I attended a concert last night in Belfast where the violin and piano version of this work was performed and I was very impressed with how assured the work is, as it is a relatively early work. I was particularly enamoured of the gorgeous slow movement, with its Irish-folk-inflected melodies and sonorous qualities. The finale, too, is a very happy conception, with a jaunty main theme.
Ashamedly I know very little about Harty, despite the fact that he was born 15 minutes away from where I live! But surely this and others of his works deserve to be better known!?
The performers were Mathilde Milwidsky (vln), a very fine young performer playing an instrument with a wonderful depth of tone, and Joseph Havlat (piano), an excellent musician with a huge and exciting dynamic range. I understand Milwidsky will also be playing the Moeran concerto next year - another work I don't know but will now be sure to look out!
What are others' thoughts on the Harty?
4c
It is a superb piece and should be regularly played. It is astonishing that even now there is only one commercial recording of it, by Ralph Holmes, and that dates from 1979! Delius admired it, especially the first movement's second subject.
Naxos followed up the 1983 Chandos recording of his piano concerto with a (more rapid? cut? but anyhow briefer) 2006 one of their own, it would be nice if they or someone would indeed provide a good competitor for the violin concerto as well, agreed. I can't seem to turn up any 21st-century performances of the work offhand, as things stand :( (and when his music gets performed it's often his arrangements. At least according to BachTrack, though, his piano quintet is getting an airing in New York City, from the Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players, two weeks from today.)
Quote from: eschiss1 on Monday 12 October 2026, 13:37Naxos followed up the 1983 Chandos recording of his piano concerto with a (more rapid? cut? but anyhow briefer) 2006 one of their own
It's a wildly faster one