Books and Music
Two of Life’s Greatest Pleasures
Wednesday 5th November 2014
St. George’s Hall Dublin Castle
Rose Henderson and Bryan Murray read exerpts from novels which use music as their setting, which try to describe the process of musical expression or which try to put into words the effect that music has on our soul.
Novels include the Bible, A Long Long Way by Sebastian Barry, Ghost Moth by Michele Forbes, High Fidelity by Nick Hornby, the Pearl by John Steinbeck, Strumpet City by James Plunkett, Nora Webster by Colm Toibin, The Shipping News by Annie Proulx and Ulysses by James Joyce.
Music includes the Arrival of the Queen of Sheba by Handel, Ave Maria by Schubert sung by soprano Michelle Smith, Habanera from Carmen by Georges Bizet sung by soprano Eimear McCarthy Luddy, Paperback Writer by the Beatles, Duet from the Pearl Fishers by Georges Bizet, sung by tenor Callan Coughlan and baritone Sean Boylan, the Wedding March by Mendlessohn, Tis the Last Rose of Summer by Thomas Moore, sung by soprano Michelle Smith, Sailing By by Ronald Binge, and Love’s Old Sweet Song by J. L. Molloy sung by baritone Sean Boylan. The Royal Academy of Music Chamber Orchestra accompanied with Seho Lee on piano, and they were directed by Elizabeth Csibi.
The programme was compiled by Rose Henderson with input from Jane Alger, Derek Seymour and Bryan Murray.
Dublin UNESCO City of Literature, Dublin City Libraries, Royal Irish Academy of Music, the OPW and Dublin Castle.