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MOORE'S

IRISH MELODIES.

WITH

SYMPHONIES AND ACCOMPANIMENTS

BY

SIR JOHN STEVENSON, Mus. Doc.,

AND

SIR HENRY BISHOP.

LONDON:

ADDISON, HOLLIER AND LUCAS, 210 REGENT STREET;
LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, LONGMANS, AND ROBERTS.

MANCHESTER:

HIME AND ADDISON 19, ST ANNES SQUARE.

MDCCCLIX.

PREFACE

TO THE

PEOPLE'S EDITION OF MOORE'S IRISH MELODIES.

Or the work now presented to the Public, it is not necessary to speak in commendation. It stands recogLized as the most perfect combination of Lyrical Poetry and Music to be found in any country.

But as the more ample and general appreciation which Moore's Irish Melodies have recently received, has led several publishers to announce editions of the work in various forms, it is necessary, by way both of information and of warning, to state that the property, in a large proportion of the Melodies, is still protected by Copyright, and that every edition announced, except by the publishers of the present Volume, is not only incomplete, but contains little more than half the Irish Melodies.

In this edition is comprised every one of the Melodies originally published in eleven Volumes, and amongst those which no other edition can contain, are many of the songs best known and most highly esteemed by the public. All who are conversant with the history of the work are acquainted with the process by which the words and the music were formed into such delightful harmony. The Poet having selected an Irish air, played it on the piano, or carried it in his memory, until he was thoroughly imbued with its character and capabilities, and then wrote for it words which expressed the feelings it had inspired. The symphonies and accompaniments of the latter half were composed by Sir Henry R. Bishop. In the earlier progress of the work these accompaniments were prepared, under Mr Moore's own superintendence, by Sir John Stevenson. They were thus, by author and composer, adapted to the intended sentiment. In many cases the process has led to combinations at which the musical grammarian may pause, but in which the inspiration of genius is distinctly felt. The Publishers have not felt at liberty to alter such characteristic features of the work, and, except that a few symphonies have been slightly abbreviated, the present is a full, complete, and unmutilated edition of Moore's Irish Melodies.

Paternoster Row.

April, 1859.