 76 | Goal and wicket (Twice a week the winter thorough), for voice & piano (from "The Land of Lost Content") | 1:13 min | Vocal Music | 1920 |
| 77 | Ladslove, for voice & piano (from "The Land of Lost Content") | 2:32 min | Vocal Music | 1920 |
| 78 | Mai-Dun, symphonic rhapsody for orchestra | 11:32 min | Orchestral | 1920 |
| 79 | Songs (2), for voice & piano (1920) | 4:54 min | Vocal Music | 1920 |
| 80 | The Darkened Valley, for piano | 3:31 min | Keyboard | 1920 |
| 81 | The East Riding, for voice & piano | 1:35 min | Vocal Music | 1920 |
| 82 | The encounter (The street sounds to the soldiers' tread), for voice & piano (from "The Land of Lost Content") | 1:23 min | Vocal Music | 1920 |
| 83 | The Journey, for voice & piano | 1:19 min | Vocal Music | 1920 |
| 84 | The Land of Lost Content, cycle of 6 songs for voice & piano | 11:01 min | Vocal Music | 1920 |
| 85 | The Lent lily ('Tis spring; come out to ramble), for voice & piano (from "The Land of Lost Content") | 2:37 min | Vocal Music | 1920 |
| 86 | The Three Ravens, folk song arrangement for voice & piano | 3:49 min | Vocal Music | 1920 |
| 87 | The Trellis, for voice & piano (from "2 Songs [1920]") | 2:52 min | Vocal Music | 1920 |
| 88 | The Vain Desire (If truth in hearts that perish), for voice & piano (from "The Land of Lost Content") | 2:31 min | Vocal Music | 1920 |
| 89 | When May is in his prime, for chorus | 3:01 min | Choral | 1920 |
| 90 | When I am old, for voice & piano | 2:41 min | Vocal Music | 192? |
| 91 | Hawthorn Time ('Tis time, I think, by Wenlock town), for voice & piano | 1:41 min | Vocal Music | 1919 |
| 92 | Love unknown, hymn tune for chorus | 4:17 min | Choral | 1919 |
| 93 | Summer Evening, for piano | 4:02 min | Keyboard | 1919 |
| 94 | The Holy Boy, version for cello & piano | 2:59 min | Chamber Music | 1919 |
| 95 | The Holy Boy, version for organ (arr. by Alec Rowley) | 3:10 min | Keyboard | 1919 |
| 96 | The Holy Boy, version for violin & piano | 3:13 min | Chamber Music | 1919 |
| 97 | A song of March, for unison voices & piano | 1:07 min | Choral | 1918 |
| 98 | Blow out you Bugles, for voice & piano | 2:52 min | Vocal Music | 1918 |
| 99 | Earth's Call (A Sylvan Rhapsody), for voice & piano | 5:12 min | Vocal Music | 1918 |
| 100 | I have twelve oxen, for voice & piano | 1:58 min | Vocal Music | 1918 |
| 101 | If there were dreams to sell, for voice & piano | 2:19 min | Vocal Music | 1918 |
| 102 | Leaves from a Child's Sketchbook, pieces (3) for piano | 5:12 min | Keyboard | 1918 |
| 103 | Merry Andrew, for piano | 3:01 min | Keyboard | 1918 |
| 104 | Mother and Child, cycle of 8 songs for voice & piano | 9:32 min | Vocal Music | 1918 |
| 105 | Piano Sonata in E minor | 22:25 min | Keyboard | 1918 |
| 106 | Remember, for voice & piano | 1:45 min | Vocal Music | 1918 |
| 107 | Songs (3) to Poems by Arthur Symons, for voice & piano | 7:16 min | Vocal Music | 1918 |
| 108 | Spring Sorrow, for voice & piano | 2:25 min | Vocal Music | 1918 |
| 109 | The bells of San Marie, for voice & piano | 2:47 min | Vocal Music | 1918 |
| 110 | The Sacred Flame, for voice & piano | 2:08 min | Vocal Music | 1918 |
| 111 | The Towing Path, for piano | 3:47 min | Keyboard | 1918 |
| 112 | Variations (3) on "Cadet Rousselle", folk song arrangement for voice & piano | 6:10 min | Vocal Music | 1918 |
| 113 | Chelsea Reach, for piano (from "London Pieces") | 6:04 min | Keyboard | 1917 |
| 114 | London Pieces, pieces (3) for piano | 8:37 min | Keyboard | 1917 |
| 115 | Songs (2), for voice & piano (1917-1918) | 5:13 min | Vocal Music | 1917 |
