John Francis Larchet facts for kids

John Francis Larchet (born 13 July 1884 – died 10 August 1967) was an important Irish composer and teacher. He helped shape music in Ireland for many years.

He studied music at Trinity College Dublin and the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM). One of his teachers was Michele Esposito.

A Musical Leader

From 1908 to 1935, Larchet was the music director at the Abbey Theatre. This was a very important time for Irish plays and literature, known as the Irish Literary Renaissance. He created the music for many famous plays, especially those by William Butler Yeats. He also had his ballet called Bluebeard performed there in 1932. The famous dancer Ninette de Valois was part of this ballet.

Teaching Music

Even though he wrote a lot of music, Larchet's biggest impact was as a teacher. He taught music subjects like harmony and counterpoint at the Royal Irish Academy of Music from 1920 to 1955. He was also a Professor of Music at University College Dublin from 1921 to 1958.

Many of his students became well-known composers and musicians themselves. Some of them include:

• Frank Ll. Harrison (1905–1987)
• Elizabeth Maconchy (1907-1994)
• Michael Bowles (1909–1998)
• Frederick May (1911–1985)
• Walter Beckett (1914–1996)
• Joan Trimble (1915–2000)
• Brian Boydell (1917–2000)
• T.C. Kelly (1917–1985)
• Havelock Nelson (1917–1996)
• Gerard Victory (1921–1995)
• Seóirse Bodley (born 1933)

His Compositions

Larchet mostly wrote shorter pieces of music. He also arranged many traditional Irish folk songs for classical music groups. His arrangement of the Irish national anthem, created in 1954, is the official version still used today.

His daughter, Sheila Larchet Cuthbert (born 1923), is an Irish harp player and writer. She wrote a book called The Irish Harp Book: A Tutor and Companion, which was first published in 1975.

Types of Music He Wrote

Larchet wrote music for different types of performances and groups:

• Stage Music: He created music for plays, like The Land of Heart's Desire and The Cat and the Moon by W. B. Yeats. He also composed a ballet called Bluebeard.
• Orchestral Music: This is music for a large group of instruments. Examples include Lament for Youth and By the Waters of Moyle.
• Chamber Music: This is music for a small group of instruments, like his Irish Dance No. 1 for violin and piano.
• Choral Music: He wrote pieces for choirs, such as The Legend of Lough Rea and arrangements of traditional songs like An Caitín Bán.
• Songs: Larchet composed many songs for singers, often setting poems to music. Some of his songs include The Philosophy of Love and Pádraic the Fiddiler.

Recordings of His Music

Many of John F. Larchet's musical works have been recorded over the years. These recordings help people today enjoy his compositions. Some of his pieces, like The Dirge of Ossian & MacAnanty's Reel and various songs, have been performed by different orchestras, choirs, and solo artists.