The following was written by J.W. Glover in 1859 who set Moore's songs to music.
Having undertaken to prepare this new adition of Moore's Irish Melodies for the press, I deem it my duty to make a few
brief observations on the manner I have ecquitted myself of the trust so generously confined in me by our eminent publisher.
In the original adition the music was printed only in connection with the first or second verses of each melody,
the remainder being merely given in letter-press,but in this edition the words of all the verses are accompanied by the music,
together with the piano-forte part in full, an arrangement which, from it's great expence, has not been hitherto attempted.
In the harmonized airs, Sir John Stevenson's chaste and beautiful arrangements have been in all cases retained. The
instrumental pieces having been originally set for two preformers on the piano-forte, did not obtain, from that circmstance,
the same popularity accorded to the other portions of the work. Feeling that these precious reliques, having the national
character to forcibly stamped on them, should be brought within the range of individual effort, I have reset them for
the piano-forte in a form more likely to become more popular than that of the original arrangement.
In the charming song ''The Last Rose Of Summer'' I have ventured, without altering the melody, to suggest a few graces
of expression not found in the original music, in the hope that they will assist the preformer in the true delivery of this
beautiful and most tender melody.
In the characteristic song, Where's The Slave So Lowly,'' I have introduced the dirge at the end, in a harmonized
form, retaining the original melody. This version adopted at the commemoration of Moore, given by me in March 1852, immediately
after the poet's death, was sung by nearly two hundred voices, and as it obtained much favour with the public, I have
ventured to retain it in the present edition. Little need be said about the merits of the work, the sentiments
and narrative of the songs being such as will ever recommend them to the universal praise and sympathies of mankind.
Of the Airs, some are so ancient that their origin is lost in remote antiquity, others were composed within
the range of known history by the bards or itinerant musicans of Ireland, while many were produced at a compartively
modern period, mostly by Carolan, who is said to have been The Last Bard Of Ireland. Handel, Geminiani and other eminent musicians,
have bestowed their tribute of fervent admiration on the beauty of this ancient music, whose strains are now inseparably wedded
to the exquisite Poetry Of Moore.
These melodies now form part of our national inheritance-something Ireland may truly call her own, and which shall
always be looked upon as one of the most intresting and happy efforts of genius ever bequeathed to any country.
J.W. Glover
1859
