I’ve done it again: shamelessly exploited my Q&A podcast to do a music program, instead of a Q&A. My excuse this time? St. Patrick’s Day. Why not celebrate with some music?

I give you Irish music of varying kinds — performed by John McCormack, Kathleen Ferrier, Bryn Terfel, and other greats. Obviously, you’ll hear a lot of songs (or some — I have just seven tracks in this program). But I also include a famous march — “Brian Boru’s March,” played by Sir James Galway — and a bit of a nocturne by John Field.

Who’s he? An Irishman known as The Father of the Nocturne, and a significant influence on Chopin.

Obviously, I go out with the paradigmatic song, “Danny Boy” — sung by a marvelous tenor, and marvelous person, Matthew Polenzani. Have played golf with him. Big hitter, Matt. Long. But an even better tenor, of course.

Again, the link. Happy St. Patrick’s Day, y’all (as they say in Savannah and other Irish hotbeds).

P.S. If you’d like to read about some recent performances, in New York, I have some posts over at The New Criterion. This is about Karita Mattila in recital. This is about Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, played by the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Gustavo Dudamel. And this is about an Elixir of Love at the Metropolitan Opera.