John Francis Larchet (13 July 1884 – 10 August 1967) was an Irish composer and teacher. He studied at

Trinity College Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...

(MusB 1915, MusD 1917), also at the

Royal Irish Academy of Music The Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) in Dublin, Ireland, is one of Europe's oldest music conservatoires, specialising in classical music and the Irish harp. It is located in a Georgian building on Westland Row in Dublin. An institution whic ...

(RIAM) with Michele Esposito. Larchet was music director at the

Abbey Theatre The Abbey Theatre ( ga, Amharclann na Mainistreach), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland ( ga, Amharclann Náisiúnta na hÉireann), in Dublin, Ireland, is one of the country's leading cultural institutions. First opening to the p ...

from 1908 to 1935 and was therefore responsible for the stage music accompanying many of the pivotal plays of the

Irish Literary Renaissance The Irish Literary Revival (also called the Irish Literary Renaissance, nicknamed the Celtic Twilight) was a flowering of Irish literary talent in the late 19th and early 20th century. It includes works of poetry, music, art, and literature. O ...

, in particular those of

William Butler Yeats William Butler Yeats (13 June 186528 January 1939) was an Irish poet, dramatist, writer and one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival and became a pillar of the Irish liter ...

, and also had his ballet ''Bluebeard'' performed there (in 1932), including the dancer

Ninette de Valois Dame Ninette de Valois (born Edris Stannus; 6 June 1898 – 8 March 2001) was an Irish-born British dancer, teacher, choreographer, and director of classical ballet. Most notably, she danced professionally with Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russ ...

. Although a prolific composer and arranger, his main contribution to Irish music was as a teacher: He taught harmony and counterpoint at the

between 1920 and 1955 and was Professor of Music at

University College Dublin University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 33,284 student ...

between 1921 and 1958. Among his pupils were Frank Ll. Harrison (1905–1987),

Michael Bowles Michael Andrew Bowles n Gaelic: Micheál Ó Baoighill(30 November 1909 – 6 April 1998) was an Irish conductor and composer, who was also active in New Zealand, the US, and England. Life Bowles was born in Riverstown, County Sligo, and grew u ...

(1909–1998), Frederick May (1911–1985), Walter Beckett (1914–1996),

Joan Trimble Joan Trimble (18 June 1915 – 6 August 2000) was an Irish composer and pianist. Education and career Trimble was born in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ireland. She studied piano with Annie Lord at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin, ...

(1915–2000), Brian Boydell (1917–2000), T.C. Kelly (1917–1985),

Havelock Nelson Havelock Nelson (25 May 1917 – 5 August 1996) was an Irish composer and conductor. Life Nelson was born in Cork and studied in Dublin with Dina Copeman and Dorothy Stokes at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, organ with George Hewson and com ...

(1917–1996),

Gerard Victory Thomas Joseph Gerard Victory (24 December 1921 – 14 March 1995) was a prolific Irish composer. He wrote over two hundred works across many genres and styles, including tonal, serial, aleatoric and electroacoustic music. Biography Victory ...

(1921–1995), and

Seóirse Bodley Seóirse Bodley (first name pronounced ; born 4 April 1933) is an Irish composer and former associate professor of music at University College Dublin (UCD). He was the first composer to become a Saoi of Aosdána, in 2008. Bodley is widely regarde ...

(b. 1933). Larchet was primarily a composer of miniatures and an arranger of Irish folksongs for classical ensembles. His arrangement (in 1954) of the Irish national anthem is the official version still in use today. His daughter, Sheila Larchet Cuthbert (b. 1923), is an Irish harpist and author. She published ''The Irish Harp Book: A Tutor and Companion'' (Dublin, 1975; 5/2004).