| 116 | The Heart's Desire (The boys are up the woods with day), for voice & piano | 2:29 min | Vocal Music | 1917 |
| 117 | The Soldier, for voice & piano (from Songs (2) 1917-1918) | 2:34 min | Vocal Music | 1917 |
| 118 | Trio No. 2 (Piano Trio) in E major | 13:26 min | Chamber Music | 1917 |
| 119 | A garrison churchyard, for voice & piano | 2:16 min | Vocal Music | 1916 |
| 120 | Songs (2), for voice & piano (1916) | 2:41 min | Vocal Music | 1916 |
| 121 | Evening Service (Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis), for chorus & organ in F major | 4:06 min | Choral | 1915 |
| 122 | Island Praise (Island Hymn), for TTBB chorus | 1:55 min | Choral | 1915 |
| 123 | Rhapsody, for piano | 8:14 min | Keyboard | 1915 |
| 124 | Sonata for violin & piano No. 2 in A minor | 26:48 min | Chamber Music | 1915 |
| 125 | Jubilate Deo, for chorus & organ in F major | 2:34 min | Choral | 1914 |
| 126 | Communion Service in C major, for chorus & organ | 14:28 min | Choral | 1913 |
| 127 | Dances (3), for piano | 6:52 min | Keyboard | 1913 |
| 128 | Marigold, impressions (3) for voice & piano | 11:50 min | Vocal Music | 1913 |
| 129 | Nurses' song (Sunset play), for unison voices & piano | 1:18 min | Choral | 1913 |
| 130 | Porto Rico, for voice & piano | 2:11 min | Vocal Music | 1913 |
| 131 | Preludes, pieces (4) for piano | 8:03 min | Keyboard | 1913 |
| 132 | Sea fever, for voice & piano | 2:29 min | Vocal Music | 1913 |
| 133 | Song from o'er the hill, for voice & piano | 2:34 min | Vocal Music | 1913 |
| 134 | Spleen, for voice & piano (from "Marigold") | 3:19 min | Vocal Music | 1913 |
| 135 | The Almond Tree, for piano | 3:38 min | Keyboard | 1913 |
| 136 | The echoeing green, for soprano, alto & piano | 2:02 min | Vocal Music | 1913 |
| 137 | The Forgotten Rite, prelude for orchestra | 7:47 min | Orchestral | 1913 |
| 138 | The Holy Boy, prelude for piano (from Preludes (4)) | 3:09 min | Keyboard | 1913 |
| 139 | The Undertone, for piano (from Preludes (4)) | 2:48 min | Keyboard | 1913 |
| 140 | A cradle song, for chorus | 2:31 min | Choral | 1912 |
| 141 | Aubade, for soprano, alto & piano | 1:36 min | Vocal Music | 1912 |
| 142 | Bed in summer, for unison voices (or solo voice) & piano | 1:16 min | Choral | 1912 |
| 143 | Benedictus, for chorus & organ in F major | 4:59 min | Choral | 1912 |
| 144 | Decorations, pieces (3) for piano | 9:17 min | Keyboard | 1912 |
| 145 | Evening song, for soprano, alto & piano | 2:49 min | Vocal Music | 1912 |
| 146 | Greater Love Hath No Man, motet for treble, baritone, chorus & organ | 6:07 min | Choral | 1912 |
| 147 | Here's to the ships!, for voice & piano | 2:24 min | Vocal Music | 1912 |
| 148 | See how the morning smiles, for soprano, alto & piano | 2:33 min | Vocal Music | 1912 |
| 149 | Alla Marcia, for organ | 2:59 min | Keyboard | 1911 |
| 150 | Alpine Song, for unison voices & piano | 1:33 min | Choral | 1911 |
| 151 | Bagatelle, for violin & piano | 2:45 min | Chamber Music | 1911 |
| 152 | Billee Bowline, for voice & piano | 2:12 min | Vocal Music | 1911 |
| 153 | Capriccio, for organ | 5:33 min | Keyboard | 1911 |
| 154 | Hillo, my bonny, for voice & piano | 1:44 min | Vocal Music | 1911 |
| 155 | Hope the Hornblower, for voice & piano | 1:41 min | Vocal Music | 1911 |
| 156 | In praise of Neptune, for unison voices & piano | 1:52 min | Choral | 1911 |
| 157 | In summer woods (How jubilant the summer sky), for soprano, alto & piano | 1:32 min | Vocal Music | 1911 |
| 158 | Love's window, for voice & piano | 2:08 min | Vocal Music | 1911 |
