I have never played any music by Ireland, though occasionally pieces do appear in the syllabi.
At the recent Wirral Festival a lad played 'The Darkened Valley' which I quite enjoyed and I am sure someone played a piece by him at a Forums event, possibly in Leeds, though I cant remember what it is.
Does anyone else play Ireland and what pieces do you recommend ? Im going to get some but its all published in 5 volumes (chronologically) by Stainer and Bell. So I'll probably start with Book 2 which has 'Darkened Valley'

Me. I love John Ireland. The only piece I can play is Darkened Valley, which was Grade 8 1990, and I read some (Merry Andrew is the only one I remember) in university. I have liked anything that I have heard by him, but I can't remember much other than Soho Forenoons.

Ooh, yes, my favourite piano piece ever, Month's Mind.

I played The Towing Path for my ALCM a long time ago. My then teacher was a great fan of Ireland's and I enjoyed playing it.

What a co-incidence (for me) that this thread has just started. I ordered the scores of "Amberley Wild Brooks" and "London Pieces" direct from Stainer and Bell a few days ago, and they have just arrived

But they are a bit more difficult than I had expected from hearing them performed

Anyway, there'll be plenty of happy days ahead learning them

I too played 'The Towing Path' many years ago for an exam at school. I really enjoyed it and it's one I've kept returning to over the years.

Months Mind is beautiful. It was on the 2009-11 TG grade 8 syllabus.

I remember my teacher telling me he had played it for his diploma! That would have been in the early 80s.

I too played 'The Darkened Valley' for my grade 8, but that was over 50 years ago! At that time the piano music of John Ireland was played frequently. I remember buying a recording (LP) of his Piano Concerto - perhaps the greatest ever written by an Englishman - by Colin Horsley and, shortly afterwards, meeting Mr Horsley at a Three Choirs Festival where he was giving a recital.

As an organist I play his 'Miniature Suite'. The delightful middle movement 'Villanella' is also available in an arrangement for piano, but I am ashamed to say the only other piano piece I play is 'Summer Evening'. There are 3 CDs of his piano music on Chandos played by Eric Parkin.

Thanks for all your input so far, but anymore welcome !

I like Sarnia though I can only approach the middle movement, In a May morning. I enjoy the chords etc. It reminds me of either some 'popular' song whose name escapes me or the 'touched tendrils' moment in the Flanders and Swann song

Thanks again for replies. Well I sight read Darkened Valley, and played it a couple of times and I reckon I have learnt it, surely not as hard as Grade 8 standard.? Also the metronome marking seems a bit slow at minim 62-68 - I think it needs to flow a bit more. So then I did Towing Path which was of similar difficulty. Finally had a go at Amberley Wild Brooks, which is far more difficult, but it is in my favourite key of Fsharp minor. That will need some serious practise ! There is also a slightly easier piece in book 2 called Soliloquy which is also quite nice. I will explore others in the book later, that was enough new stuff for a one hour session.

I think the Darkened Valley *is* Grade 8 standard - it's not that long, but it's hard to play well. I thought the metronome marking was OK because then the middle section contrast with the outer ones is more marked.

But I'm really only saying this cos I know the piece well No opinions on the rest of the pieces, just that I like Ireland's style in general.

Yes its certainly a nice piece - , yeah maybe I havent really sorted all the dynamics I could use, but the notes are straightforward.

Ireland's "Island Spell" is lovely too - and very atmospheric. I learnt it while I was still at school and loved it and ended up playing it at a number of concerts and for several competitions and it always went down well with audiences. It looks quite difficult when you look at the music, but is not that hard to play.

Chelsea Reach from the London Pieces is wonderful and very rewarding to learn. Around LRSM I would have said.

Yes its in my book, I will have a look at it. Dip A standard pieces are OK for me, Dip L rather difficult though I play some Dip L pieces OK. I am finding Amberely Wild Brooks quite difficult, someone said that was Dip L level