“The Devil’s Dream” — Music by Seán Doherty announced by Métier

The British new-music label Métier (part of the Divine Art Recordings Group) has built a strong relationship over the last few years with composers from the Republic of Ireland including the September 2024 release of ‘The Tyndall Effect’ with music by Graínne Mulvey and the impending appearance of a chamber music album by Musici Ireland. This connection will be strengthened further by the release in early 2025 of a superb album of music for string quartet (all premiere recordings) by Seán Doherty, several with the addition of voice or traditional Irish instruments.

The chamber works of Doherty have been described as ‘unfailingly gripping’ (Irish Times) and ‘wonderfully imaginative, colourful’ (Irish Examiner). In these works, he blends Irish traditional and classical music to thrilling dramatic effect. The works explore themes of death and mourning, as well as major events in Irish history: the Great Famine, the Easter Rising, and the Troubles. A sensation with live audiences, this is the first studio recording of these works.

This album brings together leading performers from Irish traditional and classical worlds. The Sonoro Quartet is one of the premier string quartets of their generation. Based in the Netherlands, they were chosen as the European Concert Hall Organisation’s ‘Rising Stars’ for the 2023–24 season. Irish soprano Sylvia O’Brien is a renowned interpreter of contemporary Irish music, having performed numerous prestigious international premieres, as well as works by many composers who have written specifically for her voice. Mark Redmond is an important exponent of the uilleann pipes, the Irish bagpipe, who, with his extensive performing and recording career, has introduced the instrument to new audiences internationally. They are joined by other exceptional traditional musicians: Lauren O’Neill, Molly Tobin, Robert Harvey, and Doherty himself.

This album is a striking portrait of one of Ireland’s leading young composers. The recording has been made in 2023 in Dublin by engineer Richard Duckworth, who is a lecturer in music technology at Trinity College, Dublin.

Seán Doherty was born in Derry, Northern Ireland, where he was educated at St Eugene’s primary school and Lumen Christi College. He read music at St John’s College, Cambridge, and was awarded a PhD from Trinity College, Dublin, on submission of a thesis entitled ‘Solfaing: The History of Four-Syllable Solmization to the Present Day’. Doherty is currently a lecturer in music at Dublin City University. He is a member of the acclaimed Irish choir New Dublin Voices. 

Doherty has won the Feis Ceoil choral composition four times, the Choir & Organ Magazine composition competition twice, the West Cork Chamber Music Festival ‘Young Composers’ Bursary’ twice, the Jerome Hynes composition award, the St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh composition competition, and the Fragments composition award in association Historic Scotland. His music has been performed by an appreciable number of orchestras, ensembles and soloists.  Six of his songs were featured in the highly acclaimed Métier album “Ghost Songs” (MSV 28599).  Seán Doherty’s setting [of” Lola Ridge’s “Under-Song] is a little miracle (Fanfare)

Album details:

• Label:  Métier
• Catalogue number: MEX 77135
• Title :  ‘The Devil’s Dream’
• Composer:  Seán Doherty
• Works:
  • The Devil’s Dream (String quartet)
  • Lament for the Poets (with soprano)
  • No Go (with uilleann pipes)
  • Drochshaol (with uilleann pipes, Irish harp and concertina)
  • Paddy’s Rambles through the Gravel Walks (with fiddle, uilleann pipes, Irish harp and flute and concertina)
• Performers:
  • Sonoro Quartet (all works)
  • Sylvia O’Brien, soprano
  • Mark Redmond, uilleann pipes
  • Lauren O’Neill, Irish harp
  • Molly Tobin, concertina
  • Robert Harvey, Irish flute
  • Seán Doherty, fiddle
• Recorded in Dublin May 2023
• For release Jan or Feb 2025.