Chandos: CHAN241-40

Ireland - Chamber Music

This comprehensive two-disc collection is now re-released at the price of 2 for 1. Ireland’s chamber music is recognised as including some of his most profound and personal works. Lydia Mordkovitch plays the complete violin sonatas, accompanied by Ian Brown. The Strad commented on Mordkovitch’s performance, ‘her playing in the sonatas is quite superb and her interpretations so idiomatic’. The Penguin Guide awarded the discs 3 stars, and wrote, ‘the two Violin Sonatas are both superb… masterfully played here by Lydia Mordkovitch with Ian Brown’. In the passionately intense Piano Trio No. 3, a larger chamber work, Ireland also demonstrates that he could develop his striking, memorable themes. Completing the set is a recording of the Fantasy Sonata for clarinet and piano, performed by Gervase de Peyer and Gwenneth Pryor.