Classical Guitar Music by Irish Composers: Performing Editions and Critical Commentary

The last four hundred years have seen the guitar fall in and out of fashion, from its position as a respected medium for art music to its role as an accompanying instrument. Improvements in the construction of the instrument at the end of the nineteenth century, coupled with growing interest from leading twentieth-century composers, have resulted in a substantial and important new repertoire. A significant increase in the number of new works is especially evident after 1950. The availability of performing editions and compact disc recordings of these works is vital for their dissemination internationally. Since 1969, Irish composers have created a considerable repertoire for guitar, but this repertoire has been sadly neglected by performers due to lack of such editions and recordings. This thesis presents performing editions of thirty-seven works for classical guitar by twenty-one Irish composers and comprises compositions for guitar with orchestra, guitar with another instrument or voice, and guitar solo; a set of five Compact Disc recordings which includes nineteen works by twelve Irish composers (almost four hours of music); a discussion with analytical comments on the works and editorial commentary on the editions, with details, where available, of the composer/performer collaboration; and a more in-depth discussion of seven selected works. This thesis aims to provide a resource for those who wish to perform, or carry out research, into this neglected repertoir