Donnacha Dennehy: Limina album review - joyously unfettered music is a thrill in motion - AOL

Donnacha Dennehy’s Limina pairs two concertos with a sense of motion and harmonic focus, resulting in music described as joyously free. Limina, written in 2023 for pianist Eliza McCarthy, is performed with the National Symphony Orchestra Ireland and conductor Ryan McAdams. Its three movements are named for parts of the body—Head, Chest, and Nervous System—each transitioning toward the next “limina” threshold. McCarthy’s playing highlights rapid, bright keyboard bursts, while “Chest” uses gentle palindromic phrases to evoke breathing. The Violin Concerto from 2020 features Stephen Waarts in standout outer movements and a soaring middle movement.