Selected works

Stage *''The Land of Heart's Desire'', incidental music to play by W. B. Yeats (date?) *''Deirdre of the Sorrows'', incidental music to play by W. B. Yeats (1907) *''The Spell'', incidental music to play by Bernard Duffy (c.1916) *''The Pipe in the Fields'', incidental music to play by T. C. Murray (c.1927) *''The Cat and the Moon'', incidental music to play by W. B. Yeats (1931) *''The Dreaming of the Bones'', incidental music to play by W. B. Yeats, scored for voice, flute and zither (1931)Published in Jacqueline Genet (ed.): ''"Words for Music Perhaps": le "new art" de Yeats'' / ''"Words for Music Perhaps": Yeats's "new art"'' (Villeneuve d'Ascq: Presses Universitaires du Septentrion, 2010), , p. 199–213. *''Bluebeard'', ballet (1932) Orchestral *''Lament for Youth'' (1939), published as 'Caoineadh na hÓige', Dublin: Oifig an tSoláthair, 1940 *''The Dirge of Ossian & MacAnanty's Reel'' (1940) for string orchestra, London: Goodwin & Tabb, 1943 *''Two Characteristic Pieces (based on traditional Irish Airs)'', London: Elkin & Co., 1952 *''Marcia, quasi Scherzo'' (1955), published as 'Máirseáil, de shórt Meidhréiseach', Dublin: Oifig Díolta Foilseachán Rialtais, n.d. *''By the Waters of Moyle'' (1957) Chamber music *''Irish Dance No. 1'' for violin & piano, London: Weekes & Co., 1911 *''Irish Airs'' for violin & piano, Dublin: Pigott & Co., c.1926 Choral *''The Legend of Lough Rea'' (text by 'Lageniensis'), London: Stainer & Bell, 1920 *''At the Mid-Hour of Night'' (Thomas Moore), arr. for satb, Dublin: Pigott & Co., 1923 *''Éamonn an Chnuich'' (trad.), arr. for ssaa; Dublin: Pigott & Co., c.1931 *''An Caitín Bán'' (trad.), arr., Dublin: Pigott & Co., 1934 *''An Spáilpín Fánach'' (trad.), arr., Dublin: Pigott & Co., 1935 *''Róisín Dubh'' (trad.), arr., Dublin: Pigott & Co., 1937 *''Peata an mhaoir'' (P. Breathnach), Dublin: Pigott & Co., 1953 *'' Sancti venite'' (Eoin McNeill) for satb, organ (1954) *''Ave Maria stella''. Motet (1957) *''Three Motets'' (1961) Songs *''In Sweet Humility'' (J. Taylor), London: Moore, Smith & Co., 1906 *''Love, and a Garden'' (H. Wyles), London: C. Woolhouse, 1906 *''Love's Question'' (H. Wyles), London: C. Woolhouse, 1906 *''The Philosophy of Love'' ( Percy Bysshe Shelley), London: Boosey & Co., 1908 *''In Sweet Humility'' (Jane Taylor), London: Evans, 1910 *''Pádraic the Fiddiler'' (Pádraic Gregory) with violin obbl., London: Boosey & Co., 1919 *''An Ardglass Boat Song'' (Pádraic Gregory), London: Stainer & Bell, 1920 *''A Stóirin Bán'' (Pádraic Gregory), London: Boosey & Co., 1922 *''Sliabh na Mban'' (trad.), arr., Dublin: Pigott & Co., 1934 *''The Song of the Faery Child'' (1935) *''Diarmuid's Lament'' (Michael MacLiammóir), Dublin: Pigott & Co., 1937 *''The Stranger. An Old Gaelic Rune'' (anon.), London: Stainer & Bell, 1939 *''The Thief of the World'' (Francis A. Fahy), London: Boosey & Co., 1939 *''The Wee Boy in Bed'' ( Elizabeth Shane), London: Boosey & Co., 1943 *''The Cormorant'' (

Emily Lawless The Hon. Emily Lawless (17 June 184519 October 1913) was an Irish novelist, historian, entomologist, gardener, and poet from County Kildare. Her innovative approach to narrative and the psychological richness of her fiction have been identifi ...

), London: Stainer & Bell, 1947 *''Wee Hughie'' ( Elizabeth Shane), London: Stainer & Bell, 1947 *''The Castle of Dromore'' ( Harold Boulton), Dublin: Pigott & Co., 1949 *''The Small Black Rose'' (Donal O'Sullivan) (1955) for voice and harp, Cork: Mercier Press, 1975 *''Gleann Beag Lághach an Cheoil'' ('Torna'), Dublin: Pigott & Co., n.d.

Recordings

* ''The Dirge of Ossian & MacAnanty's Reel'': Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra, cond. Milan Horvat, on Decca DL 9844 (LP, 1956). *'' Peata an Mhaoir'': RTÉ Singers, cond. Hans Waldemar Rosen, on Harmonia Mundi HMS 30691 (LP, 1965). * ''Wee Hughie'': Bernadette Greevy (Mez) & Jeannie Reddin (pf), on Argo ZRG 5459 (LP, 1966). * ''The Stranger'': Mary Hegarty (S), Ingrid Surgenor (pf), on: ASV CD WHL 2091 (CD, 1994). * ''By the Waters of Moyle'': RTÉ Sinfonietta, cond. Proinnséas Ó Duinn, on Marco Polo 8.223804 (CD, 1996). * ''The Dirge of Ossian & MacAnanty's Reel'': Irish Chamber Orchestra, cond. Fionnuala Hunt, on: Black Box Music BBM 1003 (CD, 1997). * ''Pádraic the Fiddiler'', ''An Ardglass Boat Song'', ''A Stóirin Bán'', ''The Wee Boy in Bed'', ''Wee Hughie'': Bernadette Greevy (Mez) & Hugh Tinney (pf), on ''A Sheaf of Songs from Ireland''. Marco Polo 8.225098 (CD, 1998). * ''Lament for Youth'' (in a band arrangement by Fritz Brase), performed by Band of the Defence Forces School of Music, Mark Armstrong (cond.), on: RTÉ lyric fm CD 153 (CD, 2016). * ''The Philosophy of Love''; ''In Sweet Humility''; ''Love's Question''; ''Love and a Garden''; ''Pádraic the Fiddiler''; ''An Ardglass Boat Song''; ''Irish Airs'', Vol. 1 ''A Stóirin Bán''; ''The Bard of Armagh''; ''The Song of the Faery Child''; ''Diardmuid's Lament''; ''The Thief of the World''; ''Irish Airs'', Vol. 2; ''The Stranger''; ''The Wee Boy in Bed''; ''The Cormorant''; ''Wee Hughie''; ''The Small Black Rose'': Raphaela Mangan (Mez), Gavan Ring (Bar), Mia Cooper (vn), Verity Simmons (vc), Niall Kinsella (pf), on: Champs Hill Records CHR CD 151 (CD, 2020).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Larchet, John Francis 1884 births 1967 deaths 20th-century classical composers 20th-century conductors (music) Academics of University College Dublin Alumni of the Royal Irish Academy of Music Ballet composers British ballet composers Irish classical composers Irish conductors (music) Irish music arrangers Irish songwriters Musicians from Dublin (city)