I disliked Naxos' recording of Hamilton Harty's Irish Symphony, finding the performance overly breathless and oddly balanced, but this version of the Piano Concerto is...

I disliked Naxos' recording of Hamilton Harty's Irish Symphony, finding the performance overly breathless and oddly balanced, but this version of the Piano Concerto is marvelous. It knocks about eight minutes off the Chandos competition, and instead of sounding too hasty, it gives the music a welcome Irish snap. Particularly in the finale the march rhythms never sound stiff or clunky, and the conclusion manages to avoid the impression of a composer who has spent too much time thinking about Rachmaninov. No Russian heaviness here! Peter Donohoe is a nimble-fingered soloist, and the sonics are more natural and attractive than the somewhat glassy and overblown engineering on the Chandos disc.


The Comedy Overture sparkles, and the Fantasy Scenes are receiving (I believe) their CD premieres, at least on the American market. They aren't very interesting as evocations of "an Eastern Romance", as the title suggests, but rather sound like Harty always does: well-crafted, tuneful, and appealing. This is a very attractive release that really does shed new light on the Piano Concerto, and for that reason it should be heard by anyone who enjoys the work. This is now a clear first choice.
--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com