CCC 033 - Tarik O'Regan

Our Consonant Classical Challenge continues with British composer Tarik O'Regan.  O'Regan omposes primarily for choir, although he does have a well-balanced catalog of works. Among his many compositions are some short works for orchestra, and many solo instrumental works (mostly for piano).

O'Regan writes flowing, engaging melodies that lend themselves to singing. And they sound equally engaging in his instrumental compositions. O'Regan's harmonies, while consonant, are far more complex than simple major/minor chord progressions. He stacks up his intervals carefully, then changes some around so that one chord morphs into the next.

"Latent Manifest" showcases O'Regan's compositional technique. It's a work inspired by a J.S. Bach violin sonata -- but this is no slavish imitation of the original. 



Most of O'Regan's solo compositions are for piano, but his (so far) lone work for guitar is a real standout. Here is his "Guitar Interlude."



The bulk of O'Regan's music is written for choir. His "Triptych" has an unusual combination of choir and marimbas. The combination of instruments and voices give the work a fresh sound, while remaining completely accessible to audiences with more traditional musical tastes.



Tarik O'Regan composes appealing, expressive music in an original manner. I would think his orchestral works would be easy to add to just about any orchestral concert program. Hearing these works live would (in my opinion) be a real treat.


Recommended recordings

Tarik O'Regan: Threshold of Night

Tarik O'Regan: Voices