| 159 | Slumber song, for soprano, alto & piano | 1:50 min | Vocal Music | 1911 |
| 160 | Spring, for soprano, alto & piano | 1:39 min | Vocal Music | 1911 |
| 161 | Sursum Corda, for organ | 4:28 min | Keyboard | 1911 |
| 162 | When lights go rolling round the sky, for voice & piano | 2:39 min | Vocal Music | 1911 |
| 163 | A laughing song, for chorus | 1:10 min | Choral | 1910 |
| 164 | Annabel Lee, recitation for voice & piano | 3:58 min | Vocal Music | 1910 |
| 165 | Cupid, for chorus | 1:12 min | Choral | 1910 |
| 166 | Full fathom five, for soprano, alto & piano | 1:18 min | Vocal Music | 1908 |
| 167 | Sonata for violin & piano No. 1 in D minor | 29:15 min | Chamber Music | 1908 |
| 168 | Spring, the sweet spring, for chorus | 1:49 min | Choral | 1908 |
| 169 | There is a garden in her face, for soprano, alto & piano | 2:58 min | Vocal Music | 1908 |
| 170 | Te Deum, for chorus & organ in F major | 7:19 min | Choral | 1907 |
| 171 | Phantasie, for piano trio in A minor | 11:43 min | Chamber Music | 1906 |
| 172 | Weep you no more, sad fountains, song for 4 voices & piano | 2:10 min | Vocal Music | 1906 |
| 173 | Eastergate, hymn tune for chorus | 2:35 min | Choral | 1905 |
| 174 | First Rhapsody, for piano in C sharp major | 12:18 min | Keyboard | 1905 |
| 175 | Cavatina, for organ (after version for violin & piano) | 6:06 min | Keyboard | 1904 |
| 176 | Cavatina, for violin & piano | 3:18 min | Chamber Music | 1904 |
| 177 | Marcia popolare, for organ | 6:28 min | Keyboard | 1904 |
| 178 | Minuetto-Impromptu, for organ | 6:13 min | Keyboard | 1904 |
| 179 | Orchestral Poem, for orchestra in A minor | 13:36 min | Orchestral | 1904 |
| 180 | Villanella, for organ (or piano) | 4:07 min | Keyboard | 1904 |
| 181 | Songs of a Wayfarer, songs (5) for voice & piano | 11:42 min | Vocal Music | 1903 |
| 182 | When daffodils begin to peer, for voice & piano (from "Songs of a Wayfarer") | 2:13 min | Vocal Music | 1903 |
| 183 | Berceuse, for violin & piano | 3:25 min | Chamber Music | 1902 |
| 184 | Elegaic Romance, for organ | 9:43 min | Keyboard | 1902 |
| 185 | A Sea Idyll, 3 movements for piano | 10:50 min | Keyboard | 1899 |
| 186 | Tritons, symphonic prelude for orchestra | 10:55 min | Orchestral | 1899 |
| 187 | Sextet, for clarinet, horn & string quartet | 29:00 min | Chamber Music | 1898 |
| 188 | Vexilla Regis, for soprano, alto, tenor, bass, chorus, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones & organ | 11:34 min | Choral | 1898 |
| 189 | String Quartet No. 1 in D minor | 23:22 min | Chamber Music | 1897 |
| 190 | String Quartet No. 2 in C minor | 33:22 min | Chamber Music | 1897 |
| 191 | Pastoral, for piano | 4:32 min | Keyboard | 1896 |
| 192 | In Those Days ("Daydream"; "Meridian"), pieces (2) for piano | 6:16 min | Keyboard | 1895 |
| 193 | The peaceful western wind, for chorus | 2:11 min | Choral | 189? |
| 194 | Amberley Wild Brooks, for piano | 3:53 min | Keyboard | - |
| 195 | Miniature Suite, for organ | 8:29 min | Keyboard | - |
| 196 | My song is love unknown, hymn for chorus | 3:17 min | Choral | - |
| 197 | Pieces (2) from A Downland Suite, for piano | 7:32 min | Keyboard | - |
| 198 | Songs of a Great War, songs (2) for voice & piano | 3:13 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 199 | Symphonic Studies (2) from "The Overlanders," for orchestra (arr. by Geoffrey Bush) | 11:26 min | Orchestral | - |
| 200 | When I grow old, for voice & piano | 1:58 min | Vocal Music | - |
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