A pupil at the Royal College of Music in London, John Ireland studied with Sir C.H. Stanford and mixed with such contemporaries as Holst and Vaughan Williams.

He later taught composition at the Royal College, while earning his living for many years as an organist and choirmaster.

After destroying all his early work, he concentrated on the composition of picturesque orchestral pieces.

Ireland’s music belongs to the 20th century English musical tradition, demonstrating some lyrical affinity with Elgar, while admitting contemporary influences from abroad into a very personal idiom.

Ireland's "Piano Concerto" and his "Concertino pastorale" for strings are notable works, with his once popular "A London Overture".

Other orchestral music includes the prelude "The Forgotten Rite" and the symphonic rhapsody "Mai-Dun".

He provided a very competent score for the film "The Overlanders".

The coronation choral commission of 1937, "These Things Shall Be", proved impressive in its time.

His songs include settings of Housman, Hardy, Yeats, with nine song cycles, of which Songs of a Wayfarer and Songs Sacred and Profane are examples.

Ireland's chamber music, well crafted as always, includes two Violin Sonatas, the second particularly worthy of attention, followed by a fine Cello Sonata.

He left three Piano Trios and a Fantasy Sonata for clarinet and piano.

Ireland wrote one Piano Sonata and a Sonatina, in addition to a large number of lyrical shorter pieces, many with characteristic titles.