Corcoran Symphonies Nos. 2-4
Frank Corcoran was born in Tipperary in 1944 and studied in Dublin, Rome and later in Berlin with Boris Blacher. His [symphony] symphonies are something of a revelation
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Michael Stewart
Corcoran Symphonies Nos. 2-4
Symphony No. 2
Symphony No. 3
Symphony No. 4
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Rather like the image of Skelling Rock in Ireland that adorns the cover of this CD, Corcoran’s symphonies stand implacable and without apology before the listener: as challenging as Birtwistle, rougher-hewn than Maxwell Davies. The works of Varese and Bussotti are perhaps a better comparison. These are soundscapes in the purest sense of the word, edifices to lose oneself in.
Corcoran is an illusionist with time – Symphonies Nos 3 and 4 are approximately 15 minutes apiece and yet time seems to collapse and expand under a law of its own in these works. In the booklet-notes, Corcoran speaks of ‘virtual space’ and of ‘a logic out of chaos’, and I would go along with that. There is much truth too, in his remark that ‘ears understand the logic of my story’, and they do, no matter how uncharted or disruptive the soundscape. And the ‘story’ traverses all three symphonies: there is continuity of thought and a consistency of style here. His mastery of orchestral colour and texture is impressive too, and has there ever been more of an anti-ending to a symphony than in his Fourth?
Much praise must go to the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and to conductor Coleman Pearce who deliver these ‘dolmens in sound’ (to quote Corcoran again) with much commitment, and also to Marco Polo for bringing us this most enterprising issue. A real discovery.’